No one ever wants to deal with a car accident. It takes time and money. You have to file an insurance claim, and you may have to hire a car accident lawyer. You could end up spending hours preparing for court. If the other driver is at fault, the law should hold them accountable and cover the damages they caused. When it comes to your case, when exactly can your Athens car accident lawyer demand punitive damages? And, how much will these damages be?
These are excellent questions for a local accident attorney in Athens, Georgia. However, if you’ve been the victim of a vicious car accident, you should call right away and schedule your free initial consultation.
What Exactly are Punitive Damages?
The court awards punitive damages in order to punish the defendant. For example, if someone’s charges include reckless or drunk driving, there’s a possibility that the judge would award punitive damages. If they think the defendant’s behavior is reprehensible, they may be willing to make an example of them. However, this isn’t the case if the accident was caused by simple negligence. If someone rear-ends you in bumper to bumper traffic, no judge is going to award you punitive damages. The court only uses punitive damages when the defendant did something so terrible that the judge can’t really justify not awarding you punitive damages.
What Kinds of Car Accident Cases Would Warrant Punitive Damages in Athens, Georgia?
There are times when the court awards punitive damages in a car accident case. These cases typically involve a driver who had absolutely no regard for public safety. Some of the situations in which a judge might award punitive damages include:
- The defendant was driving with a blood alcohol content well over .15
- The other driver was trying to flee from law enforcement at the time of the crash
- The defendant was in the middle of committing a felony or other crime at the time of the accident
- The defendant was speeding well over the posted speed limit (for example, they’re doing 110 mph in a 45 mph zone)
If the defendant behaves in any of these ways, the court may punish them with punitive damages. It’ll be up to your Athens car accident lawyer to demand punitive damages. And, your lawyer must prove that you’re entitled to them. The judge isn’t going to award these types of damages on their own.
Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation
If your accident causes injuries, you may be entitled to punitive damages. However, the courts are very reluctant to award these kinds of damages in car accident cases. Negligence causes most car accidents. Courts don’t award punitive damages when someone makes a mistake. They only tend to award these types of damages when they want to punish the defendant. If you think this applies to your case, you should call our office right away.
Our team of car accident lawyers has decades of experience. They know how to handle cases like yours. If they think you’re really entitled to punitive damages, they’ll fight to get them for you. They’ll also try to negotiate a settlement with the defendant’s lawyer. Call today so you can set up a time to meet with one of our experienced car accident lawyers in Athens, Georgia.