Coe Baxter, Tuscaloosa car accident attorney and associate of Prince, Glover Hayes law firm, recently settled a case in which he represented a passenger in the vehicle being driven by an acquaintance of his client.  The law governing the circumstances under which a non-paying passenger can bring a case against the driver is commonly known as the Alabama Guest Statute.  That statute says, “the owner, operator, or person responsible for the operation of a motor vehicle shall not be liable for loss or damage arising from injuries to or death of a guest while being transported without payment therefor in or upon said motor vehicle, resulting from the operation thereof, unless such injuries or death are caused by the willful or wanton misconduct of such operator, owner, or person responsible for the operation of the motor vehicle.” In order to prevail in his case, Coe had to prove that the driver of the vehicle was operating it in a willful or wanton manner as opposed to operating it in a negligent manner.  The wreck occurred when the driver’s brakes failed and the car ran off the roadway hitting a tree. Coe’s client was thrown through the windshield and landed face down in front of the car.  He sustained injuries to his legs, arms, neck and head.  In order to prove willful or wanton misconduct on the part of the driver, Coe had the vehicle’s black box downloaded.  That information showed that the driver was going 85 mph in a 45 mph speed zone.  Coe recovered the policy limits from the adverse driver and also recovered the maximum benefits from his client’s available underinsured motorist coverage.  Call any of the Tuscaloosa car accident attorneys at Prince Glover Hayes for a free consultation if you or a loved one has been injured in a car wreck.