Concord Reckless Driving Accident Lawyer

Most road users in North Carolina obey all traffic rules, drive safely, and get to their destination without incident. However, on the same roads, some reckless drivers don’t pay attention to the safety laws and end up causing harm to innocent people. Fortunately, victims have the right to seek compensation for the injuries and losses they suffer in such accidents.

Reckless driving is largely a conscious act, and drivers can’t blame anyone but themselves. In the event of a car accident caused by reckless driving, it’s important to seek the help of a car accident attorney who can help you seek compensation for the injuries and damages you incurred. Your lawyer can also help you navigate the legal system and make sure your rights are protected.

Our team can help you understand your legal rights and pursue the compensation you deserve under the law from the at-fault driver’s insurance provider. Call out experienced Concord car accident lawyers at [phone] for a free consultation to see if you have a case.

What is Reckless Driving?

Reckless driving is a broad term that applies to many serious traffic offenses. In general, reckless driving entails engaging in dangerous driving activities without considering the risks posed to their safety and the safety of other road users.

Reckless driving can be described by the terms willful and wanton. Willful means that the driver knowingly and intentionally participated in the activity. Wanton means the driver had an intentional and conscious disregard for the consequences of their actions. Reckless driving may also involve knowingly engaging in negligent acts knowing they will likely result in damages and injuries.

How May Reckless Driving Raise the Chances of a Crash?

Driving is something many individuals do daily, and some people may become desensitized to the dangers. While it’s quite common to see recklessness behind the wheel, the behavior could easily result in severe injuries in case an accident occurs. Here’s how reckless driving increases the chance of an accident.

Speeding

Ignoring speed limits can make any vehicle a lot more difficult to control. Speeding also has a huge impact on the driver’s reaction time, since the car is often unable to stop in time in case the unexpected happens. Keep in mind that going 25 MPH or more above the speed in North Carolina is a criminal offense.

Texting and Driving

Texting and other forms of cell phone use, such as commenting on social media or replying to emails involve three forms of distractions: visual, mechanical, and cognitive. Within the time it takes to reply to a text social media post or email, the driver would have covered the length of a football field without paying attention to the road.

Distracted driving

This is one of the growing safety concerns in North Carolina, especially when it comes to texting while driving or using a handheld device. This is especially true for the younger drivers. However, eating and drinking, fiddling with the navigation system or A/C, or even talking to other passengers are also forms of distracted driving.

Aggressive driving

Aggressive driving may include anything from swerving through traffic to road rage. Road rage occurs when a driver gives in to anger and engages in threatening or dangerous behavior. In many cases, aggressive drivers feel the need to assert their position on the road. They may want other drivers on the road to get out of their way and will take little precaution to avoid the risk of a collision.

Ignoring red lights

Failing to yield at an intersection by running a stop sign or a red light is one of the most common causes of accidents at intersections, especially T-bone accidents. These accidents often result in the most serious injuries to the passengers of the struck vehicle, since the doors don’t usually offer the best protection during accidents. This is especially the case if there’s a huge size discrepancy between the vehicles.

Failure to use turn signals

There’s a reason why safe drivers use turn signals. They help indicate to the other drivers that you’re slowing down to make a turn. However, many motorists don’t bother to signal, which increases the chance of a rear-end collision.

Tailgating

Tailgating happens when one driver follows unnecessarily or aggressively close behind another. Tailgating is considered reckless as it could result in rear-end accidents and multi-car pile-ups.

Fatigue and impairment

Impairment by alcohol or drugs as well as extreme fatigue can create major deficits in the skills that a driver needs to drive safely. Some of the deficits include the inability to control speed or maintain lanes, along with the inability to react quickly in emergencies and difficulty in making the right judgment.

What Damages Can a Reckless Driving Accident Victim Recover?

Reckless driving accidents can have potentially disastrous consequences for those involved in the crash. Seriously injured victims might not be able to return to their work or career or even participate in activities they used to enjoy before the crash.

While compensation might not be able to make you completely healthy again, receiving a fair settlement might help prevent potential financial hardship and help you deal with medical expenses and other losses.

The amount you receive as compensation will depend on your specific injuries and other factors of the accident. You may recover money for the following types of damages:

• ER expenses and hospital stays
• Past, present, and future medical treatments and rehabilitative care
• Cost of purchasing medical devices and prescriptions
• Lost wages and future lost wages
• Future loss of earning capacity
• Emotional distress
• Physical and psychological anguish
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Temporary or permanent disability
• Reduced life quality

If the reckless driver’s conduct is deemed by the court to be extremely egregious, the victim could be eligible for punitive damages, in addition to the compensatory awards listed above.

How Can I Prove the Other Driver Was Driving Recklessly?

For you to seek fair compensation after a reckless driving crash in Concord, NC, you need to demonstrate that the other driver was at fault for the accident and is therefore liable for your losses. Your lawyer can help you do this by collecting and preserving critical evidence to prove your case. This evidence includes:

Dashcam and highway camera footage

The footage may show details such as vehicle damage, skid marks, and the relative trajectory of each vehicle before and after the accident. The footage may also highlight the reckless and negligent nature of the other driver’s actions.

Witness testimony

Your lawyer will interview witnesses who saw the crash occur, which can provide invaluable supporting evidence to corroborate your claim. Your attorney may also seek testimony from expert witnesses, such as accident reconstruction specialists and medical experts to provide professional evaluations on the circumstances of the crash.

Speedometer calibration

Many reckless driving accident cases can be proven by speedometer calibrations, which can help show the other driver was driving way above the speed limit. A speedometer calibration can help demonstrate that the other driver was driving too fast and was responsible for the crash.

Why Do I Need an Attorney?

While human error accounts for the majority of car accidents, there’s a thin line between miscalculating a maneuver and international recklessness. For this reason, liability is often contentious when it comes to reckless driving cases, and you want to have an experienced lawyer by your side to sift through the red tape and get you the justice you deserve. Here are some of the ways a lawyer can help:

Determining liability

The first step when starting the claims process is to determine liability for the accident. Your reckless driving lawyer can investigate the scene of the accident, obtain the police report, speak to eyewitnesses, and use expert witnesses to determine who and what caused the accident.

File the claim

When your lawyer establishes who is liable for the accident, they will file a personal injury claim against them.

Damages to pursue

During your initial consultation with the lawyer, we will discuss the various legal options to explore during the claims process.

We will also negotiate with the insurance companies for a fair settlement. But if they fail to reach a fair settlement, we will not hesitate to take your case to trial and work to secure a favorable verdict from the judge and jury.

How Much Does a Reckless Driving Lawyer Cost?

When you come to us with your personal injury claim, you never have to worry about paying any upfront fees. This is because we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning our lawyers will handle all the costs associated with your case and will get their pay from a percentage of your final compensation amount. We only get paid when we win your case.

How Long Do I Have to File a Reckless Driving Claim?

In North Carolina, the statute of limitations for car accident cases, including those that involve reckless driving, is three years from the date of the accident. If you don’t bring your claim within this time period, you lose your right to seek compensation in the future.

Let a Concord Reckless Driving Attorney Help You

If a reckless driver caused an accident that injured you or a loved one, you shouldn’t have to add to the stress of the incident by dealing with the insurance company and the defendant’s lawyers. Let the experienced car accident lawyers handle the legal side of things for you.

Call our Concord, NC office today at [phone] to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced car accident attorney. Let us handle your case while you focus on making a full recovery.