Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog
All unsafe driving habits are risky, but speeding can be deadly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding was the cause of 11,258 traffic fatalities in 2020. And of the 23,824 individuals killed in vehicles in 2020, over half were not wearing seatbelts. On the other side of the coin, NHTSA estimates that seatbelts saved 14,955 lives in 2020 and could have saved another 2,549 more if those people had been wearing seatbelts.
When speeding and lack of seatbelt use combine, the results can be unfortunately fatal. According to a recent article, a Washington, D.C. man was killed in a single-car accident in a car speeding on a highway. The car was traveling at 100 miles per hour in a 65-mile-per-hour zone when a trooped attempted to pull it over. The driver attempted to speed up but ran off the road shortly after, crashing into a guardrail. The deceased man, a passenger, was ejected from the vehicle and died from the scene. Two other passengers, a man and a 13-year-old boy, were also seriously injured and not wearing seatbelts. An infant who was strapped in a safety seat survived the crash.
Wearing your seatbelt and driving safely can help, but sometimes are not enough to keep all drivers and passengers injury-free on the road. Utilizing safety devices is key, but you may be a passenger in a vehicle with a driver behaving recklessly. If you are in a collision with another car or even in a single-car accident as a passenger and are injured because of your driver’s negligence, you may have claims against the driver.
Can I Bring a Personal Injury Claim After a Single-Car Accident?
Even if you knew the driver of a vehicle in a single-car accident, if you were harmed as a passenger in their vehicle you can still bring a personal injury claim against them in Washington, D.C. There may be factors that complicate your case—for example, if you contributed to your injuries by not wearing a seatbelt, or if you caused the accident in any way, such as by grabbing the steering wheel or obstructing the vision of the driver—but an experienced personal injury attorney can help you determine the viability of your claims.
In addition, when there are multiple passengers all filing against the same driver, claims can get complicated and compensation may be difficult and confined by the insurance policies of the driver. Contact a Washington, D.C. personal injury attorney immediately to determine next steps and evaluate your unique situation.
Contact a Washington, D.C. Personal Injury Lawyer
Did you sustain injuries in a single car crash? Do you believe it was the fault of the driver? Contact the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen to see if you have a personal injury claim. Our attorneys are experienced in handling personal injury and wrongful death cases stemming from car accidents and can help answer complicated questions. Contact Lebowitz & Mzhen for a free consultation today at 800-654-1949.