Collisions are a natural byproduct of having millions of cars on the roads across the country. Crashes occur every day in Louisiana, and some of them are far more severe than others. Motor vehicle collisions can leave vehicles completely unsafe to drive and/or can put people in the hospital indefinitely because of their injuries. They are also a leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
Those involved in a crash can sometimes rely on insurance to help them fix their vehicles and/or obtain medical care. However, quite a few people involved in serious collisions in Louisiana have costs that go well beyond what they can collect from an insurance provider. They may need to go to court to pursue appropriate compensation under personal injury or wrongful death laws. Establishing that someone was negligent can be an important part of that process. The three scenarios below are all potential examples of how negligence causes car crashes.
Drivers do something that is obviously dangerous
One of the more common forms of negligence that can lead to a personal injury lawsuit against a motorist involves doing something that is clearly unsafe. They may have violated traffic statutes by traveling at a speed far over the posted limit. They may have engaged in street racing or driving the wrong way down a one-way street. When someone’s actions would seem clearly unsafe to the average, reasonable adult, particularly if they violate traffic statutes, the motorist at fault was negligent.
Drivers fail to do something necessary
Negligence can involve omissions or a failure to act as easily as it can involve making an unsafe choice. Distraction at the wheel can be a major contributor to negligence, as motorists may fail to do something that everyone recognizes is necessary for safety, like stopping at an intersection. Failing to adjust one’s driving practices when the weather is bad by slowing down and increasing the stopping distance between vehicles could be another example of negligence by omission.
Drivers don’t maintain their vehicles properly
Modern vehicles are incredibly complex and have computers that play a crucial role in the vehicle’s operations. The days when people could primarily maintain vehicles in their own garages have long since passed. Newer vehicles almost always require professional maintenance because of the complexity of the systems and software designed by their manufacturers. When people are out on the road driving vehicles with bad brakes or other obvious maintenance issues, they have ignored factors that the average person understands increase their risk of a collision.
Whether a driver’s actions or the condition of their vehicle cause a crash, the people affected by their negligence may have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit. Requesting compensation for lost wages, medical bills and property damage expenses is a rational response to negligence causing otherwise preventable harm.
