Road Rage Injuries on the Rise

Posted Friday, October 25, 2019 by Chris Thayer

Recent studies have shown that road rage incidents are on the rise nationally. According to a CNN report this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has revealed data showing that road rage incidents resulting in fatalities have increased 500% in the years between 2006 and 2016. Sadly, when aggressive driving and road rage occur, insurance companies often use a little-known and little-understood insurance tactic to avoid paying for the damages that are caused.

Imagine someone being intentionally run off the road, killed or maimed by the accident, then the insurance company claiming that no coverage should extend. Sadly, it happens all the time. If you or someone you care about should ever suffer a road rage injury, auto accident attorneys in Seattle may be able to help you recover more quickly and receive maximum compensation for the damages.

*What Exactly is Road Rage?* Road rage is exactly what it sounds like; it is aggressive and unsafe driving caused by drivers getting so angry that they intentionally use their vehicle to intimidate, harass, or threaten others on the road. Road rage can escalate quickly. Just consider the example of the recent road rage shooting that took place near Tiger Mountain and ended at the Issaquah Hobart Road exit. When people get angry while driving, they often forget that they are operating heavy machinery at high speeds. In some cases, people even get out of their cars and fight or they use firearms to “settle the score” on the road.

*Road Rage and Insurance Coverage* Almost all insurance contracts have some provision allowing the insurance company to deny coverage where the injury is the result of an intentional or criminal act. In other words, we all buy car insurance to protect ourselves. If we should accidentally or even negligently injure someone while behind the wheel, this insurance kicks in to hire a lawyer to defend us and pay for any liability we may have. The amount of insurance we purchase is the limit of what the insurance company must pay to protect us. If the liability is in excess of that amount, we can still be sued, but we would be on the hook for the difference between coverage limits and the judgment.

Insurance coverage is there to protect us from situations in which we are careless or negligent – not when we commit crimes. Therefore, insurance policies are written to exclude intentional acts of violence. For this reason, when a person gets out of his or her car and begins assaulting someone, insurance coverage often stops.

*How to Collect Insurance When Injured by Road Rage* Often, the injuries are compounded. First, the victim is hurt by a collision, then the victim receives other injuries during a roadside assault. An insurance company will try to attribute the majority of the injuries to the assault, while downplaying the injuries from the crash. It is very important to hire an experienced attorney immediately, so that you can focus and get the insurance company to pay.

The attorneys of Pivotal Law Group have decades of experience helping victims of aggressive driving accidents recover money for their injuries. To protect your rights, call or visit us online today.