Plenty of driver behaviors and mistakes increase the risk of devastating car accidents. These accidents can leave drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians and more at risk of catastrophic or even fatal injuries. Speeding is one such preventable behavior. Speed limits are posted to help keep drivers safe and to allow them appropriate time to slow down or stop in the event of shifting road conditions.
Speeding triples the odds of someone getting involved in a serious vehicle crash and higher speeds also cause more catastrophic injuries when accidents do happen. At 40 miles per hour, a driver faces a 15% risk of critical overall injury, but that number increases to 78% at 55 miles per hour. Drivers also face higher risks of severe brain injury and facial fractures at speeds of 50 miles per hour or higher. Speeding is often a contributing factor or the entire cause of a fatal accident.
When you file a lawsuit due to catastrophic injuries or even a wrongful death claim on behalf of a loved one who was killed in an accident, you need to show that the at-fault party was careless, reckless, or otherwise did not exercise the right duty of care. Speeding is one way that you can illustrate that another driver was behaving recklessly and putting others at risk. Evidence from the scene of the accident, as well as information in the police report or details from eyewitnesses, can all help you make a claim that the other driver was responsible for the accident and your resulting injuries.
If you were recently injured in an accident and are currently receiving medical care for your related conditions, you may need to consult with a San Francisco personal injury lawyer about your right to recover compensation by filing a lawsuit.