According to the NHTSA, well over 12,000 Americans were killed in 2021 in speeding accidents and many more were severely injured. If you have been seriously injured in an accident caused by the recklessness of a speeding driver, you are entitled to meaningful compensation to cover your losses. To receive the damages you deserve, however, you need skillful legal representation. If you are located in Providence, Rhode Island, this is the time to contact the Law Offices of William M. Kolb, LLC.
For decades, Bill Kolb has been fighting for the rights of speeding accident victims; he now has an impressive record of successful outcomes. You can count on him to provide you not only with excellent legal counsel but also with the moral support that will help you through this difficult and overwhelming period.
Bill is all too familiar with the physical, emotional, and financial trauma associated with speeding accidents and will do everything in his power to recover maximum damages for you and your family. Realizing that you are probably out of work and swamped by medical bills, he will charge you no attorneys’ fees until he recovers the funds you need to move forward with regained confidence.
Rhode Island’s Strict Speeding Laws
Like other states, Rhode Island has crafted its traffic laws to punish speeding motorists with harsh enough penalties to discourage this dangerous practice. Fines, which begin at $95 for
a first offense in which the driver is traveling from 1-10 miles over the speed limit, add an additional dollar amount for each mile per hour over 10.
For first offenders, that additional amount is $10 per mile but increases to $20 for each additional mile by the third offense. If a Rhode Island driver receives a fourth speeding ticket within 18 months, the penalties become harsher, including a fine of up to $1,000, 60 hours of driver retraining classes, 60 hours of community service, license suspension for up to 1 year, and/or license revocation for up to 2 years.
How Speeding Always Makes Accidents Worse
The same poor judgment of drivers who speed routinely often makes them reckless in other ways. Too often, speeding, tailgating, weaving, paying little attention to weather or road conditions, and driving while impaired or distracted make them even more hazardous.
The frightening facts are that speeding drivers:
- Require increased reaction time and stopping distance
- Make protective equipment (e.g. safety belts, safety bags) less effective
- Have an elevated risk of losing control of their vehicle
- Weaponize their vehicles by making their potential impact on other cars, passengers, and pedestrians much greater
The Higher the Speed, the Worse the Injury
Vehicles traveling at high speed do more damage than those going the speed limit, frequently causing devastating injuries, including:
- Multiple bone fractures
- Neuromuscular damage
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Spinal cord injuries
- Loss of limb
- Severe burns
Whether you have suffered one of the injuries listed above or some other painful, disabling injury, Bill Kolb is committed to holding the party responsible for the harm that came to you accountable. He will fight vigorously to see that you receive the resources you need to make you comfortable and secure your future.
How the Law Offices of William M. Kolb Can Help After a Speeding Accident
Once you become our client, we will take care of all legal and logistical matters while you rest and recover. To build the strongest possible cases, we will:
- Thoroughly investigate the site of the accident
- Examine all forensic evidence, police reports, medical records, surveillance videos
- Check into any history of speeding on the part of the defendant
- Interview witnesses, subpoena cell phone data
- File necessary documents in a timely fashion
- Consult with medical and technical experts who may testify on your behalf
- Craft a powerful strategy to negotiate an out-of-court settlement
- If necessary provide you with formidable legal representation at trial
Our goal, like yours, is to bring this ordeal to a positive conclusion so you can restart your life.
Pure Comparative Negligence in Rhode Island Gives You a Decided Advantage
While all states consider the possibility that more than one driver may bear responsibility for an accident, different states work under varying principles of comparative negligence. Fortunately for you, Rhode Island adheres to the most generous of these principles — pure comparative negligence. It works this way:
The court assigns each party a percentage of blame for the collision. Although the other party may have been traveling at excessive speed, it is possible that you, for example, made an illegal turn. If the court deems you 20 percent at fault and awards you $100,000 in damages, you will receive $80,000, even though the accident was partially your fault.
What gives you an edge in our state that adheres to the principle of pure comparative negligence is that here, even if you are deemed 80 percent at fault, you are still entitled to $20,000. In other words, there is no cut-off point for you to recover damages unless you are 100 percent to blame for the crash.
Damages Our Speeding Accident Attorney Recover for You
You will be glad that you have a consummate legal advocate in Bill Kolb when it comes to actual negotiations or a courtroom trial. He always has the right combination of facts about the accident and the comprehensive knowledge of the law to be powerful and persuasive as he fights to recover damages for:
- Medical and rehabilitative costs
- Lost wages/lost earning power
- Property damage
- Long-term nursing care
- Replacement services
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Loss of ability to enjoy life
If you have lost a close relative to wrongful death, he will pull out all the stops to bring you damages for final medical costs, funeral expenses, and loss of financial support and companionship. If the speeding driver’s behavior was especially horrific, Bill may be able to recover punitive damages as well as compensatory ones.
Contact Our Experienced Speeding Accident Attorney Today
Bill Kolb has the strength and determination to fight for justice for you and your family. Contact our offices now to feel the reassurance that comes from putting yourself in the hands of a caring professional.