Portland Reckless Driving Injury Attorney

Have you been severely injured in an accident caused by a reckless driver? If so, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, your lost income, your pain and suffering, and more. But it could be difficult to pursue this compensation without the help of an experienced reckless driving injury attorney.

Being injured in a reckless driving accident can alter your life in a second. Your recovery may be physically and emotionally challenging, and the effects can be long-lasting – but if someone else caused the accident, you should not have to shoulder this burden on your own. The person who injured you should be held accountable, and the experienced car accident attorneys at Siefman Law LLC can help you make sure that they are. Call us today at (503) 395-2135 or contact us online for a free consultation.

What is Reckless Driving?

In Oregon, reckless driving is the act of operating a vehicle on a highway or other public road in a way that endangers the lives or property of others. According to state law, an act is considered reckless if the person knew and “consciously disregard[ed]” a considerable risk for which there was no excuse. To put it another way, driving can be considered “reckless” when the at-fault driver knew that their behavior was dangerous and engaged in it anyway.

Common Types of Reckless Driving Accidents

Reckless driving is a broad term that can cover a wide range of dangerous acts committed behind the wheel. Reckless actions that can lead to accidents include:

• Aggressive driving – Drivers who tailgate, weave between traffic, or otherwise disobey traffic laws put themselves and others at risk, the very definition of reckless driving.
• Distracted driving – Drivers who allow themselves to become distracted while they should be concentrated on driving are considerably more likely to cause accidents. Distractions include phones and other devices, eating or drinking, or simply daydreaming.
• Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs – Narcotics and depressants are known to impair drivers' faculties, judgment, and reaction time. Many drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol drive recklessly as a result of their inebriation.
• Fatigue – Fatigue can impair a person’s vision, reaction time, and other faculties as severely as drugs and alcohol, which can lead to reckless and careless actions behind the wheel.
• Speeding – Driving over the speed limit seriously impacts a person’s ability to control their car and puts everyone on the road in danger.

Injuries Caused by Reckless Drivers

Reckless driving can result in serious car accidents, with equally serious injuries, including:

• Head injuries, such as concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
• Neck injuries, including whiplash
• Back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Lacerations/cuts
• Bruises/contusions
• Severe burns
• Broken bones and fractures
• Sprained and torn muscles
• Vision and hearing impairment
• Mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The severity of these injuries can vary depending on the seriousness of the accident. Still, the effects of even seemingly minor injures can be long-lasting and require serious medical attention and treatment.

Compensation for a Reckless Driving Accident

If you’ve been injured in a reckless driving accident in Oregon, you could be entitled to compensation in the form of several types of damages, which may be secured through a settlement prior to trial or through a verdict after a successful trial. These damages can be divided into three separate types: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.

Economic damages compensate you for calculable, objective costs that you’ve incurred or will incur as a result of the injuries you sustained because of the reckless driver. This often includes medical bills including emergency room visits, surgeries, extended hospital stays, rehabilitation, and psychiatric and physical therapy.

Economic damages do not end there, however. You may also receive compensation for the medical care you will need in the future. Serious injuries often require extensive treatment well after the initial claim has run its course, and any settlement or verdict should take those costs into consideration.

In addition, economic damages should cover your loss of income. Many injuries sustained in reckless driving accidents require a considerable amount of time to recover and heal from. If you have to take time off of work while you’re recovering, you will likely suffer financially. You shouldn’t have to bear that burden, which could last for months or even years to come. That’s why damages should cover diminished future earning potential as well.

Economic damages also cover any damage done to your vehicle or other property.

Non-economic damages, on the other hand, compensate you for the more subjective costs you have incurred because of the accident. This includes the mental and emotional damage the reckless driver caused you. You may be compensated for pain, suffering, and mental anguish, as well as for any decrease in your quality and enjoyment of life that your injuries have caused you. Additionally, your family and/or loved ones may even be compensated for the effect your injuries may have had on them as they support you during your recovery. In Oregon, non-economic damages are capped at $500,000.

The final type of damages you may receive are punitive damages. These damages are awarded very rarely, and only in cases in which the person who caused the accident acted extremely recklessly and with malice that can be proven with clear and convincing evidence. Punitive damages are meant to punish the person who caused the accident rather than to compensate their victim for any specific losses, in order to discourage future bad behavior.

How Siefman LLC Could Help

At Siefman Law LLC, we are proud to represent reckless driving victims throughout Portland, OR and the surrounding region. When you entrust us with your case, you can expect our undivided attention, compassion, and legal experience to help you get the justice—and the financial compensation—that you deserve. Contact us today for a 100% free consultation, online or by calling (503) 395-2135.