Boston Rush Hour Car Accidents

Rush Hour Traffic LawyerMost folks dislike driving burnduring the rush hour commuting hours. It seems like every driver is late for work or wants to get home as quickly as possible. Traffic lanes get congested, tempers flare, motorcyclists are splitting lanes and single drivers are hogging the commuter lanes. It is no surprise that traffic accidents, injuries and fatalities spike during these hours. Rush hour in Boston is no different and a typical car accident in Boston occurs during these times

Whether you are barely awake and on your way to work or exhausted after a stressful day at work, you can still take some steps to avoid having an accident during rush hour. The following are some helpful suggestions:

  • Consider leaving earlier in the morning to avoid the most congested times. Your work may allow you to leave earlier.
  • Can you telecommute or work at home more often?
  • Is public transportation available and practical?
  • If you want to change lanes, signal early and try to get the attention of the driver to get the okay to merge in front of his or her car. Courtesy and politeness is contagious.
  • Do not tailgate. Even in slow moving traffic, keep a safe distance from the car in front of you since you may be temporarily distracted when traffic suddenly stops.
  • Prepare yourself for the commute. Relax at work before you leave, listen to some music on the radio or listen to an audio book tape. If you do, remember you are still driving and must be cautious.

For many of us, the rush hour commute is a necessary evil but accept it and do what you can to minimize your stress while on the road.

Causes of Rush Hour Accidents

Accidents during peak driving times can occur from a number of factors:

  • Excessive speed
  • Distracted drivers using their cell phones to call or text
  • Fatigue
  • Drivers under the influence
  • Road rage leading to reckless conduct
  • Objects in the roadway
  • Suddenly stopped traffic
  • Motorcyclists who are splitting lanes
  • Cars that suddenly merge into another lane without warning

Although it is easy to say, avoid using your cell phone unless you are hands-free and only for a short time. There are frustrated drivers on the road so be courteous, allow them to merge, and remember that you will get home or to work.

Damages in a Rush Hour Accident

Car accident injuries that occur during the commute are no different from any other circumstance except for the congestion it creates and the difficulty that police and ambulance services may have trying to get to the accident site. Many accidents are relatively minor if they occur at slow speeds, but there are moments when the traffic temporarily opens up and motorists feel a flush of freedom and feel they must race down the highway. These situations can easily result in catastrophic injuries from out of control vehicles that are unable to stop in time for slowing traffic or swerve to avoid another vehicle.

Before you can collect compensation in any personal injury case, you must first establish who the responsible party or parties may be and then prove by the civil standard of a preponderance of the evidence that their conduct constituted negligence and was the proximate, or legal, cause of your accident and injuries. Once this has been proven, your lawyer must also prove your damages.

Typical injuries in a car accident include:

  • Back and neck strains from whiplash
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Broken limbs
  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
  • Damage to internal organs
  • Paralysis
  • Emotional trauma
  • Permanent disfigurement

Using medical records and testimony from health care professionals, employment records, and possible testimony from rehabilitation experts and economists, your car accident lawyer can prove the following:

  • Medical expenses, past and future
  • Lost earnings, past and future
  • Loss of earning capacity
  • Permanent disability
  • Emotional trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of consortium claim on behalf of the spouse
  • Possible punitive damages

Retain Boston Car Accident Lawyer Neil Burns & Roshan Jain

Neil Burns & Roshan Jain have been representing the legal interests of the citizens of Boston and the greater metropolitan area for almost 30 years, obtaining substantial compensation for his injury clients in all types of motor vehicle accidents. If you or a loved one sustained an injury in the greater Boston area, contact Attorney Neil Burns and Roshan Jain at 617-227-7423 for a free assessment of your injury claim.