If you have been a victim of a driver with road rage or someone exhibiting aggressive driving in the state of Florida, contact the injury lawyers for accidents caused by road rage in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The legal team at Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers at (954) 476-1000 can help you determine your rights and how you can receive compensation for your injuries.
Road Rage and Aggressive Driving
Many drivers have a tendency to get overly aggressive while driving and become a danger to everyone on the roadways and even cause catastrophic accidents. The state of Florida has defined aggressive driving as someone who has engaged in at least two of the following identifiable behaviors:
- Failure to obey posted traffic signs and signals
- Tailgating the vehicle in front of them
- Failure to yield according to the law
- Excessive speed
- Improper passing of vehicles
- Improper changing of lanes
Along with aggressive driving, some drivers can also exhibit behaviors of road rage. Some of the most common indicators of road rage include the following:
- Yelling threats to other drivers out of a vehicle window
- Aggressive or offensive hand gestures to other drivers
- Excessive use of the horn
- Intentionally cutting off other vehicles or blocking vehicles in traffic
- Abrupt or sudden acceleration or braking
- Using or brandishing weapons or objects to threaten other drivers
- Intentionally causing an accident hitting a pedestrian or other driver
- Intentionally causing another vehicle to run off the road
- Intentionally cornering a vehicle into one spot and then exiting the vehicle to physically confront another driver
- Chasing another driver at high speeds
Driving aggressively or with road rage can easily lead to serious accidents with critical or life-threatening injuries. If you have been a victim of a car accident and are unsure if aggressive driving can be charged against the other driver, contact an injury lawyer for accidents caused by road rage in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The legal team at Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers at (954) 476-1000 can help you determine if your accident would be considered an aggressive driving or road rage accident.
Proving Liability in an Accident Caused by Road Rage
In any car accident in the state of Florida, we must be able to prove several elements to attempt to receive compensation for your injuries, medical bills, lost wages, and possible pain and suffering. We must be able to prove the following:
- The driver owed you a legal duty to drive responsibly and act appropriately on the roadways.
- The driver breached that legal duty by driving aggressively and exhibiting behaviors of road rage.
- Your physical injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering and/or property damages were a direct result of the other driver’s negligence, recklessness, aggressive driving, or road rage.
- You suffered actual damages due to someone else’s negligence.
An actual accident must have happened in order for you to sue for aggressive driving or road rage. Being the target of someone’s anger on the roadways that do not result in an actual accident will not be enough to constitute the basis of a legal claim.
It is important to note that if you are a driver in the state of Florida, you accept a driver’s license along with a duty to act responsibly and appropriately on the roadways, even if you are angry or frustrated. Road rage is considered a crime in the state of Florida, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. An injury lawyer for accidents caused by road rage in Fort Lauderdale, FL on our team can help you determine if the car accident you were in rises to the level of road rage and aggressive driving in the state of Florida and help you build your case.
Filing a Claim for an Accident Caused by Road Rage
If you are a victim of road rage or an aggressive driving accident, your first step is to contact law enforcement. Attempt to avoid all contact with the aggressive driver, if possible, for your own safety. If you believe the driver may flee the scene of the accident, attempt to obtain their license plate number. Waiting until the police arrive to obtain the personal contact information, insurance information, or driver’s license information may be the safest course of action.
You must file a police report if any accident causes injury, property damage greater than $500, or death. Also, the car insurance laws in Florida can be quite complex, and we can not only help you understand your rights but also explain your options regarding negotiations with insurance companies.
If you are the victim of an aggressive driver with road rage behaviors, there may be multiple crimes charged against the other driver. We can help you determine how to bring your case before the court.
Additionally, time is of the essence, as the state of Florida requires that personal injury claims be filed within two years of the date of the car accident. An exception to this law is if the accident resulted in a death, the claim must be filed within two years of the victim’s death. Contact us as soon as possible so that we can help you determine what your legal options are for your case.
Contact an Injury Lawyer for Accidents Caused by Road Rage in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Overly aggressive driving with road rage behavior easily leads to catastrophic accidents that can cause permanent physical injury or death. If you or a loved one was the victim of a road rage driver and suffered injuries, contact an injury lawyer for accidents caused by road rage in Fort Lauderdale, FL as soon as possible. Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers at (954) 476-1000 can help you with your case against those responsible for causing your injuries.
