Have you been injured in a truck, car, or any other speeding motor vehicle accident? The roads can be scary, and speeding incidents are sadly too common. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, there were 21,339 crashes involving speeding in North Carolina in 2018. Meanwhile, there were 10,188 injuries and 312 fatalities resulting from speeding car accidents.
Speeding motor vehicle accidents can be devastating. They can have life-changing consequences – both mentally and physically – leaving your or your loved one with mental, physical, and financial scars. But if the accident was not your fault, you could be able to get compensation to help you recover for damages and injuries sustained. You should work with an experienced Charlotte speeding accident lawyer.
To find out more about speeding car accident injury claims, get in touch with our car accident attorneys at (800) 693-7833 to discuss your specific situation. At Ted A. Greve & Associates, we are committed to assisting those who get involved in speeding car crashes through no fault of their own. Contact us today for a free consultation.
How Speeding Can Affect Car Accidents
Speeding is undoubtedly a key risk factor in car accident injuries, influencing both the risk of a car accident and the severity of the injuries and damages that result from accidents.
Motorists who are speeding often convince themselves that they are in full control of their cars. Unfortunately, this is not true, and one small mishap could have devastating effects.
Speeding increases the chances of traffic accidents in the following ways:
Reduced Reaction Time
A driver of a speeding car might not have enough time to react to stop the vehicle in the event of an emergency. In short, the higher the speed, the shorter the time a motorist has to react, avoid, or stop a crash.
Severity of Accident
Speed increases the severity of the impact when a crash occurs. According to WHO, for vehicle occupants in an accident with an impact speed of 50 m/h results, the likelihood of death is twenty times what it would have been at an impact speed of 19 m/h.
Higher Risk of Injury
High-speed accidents often lead to severe injuries because a speeding car can careen into oncoming traffic, causing a head-on collision. Speeding may cause some safety features not to work as intended. For instance, airbags and safety belts are intended to protect vehicle occupants from severe injuries by reducing the force of the impact after a crash. If you’re driving at high speeds and are involved in a collision, these safety features may not function correctly
Less Control of the Vehicle
Traveling at high speeds increases the driver’s chances of losing control.
A speeding vehicle can enhance the severity of any car accident. Following a crash involving a speeding car, it is crucial you seek medical attention and care and the guidance of a knowledgeable speeding car accident attorney.
What Should I Do if I Was Hit by a Motorist Who Was Exceeding the Speed Limit?
After suffering injuries or property damage in a speeding car accident, there are several steps you should follow. They include:
Remain at the Scene
Stop and remain at the location of the crash.
Check for Injuries
Safety should be your priority after a car accident. Take stock of yourself and others to assess your condition and safety. Are you hurt? Quickly assess your injuries and the situation.
Call the Police
Even if there is minor damage to your car or no serious injuries to you or your passengers, always call the police. The police report is crucial for both your insurance and injury claim.
Take Pictures
Take pictures of the scene to protect evidence. Take photos of the damage to your car, the other vehicle’s license plate, the other driver’s driving license, the site where the crash occurred, and any relevant evidence. Also, consider recording what happened; that way, you won’t forget any crucial details that might be useful when filing an insurance or injury claim.
Collect Information
Typically, the reporting police officer will collect the other driver’s information. However, if the police don’t show up or, in order to minimize the risk of a hit-and-run, exchange information with the other driver, passengers, and any willing witnesses. That includes their names, phone numbers, addresses, the other driver’s insurance information, the type and model of the other vehicle, etc.
Seek Medical Care
Even if you only sustained superficial injuries and you think they will go away after a few days of resting at home, you can sustain permanent damage from a speeding car crash. So, make sure you seek medical treatment and get a record of your injuries and trauma.
Contact Your Insurer
Call your insurance provider as soon as possible to get the insurance claim process underway.
Call a Lawyer
Contact a lawyer for a free consultation and advice regarding how to proceed with your insurance and injury claim. Besides, a lawyer will help protect your rights from start to finish.
What Damages Can Victims Obtain From a Car Accident in Charlotte, NC?
Each speeding accident and the injuries the victim suffers are unique. For this reason, it is difficult to determine the exact amount a victim can recover through compensation. However, a lawyer can help you calculate an estimate to give you a rough idea.
Compensation amounts are usually assessed based on the damages recovered. In North Carolina, possible damages that a speeding car accident victim can recover include:
Economic Damages
These cover any financial losses the victim has suffered from the injuries or property damage, including:
- Property damage (cost of repairing or replacing the vehicle)
- Medical costs and expenses
- Lost wages, past, and future
Non-Economic Damages
The cover the losses that cannot be quantified, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship (in cases involving wrongful death following a speeding car accident)
How Can I Prove That the Other Motorist Was Speeding When They Hit Me?
If you have been involved in a speeding car accident, you might be worried that you don’t have a way to prove that the other driver was speeding. Luckily, there are several ways to prove that speed was indeed the main factor in the accident.
Here’s how you can prove that the other motorist was speeding when they hit you:
Police Report
In many speeding car accident cases, a police report can be invaluable since it will contain facts based on the evidence at the scene as well as the officer’s professional opinion regarding how the crash went down.
Witnesses
If you noticed that the other motorist was speeding, then the chances are someone else did as well. So, be sure to collect contact information from witnesses because if there were eyewitnesses, they could attest to the other driver’s speeding.
Surveillance Footage
There could be surveillance footage of the other driver speeding before the crash, depending on the accident location. For instance, if the collision occurred in the commercial district, a business’ surveillance system may have caught the driver speeding through prior to the accident. A lawyer can get in touch with owners of the businesses in the area near the site or the crash and check if any of the businesses have surveillance footage of the other car and driver.
Physical Evidence From the Accident
The photos you take at the scene of the crash could contain vital details that can help you prove that the other driver was speeding. Here’s what to look out for when taking pictures to prove the at-fault driver was speeding:
- Skid marks on the road
- Car or property damage from the accident
- Road debris
Proving that the defendant was speeding can be tough for a novice. A lawyer can work with accident reconstruction experts to examine photos of the crash and the damage caused by the crash to determine the speed at which the at-fault motorist was driving.
How Long Do I Have to Make a Speeding Car Accident Claim in North Carolina?
It’s of vital importance that you act quickly after a speeding car accident and commence your claim as early as possible. By law, in North Carolina, you have three years to bring an injury claim involving a car accident.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer?
If you’ve been involved in a speeding car accident in Charlotte, NC, you should hire an attorney to help you get the compensation you deserve. The following are various ways a speeding car accident attorney at Ted A. Greve & Associates can help with your car accident injury claim:
- Define damages and which compensation claim is available to you
- Navigate you through the claim process from start to finish
- Determine who was at fault and provide proof of the speeding
- Deal with debt collectors and the hospital
- Estimate compensation for damages
- Negotiate settlements with insurance companies and defendant
- Represent you at trial
How Much Will it Cost to Make a Speeding Car Accident Claim in North Carolina?
Ted A. Greve & Associates work on a contingency (or a no-win, no-fee) agreement, meaning you pay nothing upfront. It also means you don’t pay unless we win. Our contingency fee agreement gives you security and, more importantly, peace of mind when pursuing compensation for a car accident injury claim.
Let Our Charlotte Speeding Accident Lawyers Help!
If you or a loved one to you has been seriously hurt or worse, in a speeding car accident in North Carolina, you’re probably devastated not only by the events of the crash but also by the aftermath. At a time when you’re traumatized, emotionally, physically, and financially exhausted, you need a legal team that will support and guide you through the often daunting process that lies ahead.
At Ted A. Greve & Associates, we have an intimate understanding of North Carolina personal injury laws and others that could impact your speeding car accident case. The Charlotte speeding car accident lawyers at our firm can fight for your interests and get you the fair compensation you deserve. Call us at (800) 693-7833 to get started with your free initial consultation.
