Driving is a privilege. It is also a responsibility. When a person gets a driver’s license, they are making a contract with the law and with the public that they will conduct their vehicle in harmony with traffic and safety laws.
When reckless drivers break that contract by engaging in conduct like drag racing, they put their lives and the lives of the people around them in danger. An example of this can be seen in an event that took place in the early part of June 2016. According to police who arrived on the scene, a 23-year-old man was driving his Camaro at high speeds drag racing another vehicle. According to the reports of witnesses, the Camaro began to spin out of control and entered oncoming traffic. As a result, a 17-year-old passenger in the vehicle suffered fatal injuries, and the driver sustained life-threatening injuries.
Drag racing wrecks are not isolated
This incident is far from isolated. In fact, according to a report that was published by the National Highway Safety Administration, between 2001 in 2008, more than 1,047 people were killed in drag racing style accidents. This number is a lot higher than most people realize because accidents connected to drag racing are not something that most people think about until a family member is involved.
Victims of an automobile accident resulting from drag racing may be entitled to compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses connected to the accident.
Medical expenses could include compensation for things as minor as cuts and bruises or something as serious as broken bones, loss of limbs, and paralysis. If as a result of the accident you require physical therapy, consultations with healthcare professionals, or you need to use and purchase accessories like crutches or heating pads, you might be compensated for these as well.
Injuries as a result of RI drag racing crash
Pain and suffering describes mental and physical injuries resulting from the accident. The damages awarded in these cases vary depending on the severity of the injury you receive. Pain and suffering compensation may include damages for the anxiety and stress you feel, including the post-traumatic stress that accidents can generate.
In the tragic event that an accident resulted in fatality, surviving members may claim loss of society and companionship damages, and they can also seek compensation to cover funeral costs and loss of future wages.
When a person gets behind the wheel of their vehicle, they have a responsibility to conduct that vehicle in the safest way possible. Ignoring that responsibility is negligent and maybe criminal. If you or a family members have been injured in an automobile accident as a result of drag racing, talk to our Rhode island personal injuryattorneys and let us work with you to determine what your options are.
1. Jerod MacDonald-Evoy, Police: 1 killed in Phoenix drag-racing crash, The Republic, http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-breaking/2016/06/05/police-1-killed-phoenix-drag-racing-crash/85467680/, June 5, 2016
2. Larry Copeland, Illegal drag racing still deadly practice, USA Today, http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012/09/14/illegal-drag-racing-still-deadly-practice/57778966/1, September 14, 2012
3. Find Law, What Kind of Damages Me a Claim for a Car Accident Injury, http://injury.findlaw.com/car-accidents/what-kinds-of-damages-may-i-claim-for-car-accident-injuries.html