Many car accidents are caused by speeding drivers. Traveling just a few miles over the posted speed limit can make any damage to vehicles worse and significantly increase the risk of serious injuries in an accident. In most cases, the driver who was speeding is liable for damages.
However, proving that the at-fault driver was speeding can seem like a difficult task. If it was not captured by a surveillance camera, can it really be proven? Fortunately, there are ways a lawyer may be able to establish that speed was a factor in an accident.
An Oshkosh-based auto crash lawyer at our firm is here to help if you suffered an injury in a crash. We have decades of experience conducting detailed accident investigations and fighting for just compensation. Our lawyers have helped obtain millions in compensation on behalf of our clients throughout Wisconsin.
Call (877) 888-5201 for a free case review today.
Speed-Related Car Accidents on Wisconsin Roads
According to the most recent crash statistics, speeding is a major concern on Wisconsin roads. In 2019, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation reported 21,813 speed-related crashes. These accidents resulted in 8,398 injuries and 163 deaths. It is important to remember that anyone who speeds puts themselves, their passengers and other drivers sharing the road at risk.
Advantages of Hiring a Lawyer
Prior to the crash, you may have seen the other driver going too fast. Perhaps he or she attempted to speed past you in another lane or was weaving his or her vehicle in and out of traffic at a fast rate.
If you remember seeing the at-fault driver acting negligently, it is in your best interest to consult with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible. However, even if you can recall a lot of details about the events that led to up to the crash, your observations will likely not be enough to support a claim for compensation. Proving liability can be hard because it is just your word against the at-fault driver.
Proof of Speeding
Although you may be able to gather some evidence at the accident scene, such as pictures of the damage to the vehicles, an investigation conducted by a lawyer will be much more thorough. For instance, a surveillance camera that captured a speeding vehicle at the time of the crash may bring value to your claim. Your lawyer could subpoena this footage to provide proof the other driver was going too fast.
There are several other steps our lawyers may take to try to prove the at-fault driver was speeding:
Reviewing Dashcam Footage
Some drivers have a dashboard camera or dashcam in their vehicles that can help lawyers assess the approximate speed a vehicle was traveling. If you have a dashcam in your vehicle, be sure to let your lawyer know and give him or her access to the footage. If the at-fault driver has one, our attorneys can request it or take legal action to try to obtain it.
Speaking with Witnesses
Interviewing people who saw the crash enables lawyers to get multiple perspectives on what happened, including if the at-fault driver appeared to be speeding. Although a witness will not know exactly how fast a driver was going, he or she may be able to say whether the driver was going faster than other drivers. The lower the posted speed limit, the more apparent it can be that a driver was speeding.
Obtaining Filed Police Report
The police report will likely include preliminary conclusions on how the crash happened and if speed was a factor. The responding officer may have issued the other driver a traffic citation for speeding. If this is indeed the case, it will be harder for the insurance company to dispute who may be responsible. Police reports and traffic tickets are often looked at closely by insurance companies when evaluating claims.
Analyzing Vehicle Damage
Your lawyer may consult with an accident reconstruction specialist to analyze the impact on your vehicle. The faster the other driver was traveling, the greater the damage to your vehicle will likely be. For instance, say skid marks were left on the road. If these skid marks appear longer, it may indicate that the vehicle that created these marks was speeding and took longer to come to a full stop.
How You Can Be Helpful Building Your Case
If you are physically capable, taking photos of the accident scene will be helpful in building your case. This includes capturing vehicle damage, skid marks, debris, your visible injuries and anything else deemed relevant. An analysis of these photos may yield some valuable insights into the speed of the vehicles involved in the crash and whether the at-fault driver attempted to brake.
Sigman Janssen is Ready to Assist You
If you have been injured in a car accident and believe speed was a factor, reach out to your lawyers at Sigman Janssen as soon as possible. We have helped many of our clients obtain compensation for their damages over the years, including $2 million on behalf of a victim involved in a highway accident.
There is no risk in calling us to see how we may be able to assist. An initial consultation is free of charge with no obligation to hire our firm. If you decide to move forward, there are no upfront fees involved.
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