How often have you noticed another driver weaving in and out of their lane or forgetting to use a turn signal because they are focused on their phone instead of the road? If you have been involved in a crash caused by a distracted driver, you already understand how quickly negligence can change lives. Determining who legally caused a crash in Michigan is a critical step in recovering full compensation for your injuries and losses. To protect your rights, you need a Michigan car accident lawyer who understands how fault is proven and has successfully handled these cases for decades.
There is no doubt that the rise in electronic devices including cell phones, GPS systems, in-vehicle screens, and other technology has made distracted driving a serious problem in Michigan and nationwide. In Michigan alone, distracted driving has led to thousands of injuries and dozens of fatalities in a single year.
Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of serious crashes, often leading to significant injuries and long-term financial consequences. The experienced car accident lawyers at The Clark Law Office can help you establish liability, hold the at-fault driver accountable, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
What is The Definition of Distracted Driving
While there is no official definition of distracted driving, it can be commonly agreed that it is when something takes your attention away from driving safely. This is pretty broad but essentially it is anything that can make you lose focus of driving including talking to your friends on the phone, texting your friend, eating some fast-food, drinking a protein shake, looking through a Spotify playlist, finding a destination on Google Maps, or looking through emails. According to https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving, which is now the official website and formerly distracted.gov, texting is the most dangerous distraction of them all. It takes approximately 5 seconds to send or read a text message and that can equate to the length of entire NFL football field when traveling at a speed of 55 mph.
The Impact of Cell Phones and Distracted Driving
The amount of cell phones use in the United States of America is astounding. At any given moment of time during the day, over 650,000 individuals are currently using a cell phone to either talk or text while driving. Even hands free driving doesn’t make it significantly safer according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Just the loss of concentration and not the physical act is enough to cause distraction and endanger other drivers on the road. You have probably seen the commercials on tv and on social media, but the importance can’t be reinforced enough. If you must send or receive a text message, simply pull over to the first safe location possible and park your vehicle beforehand. If you happen to have another passenger riding with you, just give them your phone and have them text on your behalf. If the temptation is too much and you can’t help yourself, simply lock your phone into the trunk or glove-box until you get to your desired location.
Common Forms of Distracted Driving
The rise of texting and driving is the most pressing concern, but there is also a multitude of other distractions that can cause vehicle accidents. Some of the ways distraction can occur include:
Eating food or drinking a beverage
Smoking a cigarette or using a vape pen
Using Google Maps or GPS navigation systems
Shaving your face or putting on makeup
Talking with other passengers
Dealing with children in the car
Liability For Distracted Driving Crashes in Michigan
If you have suffered significant injures as a result of distracted driver, you might be entitled to financial compensation for third party benefits including pain and suffering. You might think that the insurance company is your friend and that they will work with you to give you a fair deal. However, they are not on your side and you should speak to a car accident attorney before making any statements to the insurance company or adjuster.
Distracted driving can take many forms and the driver responsible should be held legally responsibility for their unsafe and negligent actions. At The Clark Law Office, our experienced lawyers have handled 100’s of accident claims and know how to get the most value out of your case.
We hire the best accident reconstruction experts in the State of Michigan to determine the real reason for the accident and to establish fault on the part of the distracted driver. Our investigators and re-constructionists will visit the scene of the crash to talk to any available witnesses, gather evidence, and take a closer look at both vehicles involved. Another important task that we can help with is collecting cell-phone records. Many times, this will be enough to establish the other driver was distracted and caused the accident resulting in liability.
Michigan’s No-Fault System and Why Negligence Matters
The State of Michigan utilizes a “no-fault” system for car accident insurance that allows all insured drivers to collect first-party benefits including medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault. Even with this being the case, it’s still important to determine who was negligent because it is the only way for you to bring a third party lawsuit which includes compensation for pain and suffering. In order to receive maximum compensation, you need to prove that the other driver was distracted and at-fault for the accident. Our job is to work with the insurance companies, make sure that your rights are protected, and that we get you the most compensation possible for the injuries and mental anguish you have experienced following the accident. Even though most auto accident claims settle out of court in Michigan, we prepare every case as if it’s going to trial and we will do everything necessary to give you the best legal representation available.
Call Our Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys For Help
If you have been injured as the result of a distracted driver, you need the best local attorney to make sure that your legal rights are protected and that you get the compensation you deserve. It’s been found that injured victims collect 3.5x more when they hire an attorney to assist them with their lawsuit. Call us today at (517) 347-6900 for a free confidential consultation regarding your case. We charge no fees unless you win for all car accident claims.
