Austin Aggressive Driving Accident Attorney

Drivers should keep even temperaments and stay levelheaded behind the wheel to safely operate their motor vehicles. If a driver cannot control his or her frustration or other strong emotions, this can lead to aggressive driving behaviors that ultimately cause a car accident. If you get hurt in an accident caused by an aggressive driver in Austin, Texas, it may benefit you to hire an Austin personal injury attorney for the claim process.

What Does Aggressive Driving Mean?

Aggressive driving can refer to a variety of driver actions and behaviors that are unsafe, hostile or violent. These behaviors are often the result of driver frustration or impatience. Examples include:

• Tailgating or following too closely
• Brake-checking another driver
• Weaving between multiple lanes
• Speeding or racing
• Running red lights and stop signs
• Making unsafe lane changes
• Passing where it is illegal or unsafe to do so
• Honking excessively
• Threatening or intimidating other drivers
• Stalking drivers or following them home
• Physically assaulting another driver

In some cases, aggressive driving can escalate into road rage. This is a mental state where a driver is so enraged that he or she willfully compromises the safety of others, such as by ramming another vehicle or blocking an intersection.

What to Do if You Get Hit by an Aggressive Driver in Austin

If someone who is driving aggressively, recklessly, or erratically hits you in Austin, try to remain calm and report the accident to the police. If you feel unsafe, remain in your vehicle with the doors locked and the windows up. When the police arrive, describe the other driver’s behaviors so that they are included in the police report.

The police may issue the driver a citation for any violated traffic laws, such as speeding or red-light running. Do not admit fault for the accident. Visit the nearest hospital for prompt medical care, then request copies of your medical records and keep track of health care expenses.

When you are ready to seek justice, start by calling your own car insurance company and notifying them of the crash. Then, file a claim with the aggressive driver’s car insurance provider. Under Texas’s at-fault law, you can hold an aggressive driver responsible for causing a car accident.

How to Prove an Aggressive Driving Accident Claim

During a Texas car accident claim, the injured victim or plaintiff has the burden of proof. This means the plaintiff must prove the truth of what he or she is claiming. The burden of proof in a civil case is a “preponderance of the evidence,” meaning more likely to be true than not true.

Proving that an aggressive driver caused your crash may take evidence such as admissions from the driver, eyewitness statements, videos of the crash, photographs of the scene, a police report, and any convictions against the driver for reckless driving. A car accident attorney in Austin can help you collect evidence to establish fault during your claim.

Get Legal Help for Your Aggressive Driving Accident in Texas

Recovering fair financial compensation for losses caused by an aggressive driving accident in Texas can be difficult. You will have to go up against the at-fault driver’s insurance company and its claims adjusters to prove your case, establish your damages and negotiate a settlement.

Having a car accident attorney represent you can make the legal process easier and more efficient. A lawyer can help you hold an aggressive driver accountable. Contact FVF Law Firm at (512) 640-2146 to schedule a free consultation regarding an aggressive driving accident in Texas. Our lawyers bring together more than 100 years of legal experience and are here to help navigate and educate you through the legal process.