As a country, we might be driving less during the pandemic, but Americans all around the country get in their cars everyday to go work, school, or the grocery store. But they never think about getting into a car crash as they get behind the wheel. Humans have a natural inclination to avoid uncomfortable thoughts and this includes any topics relating to death or serious injury. The odds of getting into a car crash may seem really low, since we drive every day, which seems to be the reason some folks ignore the importance of mitigating the risks of car crashes. However, recent studies show that more than 3 million people are injured in a car accident every year and some Americans will inevitably be part of the 1% that experience a car accident.
But as the news and social media shows us, major car accidents can happen to anyone, and lately there’s been a lot of talk on celebrity car crashes.
Back in February, Tiger Woods had to be cut free from his car and rushed to a medical center in Los Angeles after being involved in a single vehicle car crash. Tiger’s car hit a tree and continued to roll after the impact. Tiger had some very serious injuries and couldn’t remember what happened and needed to undergo extensive surgery on his leg. The data recorder in Woods’ 2021 Genesis GV80 SUV showed that he had been driving between 68 to 86.99 mph, which could’ve been more than 45 mph over the speed limit, when he tried to maneuver around a curve and veered off course and crashed. Sheriff Alex Villanueva who investigated the crash said that Woods was driving in an unsafe manner and that’s why the crash happened.
Now, while a global superstar like Tiger Woods would have no trouble covering any medical costs, this would be a rather frightening prospect for the average person. That’s why it’s essential (and legally required on a side note) to have car insurance to mitigate the risk of a major accident and then to know how to navigate the process in the event of a car accident.
While the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department didn’t find any evidence of Woods being under the influence of drugs or alcohol when his car accident happened, the same can not be said for another celebrity car crash that splashed the tabloids. Back in 2009, now 23-time Olympic gold medalist, Michael Phelps was involved in a car accident in Baltimore. Phelps told “was driving with an invalid, out-of-state (Michigan) license and told police he drank a beer about an hour and 15 minutes before he was involved in an accident.” Police didn’t administer field sobriety tests because Phelps didn’t appear to be under the influence but they did note that Phelps had a prior drunk driving conviction from 2004. Police did however cite Phelps for irresponsible driving without a license and for not being able to establish residency in Maryland.
At the time of this accident, the media also broke a story about the swimmer’s fondness for marijuana complete with a picture, and while it had no bearing on the car crash, the court of public opinion reviewed the information. And Phelps had to explain to a judge in a real court, with the help of a law firm, why he was driving without a license.
Similar to Tiger Woods’ car crash, Kevin Hart was involved in a high speed car accident caused by the reckless driving of his driver, Jared Black. Both Black and Hart were seriously injured and the actor/comedian had to take time off of work to undergo physical therapy. Unfortunately, taking several months off of work isn’t a luxury most people have when they are recovering from car accident injuries. However, car accident lawyers are able to help get benefits for victims of car accidents including wage loss for work missed due to car accident recoveries.
Unfortunately, some types of car accident injuries, specifically traumatic brain injuries, don’t fully heal. Just look at Tracy Morgan’s 2014 car crash in which his limo was rear-ended by a Walmart truck. More information regarding Morgan’s traumatic brain injury car crash can be found here.
There are enough celebrity car crashes that this article could be turned into a book. For example, Lindsay Lohan, David Spade, and Mindy Kaling were all involved in serious car accidents. Lohan has been involved in several car accidents and has a few drunk driving convictions. Spade was rear-ended by a driver who sped up to get through a yellow light. Kaling was sued for being on the phone and running a stop sign and rear-ending a woman causing grave injuries.
The point is that anyone can be involved in a car crash. Celebrity car crashes may end up in the news, but they happen to everyone and the aftermath of car accidents can be a legal and financial nightmare.
So, what does getting into a car accident involve for the average person?
Well, depending on your car insurance policy, you may be entitled to compensation for any injuries or pain and suffering that resulted from the car accident. Whether this relates to physical or mental trauma, the process is easier when a law firm is employed to help the car crash victim navigate the complicated insurance and medical waters to discover what benefits they may be entitled to. Nobody expects to be involved in a car accident but car crashes happen and having car insurance and hiring a car crash law firm can greatly help get through what can be one of the toughest times in anyone’s life.