A senseless act in Sunnyvale left a man dead and a woman injured, according to a KPIX report. A driver and his passenger were shot in what police believed was an act of road rage. Road rage is a danger to everyone on the road as it often leads those consumed by it to do dangerous things, with crashes, injuries, and sometimes deaths occurring as a result. If you’ve been hurt in a road rage accident, then the law may entitle you to recover a substantial sum in compensation. To help you in the pursuit of your legal action, an experienced San Mateo car accident attorney can help guide you effectively along the way.
In the Sunnyvale accident, a 23-year-old man apparently experienced road rage due to the driving of a 20-year-old man nearby. The former raced in front of the latter and slammed on his brakes. The younger man crashed into the rear of the vehicle in front of him. The 23-year-old man approached the rear vehicle and fired several shots that killed the 20-year-old man and injured his female passenger, according to reports.
Road rage is a massive problem, including here in Northern California. According to SafeMotorist, road rage triggered a total of 218 murders and 12,610 injuries nationwide over a period of seven years. The Insurance Information Institute found that, from 2003 to 2007, more than one-half (56%) of all fatal accidents involved at least one driver driving aggressively.
Seeking compensation due to a road rage accident can be particularly complicated. The fact that the driver acted intentionally may sometimes lead that driver’s insurance company to try to avoid paying your claim. Additionally, depending on the road-rage driver’s policy limits, you may need to file a claim with your own insurance company. A skilled legal team can help you with these needs, especially when an insurer balks at paying.
Another important thing to keep in mind in these kinds of incidents relates specifically to rear-end crashes. Many people make the mistake of thinking that, in a rear-end accident, the driver in the rear is always the driver at fault. That’s not true. There are actually several situations in which the driver who got rear-ended can bear partial or total responsibility for the collision.
These circumstances can occur when a driver intentionally attempts to cause a rear-end crash. This can happen for several reasons. One is insurance fraud, such as when drivers engage in “swoop and squat” staged accidents intended to serve as pretexts for fleecing insurance companies.
It furthermore includes drunk drivers, drivers who stop unreasonably abruptly, and those driving without working brake lights. And it also can include a driver influenced by road rage.
Getting hurt in an auto accident is always stressful, frustrating, and painful. It is often even more so when the driver who caused the crash did so in a fit of road rage. If that describes your injury, you probably have many questions and concerns. We’re here to help. Contact the experienced car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Galine, Frye, Fitting & Frangos to get the answers you need and to find out all the ways we can help you. To set up a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable attorneys, contact us at 650-345-8484 or through our website.
A Northern California Driver’s Alleged Road Rage Has Left One Person Dead and Another Injured
