We recently settled a road-rage lawsuit that was filed in an Alabama state court. In September of 2006, our client was driving an escort vehicle on I-20 just west of Oxford. She and her husband were certified safety drivers and were in the process of escorting an oversized rig. Our client’s husband was the lead vehicle and our client was driving the rear vehicle behind the oversized load. They were traveling through a construction zone at the posted speed limit. The construction zone limited the speed and the flow of traffic.
The Defendant was driving in traffic several cars behind our client. Apparently, he wanted to go faster than the rest of the vehicles on the interstate that day. The Defendant was going from lane to lane, blinking his headlights and trying to pass other vehicles in the construction zone traffic. After the road construction ended, the Defendant passed our client’s vehicle in the emergency lane or apron. Unbelievably, the Defendant then slammed on his brakes and positioned his car right next to our client’s car while traveling at highway speeds. As he yelled and shook his hand at our client, the Defendant tried to force her off the road. He then clipped the back of our client’s vehicle with the right front corner of his vehicle, causing our client’s vehicle to go out of control and roll over several times in the median. The Defendant was charged with “reckless driving” and subsequently pled guilty to unintentional assault.
As a result of the accident, our client suffered multiple injuries. She sustained a closed head injury, blunt chest trauma and injuries to her lower extremities. She also suffered two compression fractures to her lower back which, unfortunately, left her permanently disabled and dependant on the care of others for most of the daily activities of her life.
This case is a classic example of how dangerous our highways can be when a driver experiences road rage. We have all seen people operating their vehicles, become angry, and then express their anger towards other motorists. The case demonstrates one of the worst examples of road rage I have ever heard of. Our client’s life was forever changed simply because the Defendant could not go as fast as he wanted and had no respect for either the law or others on the highway that day.
Rick Morrison and Cole Portis handled this case and did an outstanding job for our client. The case was pending in an Alabama State Court when it settled. The terms of the settlement, including the parties’ identities, are confidential by agreement of the parties and specifically at the request of the liability insurance carrier for the Defendant.
