Aggressive driving is a significant contributing factor in many Oregon car accident cases.
When drivers speed, tailgate, and fail to yield the right of way, they increase their chances of causing a collision that can leave victims with severe injuries.
At Rizk Law, our team of dedicated personal injury attorneys can help you understand your rights following a car crash an aggressive driver caused.
Contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced Portland aggressive driving accident lawyer.
Common Causes of Aggressive Driving Accidents
Aggressive driver injury claims in Portland can result from accidents involving several types of reckless behavior. Some of the most common include:
- Speeding – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding is one of the leading causes of fatal traffic accidents, killing nearly 12,000 people in a recent year.
- Tailgating – When a driver tailgates you, they have less time to react to you stopping or slowing down, increasing the likelihood of a rear-end collision.
- Failure to yield – Drivers turning onto a busier road or making left-hand turns at intersections must yield the right of way to oncoming traffic. Failure to do so can result in dangerous T-bone collisions.
- Improper lane changes – If a driver fails to use their turn signal, weaves between lanes of traffic, or cuts off other vehicles, it puts everyone around them at risk because their actions become unpredictable.
- Road rage – A driver experiencing road rage may not be thinking clearly. They may take dangerous actions, including speeding, tailgating, and running other drivers off the road.
Typical Injuries from Aggressive Driving Crashes
An aggressive driving-related crash can leave you with several serious injuries that require extensive medical treatment and leave you unable to work for weeks, months, or even permanently. Injuries our Portland car accident lawyers frequently see in clients are:
- Broken bones, including compound fractures where the bone penetrates the skin
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) from blows to or violent shaking of the head
- Spine and neck injuries potentially leading to paralysis
- Internal organ damage resulting from blunt force trauma to the torso
- Soft tissue injuries, including whiplash, affecting the muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Crushing injuries that may result in amputation
Proving Negligence in Aggressive Driving Cases
Proving negligence in an aggressive driving case involves gathering a wide array of evidence that connects the at-fault driver’s actions to the crash and your injuries. Our aggressive driving car accident lawyers in Portland gather this evidence by conducting thorough investigations into every case we handle.
The supporting evidence we collect to establish aggressive driving behaviors often includes:
- Police reports
- Accident scene pictures
- Traffic camera or dashcam footage
- Physical evidence, such as skid mark patterns
- Eyewitness statements
- Crash reconstruction specialist testimony
- Onboard vehicle computer data that shows the at-fault driver’s brake and steering inputs before the collision
- Your medical records
Insurance Challenges in Aggressive Driving Accident Claims
Aggressive driving victims sometimes face insurance challenges as they pursue compensation.
One reason is that aggressive driving can be difficult to prove without a police citation. The driver’s insurer may demand to see considerable evidence before it will pay out a claim. Or they may try to pin the blame on you, claiming you were driving unreasonably.
Even when they accept a personal injury claim, they often make lowball offers that don’t fully cover your losses. Former insurance defense attorney Richard Rizk understands the tactics insurers use and how to effectively counter them, making him a vital asset to have on your side.
Many aggressive drivers also flee the scene after an accident if their vehicle is still operable. This can make it difficult to find and identify the at-fault driver.
Fortunately, there are still options for these car accident victims to recover the compensation they need. They can file first-party claims with their personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and uninsured motorist coverage, both of which are required parts of auto insurance policies in Oregon.
Compensation Available for Aggressive Driving Accident Victims in Portland
The compensation available to aggressive driving accident victims in Portland depends on the specific losses they sustained. For example, you could seek compensation for:
- Past and future medical costs related to your injuries, such as surgeries, medical devices, and physical therapy
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from working
- Physical pain and emotional suffering you experience because of your injuries
- Loss of enjoyment of life to account for the ways your injuries affect your daily life
- The impact of permanent disability you sustained because of the accident, including the cost of accessibility modifications
- Repair and replacement costs for your property damage
Your financial recovery also depends on the type of insurance claim you file. Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and permanent disability, are not available in PIP claims. However, they are available through claims against the at-fault party’s liability insurance coverage.
How a Portland Aggressive Driving Accident Lawyer Can Help
Our traffic accident lawyers in Portland, OR, can help you in various ways throughout your case, including:
- Investigating the accident to identify the at-fault driver
- Securing proof connecting the aggressive driver’s actions to the crash
- Calculating your damages so we can seek fair compensation for your injuries
- Filing your insurance claim and supporting it with crucial evidence
- Negotiating a settlement with the insurance company on your behalf
- Taking your case to court if the insurer refuses to make a fair settlement offer
The attorneys at Rizk Law possess the knowledge, experience, and resources needed to protect your rights and seek the maximum compensation available, allowing you to focus on recovering from your injuries.
