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Tailgating accidents are a constant danger on DC’s crowded streets, creating a surge of force through the body that can leave victims with serious injuries, from whiplash to spinal trauma. When this happens, you need guidance from an award-winning Washington, DC car accident lawyer who knows how to build a strong case and pursue the full compensation you deserve.
Regan Zambri Long’s founding partners are board certified and hold AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell. We are named among the Best Law Firms in America, and have recovered more than $1 billion in settlements and verdicts, including major car accident results of $15 million, $14 million, $10.6 million, and $10 million. With nearly two centuries of combined experience, our tailgating attorneys work with accident reconstruction specialists, medical experts, and financial professionals to help us document injuries, long-term care needs, and the financial impact of the crash.
If you or your loved one were injured by a tailgating driver, then you may have the right to compensation. Reach out to a Regan Zambri Long lawyer today. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and one of our attorneys will personally call you back. There’s no fee unless we win your case.
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There are plenty of reasons why drivers tailgate. All these reasons have one thing in common: negligence. Fourteen out of every 10,000 drivers have at least one citation for tailgating, and too many drivers do not understand the responsibility they have to other drivers they share the road with. No one should have to suffer the consequences of someone else’s negligence.
Some reasons negligent drivers tailgate other drivers on the road are:
Distracted driving is one of the top causes of motor vehicle accidents, injuring over 320,000 people and killing an additional 3,275 in 2023 alone. Distracted driving is when a driver’s focus is on anything other than the road. Texting, talking on the phone, messing with the radio, eating, putting on makeup, and talking to other passengers can all be forms of distracted driving. When a driver is distracted, it’s easy to close in on the driver ahead without knowing it. If the car in front stops suddenly, a tailgating collision is likely to happen.
Drowsy driving is a very common problem, especially when it comes to commercial truck drivers. Drowsy driving happens when the person operating the car is tired. Thoughts can drift, eyes can get heavy, and the driver can fall asleep at the wheel.
Drowsiness is implicated in roughly 20% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes, and is a factor in 13% of crashes that result in hospitalization. If the driver is too tired, they may not notice they are tailgating the car in front of them. If they fall asleep at the wheel, a tailgating accident can easily happen.
When people drive in heavy rain or snow, it is really hard to see the car directly in front of them. This is why it is so important to drive cautiously and slowly in inclement weather. If you are going under the speed limit, especially on a highway, your hazards should be turned on. In poor weather, the driver may not see that the car in front is too close and unknowingly tailgate. However, if the car should stop, especially in ice or rain, an accident is likely to occur.
If you have been driving for any amount of time, you have encountered road rage. It’s alarming behavior and it is extremely dangerous. Many tailgating accidents are caused by road rage. Road rage triggers can be cutting off another driver, driving in the left-hand lane, problems when trying to merge lanes, and unnecessary honking and aggressive driving. Many drivers who have road rage will tailgate to prove a point, easily causing rear-end collisions.
Everyone is aware of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Reaction times are slowed and judgment and reason are impaired. In 2023, more than 360,000 people were injured due to drunk drivers, and nearly 12,500 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths. Add tailgating to this, and it is a recipe for disaster. While tailgating is dangerous for any driver, one who is drunk or high will not have the mental capacity to stop their vehicle in time if the other driver stops suddenly.
Occupants in the backseat of a car are more likely to sustain more severe injuries than passengers in the front seat, especially in a rear-end collision. There are several factors for more serious injuries in the backseat. Car structures, especially in older cars, are less safe in the backseat than they are in the front seat. Backseat passengers are also less likely to wear seatbelts.
Many rear-end collisions are caused by drivers who tailgate. Because of this, injuries from rear-end collisions can be catastrophic for backseat passengers. Some common injuries are:
Whiplash is a serious neck injury that happens when a person’s neck is subject to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement. Whiplash is frequently dismissed as a minor injury, but that could not be further from the truth. Victims can have chronic pain and discomfort for years and have to spend thousands of dollars on physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and pain management medication. According to the Mayo Clinic, roughly 3 million whiplash cases occur in the United States each year, with the most common cause being rear-end car accidents.
Traumatic brain injuries can include concussions, brain bleeds, deep bruising on the brain, and severe TBI. Symptoms range from loss of consciousness to coma or permanent vegetative state. Following an accident, there may be few signs of a TBI. That is why it is so important to seek medical attention right away after a tailgating car accident.
A spinal cord injury is damage to the spine or the nerves surrounding it. Victims may suffer partial or complete paralysis. In some cases, the movement and feeling may come back, but in others, the victim is left with little to no range of motion at all. In the first year after suffering paralysis from a spinal cord injury, a victim can rack up over $1 million in medical expenses and lifestyle changes.
Many different bones can break or fracture in a car accident. Deployed airbags can break facial bones. Leg, ankle, and foot bones can break by hitting the dashboard or door. In the backseat, passengers can suffer broken arms, backs, ribs, and more. Severe breaks may require surgery and possibly never heal properly.
Internal bleeding is bleeding that occurs within your body. Often, bleeding can be caused by a damaged or ruptured organ as a result of trauma. Like traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding and organ damage may not display outward symptoms right away. However, if they are left untreated, they can be fatal. It is in your best interest to seek medical care immediately after a tailgating accident.
Other injuries from a tailgating accident may include:
Not all personal injury law firms can take on large insurance companies. Many smaller firms in the DC Metro Area refer their clients to Regan Zambri Long when a case becomes too big. When you work with a Regan Zambri Long injury lawyer, you are working with a national trial lawyer. That means if your case goes to court, you will have an experienced legal team behind you who will be with you until the end.
There are several steps you can follow to ensure your safety following a crash, but also to help yourself with your personal injury case. Following a tailgating accident, you should:
At the Regan Zambri Long, we make it our mission for our clients to understand every step of the personal injury case they are involved in. For you to understand the claims process, you must first understand how your attorney will determine liability for the tailgating accident.
The first thing to keep in mind is that the at-fault driver is not always the one who rear-ended the car in front of them. It may actually be the fault of the driver who was hit. The driver who was hit from behind could be found liable for the accident if he or she:
The Regan Zambri Long personal injury attorneys have seen defense lawyers quickly use contributory negligence to get their clients out of paying fair compensation. We will not allow that to happen to you. Your Regan Zambri Long accident lawyer will investigate the scene of the accident, use security footage, photos, and eyewitnesses to prove you, in no way, caused the motor vehicle accident you were involved in.
Our commitment to clients is reinforced by a long history of results. We have recovered dozens of multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts for personal injury victims, including people harmed in serious car crashes. These include a $15 million settlement for a car accident victim who suffered paralysis, a $14 million recovery for victims of a severe collision, a $10.6 million settlement for a crash that caused paraplegia, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord damage, and $10 million in compensation for a woman injured in a car accident.
The strength of the firm is reflected in the reputation of its attorneys. Every one of our six partners is listed among the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America by Lawdragon. They are also all recognized as Washington DC Super Lawyers, and feature among the Best Lawyers in America. Our three founding partners are board certified in Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and hold AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell.
Washingtonian Magazine has praised Salvatore Zambri as “one of Washington’s best, most honest and effective lawyers,” and has described Patrick Regan as a “poster boy for legal ethics and integrity.” These distinctions reflect the level of advocacy you can expect from a firm that will stand with you from the moment you call until your case is resolved.
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.