You can get compensation after a car accident to cover your losses. However, when you’re in a wreck with an aggressive driver, you may qualify for additional money for punitive damages, which are meant to punish wrongful behavior.
If you or a loved one were in a car accident, contact our experienced team at Oronoz & Ericsson, LLC. We will investigate the situation, determine what happened, and then help you get the maximum amount of money possible. Call us today at (702) 878-2889 or use our online contact form.
What Kind of Compensation Can I Get After a Crash?
You can get several types of compensation after a car crash. Compensation is money that makes up for your losses or money that you have spent. That includes:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disability
- Disfigurement
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of consortium
Punitive Damages
However, there is a type of recovery that you can get that is not meant to compensate you – punitive damages. Punitive damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer for their bad behavior.
Punitive damages are difficult to get because you typically must prove gross negligence or intentional conduct. Aggressive driving cases will often qualify for punitive damages because the at-fault driver acted intentionally.
What Is Aggressive Driving?
Aggressive driving is against the law and often causes car accidents. According to NRS 484B.650, a driver commits the offense of aggressive driving if they engage in the following behaviors within a specified distance:
- Speeds in a school zone, work zone, or pedestrian safety zone
- Fails to obey a traffic control device
- Drive off the paved road to pass another vehicle
- Drive improperly or unsafely
- Follow another vehicle too closely
- Fail to yield right of way
- Create an immediate hazard to another vehicle or person
The law also specifies that some of those criteria must be engaged in combination to count as aggressive driving.
Penalties for Aggressive Driving
Anyone convicted of first- or second-time aggressive driving is guilty of a misdemeanor and may face a fine of up to $1,500 and incarceration for up to six months. For a third conviction, the driver may face a fine of up to $2,000 and imprisonment of up to six months.
Aggressive Driving Can Lead To a Crash
Aggressive driving, such as speeding and road rage, can lead to accidents. It is estimated that as many as one-third of all collisions involve road rage. Approximately 50% of the victims of road rage become aggressive and make the situation doubly dangerous.
Oronoz & Ericsson, LLC Can Prove the Cause of Your Accident
It can be hard to prove that aggressive driving was the cause of your accident. But it’s essential to pinpoint the cause, so you get an appropriate amount of compensation from the insurance company. If you were in a crash, contact Oronoz & Ericsson, LLC at (702) 878-2889 or use our online contact form to reach out.