St. Louis Reckless Driving Accidents
A reckless driving accident in St. Louis can leave you with severe injuries, a number of financial losses, and a long road to both physical and financial recovery. Dealing with insurance companies can serve to increase your headache and leave you frustrated, especially if the insurance company tries to dispute liability or deny the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
An experienced St. Louis car accident attorney can help you learn more about your rights and help you pursue damages related to your car accident. Do you need a compassionate lawyer to look over your case and help you learn more about your rights? We can help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Serious Injuries Often Result From St. Louis Reckless Driving Accidents
In a reckless driving accident, the liable driver may commit a number of errors that could increase the severity of the accident and, therefore, the injuries you sustained in the accident. If you suffered injuries in a traffic accident, you may have high medical bills, immense physical struggles, and long-term limitations related to your injuries. Common reckless driving accident injuries may include:
- Traumatic brain injury/head injury
- Back and neck injuries, including spinal cord injuries
- Amputations
- Severe lacerations
- Broken bones
- Burns or road rash, a type of friction burn
Dealing with the aftermath of those injuries can leave you struggling even before you connect with the insurance company. Our experienced lawyers at NST Law can help go over your accident and give you a better idea of the compensation you may deserve as part of your claim.
What Counts as Reckless Driving in St. Louis?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, notes several behaviors that could count as reckless or risky driving, including:
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving, including ignoring the rules of the road
- Distracted driving
- Drunk or drug-impaired driving
- Drowsy driving
Aggressive driving, in general, is categorized by the NHTSA as “The operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property.” While Missouri law does not have specific laws governing “reckless driving,” it does have laws that govern “careless and imprudent” driving behavior. Drivers on the road bear a strong duty of care to protect others who share the roads with them, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcycle riders as well as the drivers of other passenger vehicles. Not only does aggressive, risky, or reckless driving increase the overall risk of an accident, it may also increase the severity of injuries sustained in the accident, since the reckless driver may lack the time or skills necessary to avoid a serious collision or to steer out of the collision in a way that will decrease injury severity and risk.
Why Do St. Louis Drivers Behave Recklessly or Dangerously on the Road?
Unfortunately, some drivers continue to drive recklessly down the streets of St. Louis, including a recent wrong-way driver who caused a fatal accident on I-44. In fact, the city of St. Louis has put up barriers and barricades intended to help curb reckless driving behaviors–and in spite of them, many drivers continue to behave recklessly for a variety of reasons.
- Aggressive driving begets aggressive driving, which can lead to higher levels of danger on the roads. Many St. Louis officers have reported an increase in aggressive driving behaviors and road rage. For example, in a recent incident, a driver fired a shot during a road rage incident on I-64.
- St. Louis has an extended rush hour, with traffic remaining tight between 6 and 10 am and 3 and 7 pm–much longer than it does in many other cities around the United States.
- St. Louis has a number of potentially dangerous intersections that can increase the risk of reckless driving behavior, including around Lindbergh Boulevard and State Highways K and N.
Many drivers choose to engage in high-speed racing and drifting in downtown St. Louis, which can raise the risk of severe accidents–particularly for drivers who do not realize the dangers present on the road during those times. Recently, a driver crashed into a building on Locust Street due to drifting behavior.
Do You Have Grounds for a Car Accident Claim After a St. Louis Reckless Driving Accident?
After a reckless driving accident, consult a car accident lawyer to learn more about the financial compensation you may deserve for your injuries. In general, you have the right to move forward with a car accident claim for the injuries you sustained in a reckless driving accident if:
- Another driver’s reckless behavior on the road led to a serious auto accident
- You sustained serious injuries in the accident
- A family member died as a result of a reckless driving accident, and you have the right to file a wrongful death claim
- A minor child suffered severe injuries in a reckless driving accident and you, as the parent or guardian, want to pursue compensation for those losses
In order to file a reckless driving accident claim, your attorney will look for evidence that the other motorist is at fault for the accident, generally due to those reckless decisions behind the wheel.
What Financial Compensation Can You Recover Following a St. Louis Reckless Driving Accident?
Financial compensation after your crash may not help you fully recover from your injuries, but a person who has sustained severe injuries may have immense financial worries in addition to the physical challenges associated with recovery. Knowing what damages you can recover can make it easier for you to plan your care and the financial decisions you may need to make following your accident. We cannot guarantee the financial compensation you can recover for your St. Louis reckless driving accident injuries. However, most of our clients find that financial compensation through an insurance claim breaks down into these key categories.
Medical Expenses
Your medical costs will serve as the vital foundation of your car accident claim. Depending on your car accident injuries, you may have immense medical bills, including the cost of emergency medical treatment in the emergency room, long-term hospitalization, ongoing care, and physical and occupational therapy related to the accident. Get legal advice before submitting your medical costs to an insurance company, since you may find that a lawyer can help you go over the costs related to your medical care.
Lost Wages
Lost income due to your injuries can quickly leave you in a financial bind. You may have put a lot of hard work into maintaining your job and your finances, and it may seem as though an accident destroys that in the blink of an eye. As part of a car accident injury claim, victims can claim compensation for the wages they lost while recovering from their injuries. In addition, victims who lose the ability to work in their former fields may have the right to claim compensation for lost earning potential related to their injuries.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering, unlike other damages related to car accident claims, does not break down into a neat financial expression of the losses you faced. Get experienced legal advice that will help you determine how much compensation you may deserve for the pain you suffered after your accident. Make sure you note any specific elements of your limitations or recovery that may have made things more difficult for you. For example, if you suffered loss of overall enjoyment of life, missed out on a variety of opportunities that were important to you, or lost opportunities because of your injuries, you may want to include them as part of your claim.
Property Damage
In a careless driving accident, many accident victims suffer significant property damage, particularly to the vehicle involved in the accident, in addition to damage to themselves. In many personal injury cases, the auto insurance company will separate property damage–which can be calculated directly–from the damages related to your injuries. Consult an attorney to learn more about how to handle both property damage and significant injuries related to your reckless driving accident.
Did You Suffer Serious Injuries in a St. Louis Reckless Driving Accident?
Any time you suffer serious injuries or significant property damage in an auto accident, from one involving a negligent driver driving over the speed limit to one involving a drunk driving incident, contact the police and bring them to the scene of the accident to help collect general information about the accident, its cause, and the liable party. Contact us today to take legal action and learn more about your rights before the statute of limitations runs out.
