Whatever the reason – driver inattention to posted speed limits, intentionally travelling faster than legally allowed, trying to escape heavy Southern California traffic, running late, drag racing, or even just driving too fast for the current weather or road conditions – speeding is dangerous and results in thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries when accidents occur. Speeding is the second most common cause of serious and fatal accidents according to the California Highway Patrol, and the NHTSA reported that speed was a contributing factor to 26% of the country’s fatal traffic collisions and killed 9,378 people in 2018. Speed limits are in place to keep the roads as safe as possible, but they can’t be effective when people disregard these laws and travel too fast. Because speeding is a dangerous decision that puts everyone on the road at risk, someone injured in a speed-related crash may be able to recover damages caused by a negligent driver. If you were hurt in a car accident where excessive speed was a factor, consult an experienced Perris Speeding Collision Lawyer to see if you may be entitled to compensation.
Speeding and the Risk of Collisions
Speeding directly affects a driver’s ability to safely operate and control their vehicle, and it factors into many of the of motor vehicle accidents that occur each year in Perris and the surrounding Southern California area. An increase in vehicle speed means drivers:
- Lose precious time to react,
- Benefit less from the protective equipment in their vehicles,
- Require additional time to stop a vehicle,
- Are more at risk of experiencing a loss of vehicle control, and
- Have less time to spot hazards on the road and begin evasive or defensive tactics.
Studies have also shown that speeding increases the severity of crash severity due to increased impact and greater force generated by crashes; something as small as a 5 mile an hour increase in speed produces an 8 percent increase in occupant fatalities when accidents happen. This means that especially on highways around Perris, drivers and their passengers literally take their lives in their hands every time they take to the road.
Perris Speeding Collision Risks
Perris, a heavy commuting town of 76,260, is in the heart of Riverside County and sits beside the massive 215 freeway and busy State Route 74. Traffic is heavy, speed limits are elevated, and unfortunately bad behavior like aggressive driving and cell phone use while driving are commonplace. These factors all create dangerous situations that could prove life-changing for an unfortunate victim – overlooking speed limit changes, traveling too quickly while not giving the road their full attention, and ultimately causing avoidable crashes and tragic results. In 2017, 66 fatal and injury crashes resulted from speeding in Perris, accounting for a large portion of the 340 people killed or injured that year in traffic accidents. In June 2019, a woman was killed at the Ramona Expressway and Evans Road intersection when her vehicle was struck by a speeding SUV that ran a red light at the intersection.
Can I Recover Damages for My Injuries?
In Perris, most victims seek compensation for their harms by filing a lawsuit claiming someone owes them damages for negligently causing their injuries. Generally, the most common way to prove someone’s negligence is to show:
- They owed you a legal duty of care,
- They breached that duty through either an act or omission, and
- Their breach was the cause of your injuries.
If you can establish these elements, negligence is established and the defendant and will be liable for your proven damages unless they can present a valid legal defense.
Sometimes – more often in cases involving car accidents – victims may also establish a defendant’s negligence by proving they caused injury while breaking a law, rule, or regulation designed to promote safety. This includes traffic laws such as speed limits and prohibitions on texting while driving. Under negligence per se, violating one of these and causing injury creates the presumption the defendant was negligent. Evidence such as traffic camera footage, eyewitness accounts, and on-scene clues such as skid marks may all help establish if a driver broke a traffic law and behaved negligently.
How Much Is My Case Worth?
Once a victim establishes that someone’s negligence was the cause of their injuries, they may be eligible for an award of damages by the court for proven damages. Even though no amount of money will undo the suffering you’ve undergone and the trauma from which you must recover, these damages are an attempt to make you whole. It’s possible for victims to receive compensatory damages for physical, mental, emotional, psychological, and financial harms including:
- Medical bills,
- Property damage,
- Lost wages,
- Funeral expenses or burial costs,
- Pain and suffering,
- Permanent disability, scarring, and/or disfigurement, and
- Loss of consortium (companionship).
Sometimes, a court may award you additional damages designed punish a defendant’s particularly vile, reprehensible conduct and deter them and others from repeating the egregious behavior. Because these punitive damages are entirely discretionary and awards can be large, victims must satisfy a high burden of proof. The tricky nature of these damages makes it advisable to work with an experienced Perris speeding collision attorney to avoid costly legal pitfalls in your case.
Contact an Attorney
If you or a loved one were involved in a car accident resulting at least in part from speed, you know all too well how quickly your health as well as your finances can deteriorate in a split second. To make sure you protect your rights and take the right first steps, speak with the skilled Perris speeding collision attorneys at Walton Law, APC today. Our attorneys have years of experience providing comprehensive, dedicated representation to victims just like you and delivering results; we’ve recovered millions of dollars in damages on their behalf to help them recover their injuries. Contact us today to schedule your no risk, no obligation initial case consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (866)-338-7079 or through our online Contact Page. Your initial case evaluation is free, and you pay nothing until we win your case. Let our skilled team of attorneys your case and use our knowledge and resources to help you get the compensation you deserve.