Did Speed Cause Your Accident? Find Out More
Speeding is a common phenomenon. Some drivers are late for something important, some are just careless, and some are too impatient to drive the speed limit. When accidents happen, speeding can be the cause. If you have been hit by a speeding driver, read on to find out more so that you can be compensated.
How Speed Matters to an Accident Case
The driver that caused your accident may have been breaking any number of traffic laws at the time of the accident. They might be speeding, impaired, making an illegal turn, and more. When a driver is going too fast for traffic, weather, or other conditions, an accident is more likely. However, the word accident might be misleading in this instance.
When a driver purposefully takes actions that endanger other drivers, the resulting accident may not be caused by carelessness but rather, negligence. This distinction is important because civil law can shine a light on such actions using an additional form of damages that will change the amount victims may receive.
Damages and Negligence
The speeding driver that caused the accident might owe the victim money damages in several ways. Commonly, drivers that cause an accident owe the victim for payment of their medical expenses, vehicle repairs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, if the other driver was found to have been speeding, there is an opportunity to be paid punitive damages in addition to the others.
Punitive damages are reserved for cases in which the driver should have known better but failed to use care anyway. Many drivers know, or should know, that speeding can cause accidents. The other driver disobeyed the law and caused injuries to an innocent driver. Punitive damages are awarded by a jury in a personal injury case.
Proving Your Case
To elevate a case from carelessness to negligence, proof is needed. Speak to a personal injury lawyer and an investigation will be carried out to locate the following forms of proof:
- The driver has a history of traffic violations.
- The accident report mentioned that the driver was exceeding the speed limit.
- Witnesses of the accident reported that the other driver was speeding when the accident occurred.
- Law enforcement at the scene issued a speeding ticket to the driver or they were ticketed prior to the accident.
- Skid marks and other physical signs of speeding are present at the accident scene.
Punitive damages mean more compensation for you, but it also means making an example of the other driver's actions. Speak to a car accident attorney to find out more.
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