Were you hurt in a collision caused by an aggressive driver? As the victim of the crash, you have rights. If you want to take legal action against the at-fault party, contact our aggressive driving accident lawyer in Woodstock.
Founded in 1995, Jones & Swanson has been practicing personal injury law for decades. Our lawyers have more than 50 years of combined experience, and our Woodstock car accident lawyers understand how stressful the aftermath of a car crash can be.
We have won over $50 million for our clients, and we take a relationship-driven approach to every case we handle. We focus on personal service and direct communication rather than treating injured people like another file in a high-volume system.
Georgia Law Defines Aggressive Driving
Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-397, a person commits aggressive driving when operating a motor vehicle with the intent to “annoy, harass, molest, intimidate, injure, or obstruct another person.”
The statute includes certain traffic violations committed with that intent, including violations involving these matters:
- Improper passing
- Failure to maintain a lane
- Following too closely
- Improper signaling
- Reckless driving
For someone injured in an aggressive-driving crash, the criminal traffic offense is only one part of the situation. Your civil claim is separate from the criminal case against the driver.
The fact that police issue a citation or prosecutors bring criminal charges does not automatically determine the amount of money you will receive for your injuries. Our Woodstock personal injury lawyer will examine the driver’s conduct in the context of your civil claim.
Evidence showing that the driver intentionally intimidated another motorist, made dangerous lane changes, followed another vehicle too closely, or used the vehicle to threaten another person could help establish what happened and why the collision occurred.
The Driver’s Conduct Matters in a Civil Claim
Aggressive driving often involves more than one bad decision; a driver might decide to engage in any of these behaviors:
- Follow another vehicle closely
- Speed around traffic
- Move abruptly between lanes
- Pass where doing so is unsafe
- Prevent another motorist from changing lanes
When those actions lead to a collision, the details matter. Georgia negligence law generally requires a person seeking damages for injuries to establish that another party owed a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused the injuries and resulting losses.
A traffic violation does not automatically establish every element of a civil claim, but evidence of unlawful or dangerous driving will be relevant when determining responsibility. This is particularly important when the other driver insists the crash was an accident.
A person who made a series of aggressive driving decisions before the impact might have a very different account of the collision than the evidence supports. Your Woodstock aggressive driving accident attorney will examine evidence on your behalf, such as:
- Photographs
- Crash reports
- Witness accounts
- Available video
- Vehicle damage
- Medical records
They will use this information to build a factual picture of the collision. The goal is to establish responsibility through evidence rather than simply relying on what either driver says happened.
Reckless Driving Carries Its Own Legal Consequences
Aggressive driving and reckless driving are related but distinct offenses under Georgia law. O.C.G.A. § 40-6-390 states that a person commits reckless driving by operating a vehicle in reckless disregard for the safety of people or property.
For an injured person, evidence supporting reckless driving will also be relevant to the civil case. This conduct deserves close examination:
- Racing through traffic
- Making abrupt lane changes
- Driving at an excessive speed
- Disregarding obvious safety risks
The civil standard is different from the criminal standard. Your claim does not depend on obtaining a criminal conviction first. Our Woodstock aggressive driving accident lawyers will pursue the civil claim based on the available evidence.
We will also consider information produced through any related criminal investigation. This distinction matters because injured people often assume that everything hinges on whether the other driver is arrested or convicted, but this is not true.
Evidence Helps Establish What Really Happened
Aggressive driving crashes frequently become disputes over whose version of events is accurate. The other driver might deny speeding, claim you changed lanes unexpectedly, or describe intentional conduct as an ordinary driving mistake.
That is why proof is so important. An investigation into an aggressive-driving collision might require your Woodstock aggressive driving accident attorney to review this evidence:
- Police reports and citations issued after the crash
- Statements from people who witnessed the driver’s conduct before the collision
- Traffic-camera, business, residential, or dashcam footage
- Photographs showing vehicle positions, damage, road conditions, and skid marks
- Cellphone records when distracted driving is suspected
- Vehicle data and other available electronic information
- Medical records connecting your injuries to the collision
- Documentation showing your lost income and other financial losses
Different pieces of information often work together to establish a clearer account of what occurred. Your lawyer will also consider evidence that contradicts the other driver’s account.
If a driver claims to have been traveling normally while witnesses describe repeated dangerous maneuvers, those competing accounts deserve investigation rather than simply accepting the insurer’s version of events.
Contact Jones & Swanson for Legal Help From Our Aggressive Driving Accident Lawyers in Woodstock
People dealing with aggressive-driving crashes often describe the legal process as a game they do not understand how to play, and understandably so. Insurance terminology, medical records, liability arguments, and legal deadlines are often overwhelming.
However, you don’t have to handle your circumstances by yourself. Instead, let Jones & Swanson advocate for you. Our approach is centered around personal service and honest relationships. We offer compassionate counsel and straightforward advice.
Our attorneys, Andrew W. Jones, M. Chase Swanson, and Rutledge W. Jones, are based in Marietta. Together, they proudly serve people throughout Cobb County and the surrounding Georgia communities. Call us today to discuss your case during a free initial consultation.
