Maison Law represents car accident victims in California. No matter what kind of car accident you’re in, it’s much more likely that you’ll be injured if the other driver was being aggressive or reckless. Even in this difficult situation, you have legal options that our team can help you with. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more.
Why Do You Need a Lawyer After a Reckless Driving Accident?
A reckless driving accident is still a car accident, but it typically comes with more serious consequences. While you may not technically need a lawyer, a reckless driving accident is going to mean you’re likely facing serious injuries and other damages. This means you’ll need more help, but getting the right legal support is crucial for your recovery. At Maison Law, we’ll help by:
- Investigating the accident
- Proving the other driver acted recklessly
- Gathering medical records
- Explaining your rights
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Filing a lawsuit if necessary
Our priority is to make this challenging time easier for you and your family. We offer free consultations and work on a contingency-fee basis, so you pay nothing upfront for our services.
Who’s Liable For a Reckless Driving Accident?
When you’re involved in a reckless driving accident, the starting point for your legal options is the same as any other car accident: figuring out who is responsible for causing the accident–and, therefore, who is liable for covering your losses.
In reckless driving cases, proving fault can be fairly straightforward since reckless driving is a clear form of negligence, which also happens to be the legal basis for liability. However, as with any accident, liability will probably depend on the circumstances. So, when you’re in a reckless driving accident, others besides the driver may share responsibility, including:
- Other drivers not directly involved
- Owner of the vehicle (if it’s not the driver)
- Employers (if the driver was in a work vehicle or on duty)
- Government agencies responsible for road maintenance
- Vehicle or parts manufacturers
Reckless driving accidents are particularly frustrating because they are almost always avoidable. With that said, the situation becomes more complicated when multiple parties are involved, but this doesn’t change your legal options.
What Are Your Legal Options After a Reckless Driving Accident?
At its core, a reckless driving accident is still a car accident. This means the legal options you have are the same as any other accident. Namely, you get to file an injury claim against whoever’s responsible.
You generally do this in one of two ways:
- Filing an insurance claim
- Filing a lawsuit in court
An insurance claim is usually faster but rarely covers your losses. A lawsuit takes longer but may provide better financial support. No matter which option you take, you can potentially recover:
- Medical expenses and costs for ongoing care
- Lost income from missed work or loss of earning potential if you’re permanently injured
- Repair/replacement costs for your car and any other damaged property
- Costs related to your pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Costs for reduced quality of life or companionship
- Wrongful death expenses if your injuries end up being fatal
- Punitive damages in cases of intentional negligence
No matter how serious your damages are, you still only have two years to file your claim in California. Miss this deadline, and you can’t file a claim or recover damages, no matter how strong your claim is.
What Do You Need to Do to Protect Your Reckless Driving Claim?
Even in instances of car accidents caused by blatant negligence, you still have to take steps to protect and strengthen a potential claim. This is obviously more difficult when a driver is being reckless–after all, if they do remain at the scene, they’re probably not going to admit to reckless driving. So then, it becomes on you to take certain steps to protect and strengthen your claim by doing the following:
- Calling 911 – Call 911 right after the accident. Let the local police (typically the city police or county sheriff) know if the other driver was being reckless or aggressive.
- Getting medical care – Get medical help, even for minor injuries both by EMTs at the scene and then further care at a hospital. Your medical records are vital for linking your injuries to the accident.
- Collecting evidence – Gather evidence at the scene and look for signs of the other driver being reckless, like skid marks and especially witness statements. Keep all documentation and avoid repairing your vehicle or property.
- Cooperating with any investigations – Give your statement to the police and explain why you think the other driver was being reckless. But also, don’t embellish. Just stick to the facts.
- Staying calm – Stay calm at the scene, focus on your health and safety, and remember that help is available.
Following these steps will help support your claim and, more importantly, take care of your health and safety. These are the top priorities after any car accident, especially one caused by a dangerous driver. But again, the problem with these types of accidents are the severity.
Why Does Reckless Driving Cause More Serious Accidents?
Reckless driving is incredibly dangerous, no matter what the situation is. But why it’s dangerous isn’t really in dispute: reckless driving not only covers dangerous actions like speeding or weaving through traffic, but also, it makes it harder to avoid accidents. Specifically, though, it’s important to look at why reckless driving causes an accident so that you can be prepared:
- Speeding – Going too fast means drivers can’t react quickly enough, leading to severe crashes.
- Aggressive moves – Reckless drivers often switch lanes abruptly or follow too closely, which increases the chance of a major accident.
- Ignoring traffic rules – Not following stop signs or red lights creates dangerous situations that can quickly become serious.
- Loss of control – Driving recklessly makes it harder to control the vehicle, leading to more intense crashes.
- Harder impact – Crashes at high speeds are much more damaging, causing more severe injuries.
When you boil it down, reckless drivers ignore basic safety rules for driving, and this puts everyone at risk. For as difficult as this situation is, you still have legal rights and options. Our team can guide you through the process to make sure you have what you need.
Contact Maison Law After a Reckless Driving Accident in California
Dealing with the aftermath of a reckless driving accident can be challenging, but taking legal action is a huge part of addressing your injuries and losses–while holding the responsible people accountable. Our team of car accident lawyers at Maison Law are ready to help you and your family through this situation. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
