Drivers have a responsibility to other motorists. They must remain focused on the task of driving or else they pose a serious threat to those they share the road with. Unfortunately, so many drivers succumb to the temptation of a mobile device, and the results can be devastating.
It is understandable how distracted driving can happen. After all, distraction is everywhere. Driving in a car doesn’t stop the bombardment of text messages, phone calls, emails, social media posts, news updates, and many other notifications. However, when a driver responds to those notifications while behind the wheel, it puts everyone in their vicinity in danger.
Why You Need a Distracted Driving Lawyer
If you have been involved in an accident with a distracted driver, you might wonder where to turn. You have been seriously injured. Your vehicle has been damaged. You are missing work. You’re struggling to get the payment you deserve and need guidance on how to get your life back on track.
Call a Houston distracted driving accident attorney with your questions. You don’t need to know how the other driver was at fault or even how much fault that driver carries for your crash. Our attorneys investigate the causes of your crash to determine who was at fault and how much compensation you should be given. We’ll be able to help you figure out where to start.
The team at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law is committed to helping you rebuild your life after a distracted driving accident. Call (713) 973-8888 to learn how we will fight for the compensation you deserve.
A Distracted Driving Accidents Lawyer Can Deal with Insurance Companies
One thing is certain: no matter how much damage you’ve suffered because of a distracted driver, you will have to deal with an insurance company at some point. Your own insurance company will be involved. The insurance company of the other driver will be involved.
There is no need for you to handle the claims process on your own. It can be tedious, contentious, and confusing. Instead, allow an experienced Houston distracted driving accident lawyer to take that stress off your shoulders.
Having an advocate on your side can help convince the insurance company that they should reach a fair settlement with you. A distracted driving lawyer in Houston can negotiate on your behalf.
A Houston Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Knows the Law
Texas implements a standard of blame known as proportionate responsibility (also referred to as modified comparative fault). Simply put, to win any lawsuit, you have to show that you are less than 51% responsible for the accident. If you are more than 50% to blame, you get nothing.
In Texas, though, texting and driving is illegal, and drivers who violate the law face many consequences. If you were injured because the distracted driver was texting, you improve the chances of your lawsuit.
Unfortunately, the laws do not always prevent people from driving while distracted. If the drivers had followed the law, the accidents they caused likely never would have happened. You can sue the driver who was distracted and caused your accident for negligent behavior. To win your lawsuit, your distracted driving accident lawyers will have to show that:
- The other driver owed you a duty of care and had a responsibility to other road users to drive safely
- The other driver breached that duty by driving while distracted
- The driver’s distraction caused your injuries
- You suffered damages, like medical bills or lost wages.
You should not have to pay for the negligence of a distracted driver. To improve your chances of having a successful lawsuit, you need a competent distracted driving attorney to represent you. Time is of the essence.
You can rely on the experience of the distracted driving accident lawyers at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law. We are committed to using our legal insights to help our clients hold negligent parties responsible. Call us today to find out how: (713) 973-8888.
A Houston Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer Can Gather Evidence
You will need the help of an experienced distracted driving attorney to prove the driver was texting when you were injured. You can use the driver’s violation of the law as grounds for seeking compensation. A lawyer can also help show that your accident was preventable if the driver had just paid attention to the road.
To do this, a distracted driving lawyer can gather evidence like:
- Police reports
- Cell phone records
- Social media posts
- Eye-witness testimony
- Video from traffic cameras or businesses’ security cameras
- Forensic evidence from the scene of the accident
- Testimony from an accident reconstruction expert witness.
Gathering evidence to prove the driver was distracted can help show that you were not at fault. This will be especially important if your insurance company puts the blame on you. A Houston distracted driving lawyer can help ensure that the correct party is held responsible for the accident.
When gathering evidence, you should act quickly. Certain evidence may become stale or harder to obtain if you wait too long. Additionally, under Texas law, you typically have two years from the date of your distracted driving accident to bring a case. (*Always speak directly to a lawyer to learn the exact deadlines that apply to your potential claims.)
A Distracted Driving Accidents Lawyer Can Help You Get Compensation
You might be wondering what kind of compensation you can seek if you’ve been hurt by a distracted driver. The truth is, there’s no way to answer that question without knowing the details of your situation. When you schedule a free consultation with our distracted driving accidents lawyer, we have more information to base our evaluation on.
However, with a Houston distracted driving accident attorney representing you, you can rest assured that your compensation will be fair. A distracted driving lawyer can help make sure that you seek all the compensation you would legally be entitled to.
This includes:
- Lost wages for being unable to work, resulting in a loss of income
- Medical expenses, including ambulance costs, costs of medical tests and imaging, costs of medical treatment and surgery, office visits, and physical therapy costs
- Property damage, such as costs to repair your vehicle or any other type of property that was damaged.
Your attorney will also be able to request pain and suffering or mental and emotional distress. While these are hard to value because they are non-economic damages, the impact on a victim’s life is real.
Clients come to Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law after suffering serious injuries, and they simply want their lives to get back to normal. When they hire us, they know they can trust us to sort out the details. You don’t need to be a legal expert or an investigator to get started on a personal injury claim. Let us do the legal work so you can focus on getting better.
Call (713) 973-8888 as soon as possible to discuss your circumstances with an experienced Houston distracted driving attorney.
About Distracted Driving Accidents in Texas
Our attorneys have dealt with countless cases of distracting driving accidents. We have experience in handling cases involving different types of distracted driving and different types of injuries.
Distracted Driving Behaviors That Might Lead to a Claim
Most people think of texting and driving when they think of distracted driving. But drivers can engage in many more behaviors that could form the basis of your legal claim.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies three ways in which drivers can be distracted: cognitively, visually, and manually.
Cognitive distraction occurs when your mind is not on the task of driving. Visual distraction is when you aren’t looking at the road ahead. And manual distraction happens when a driver takes their hands off the steering wheel.
Anything that takes our minds, eyes, or hands off the road increases our chances of being involved in a serious crash. Something like a smartphone can distract a driver in all three ways. To send a text, for example, a driver must take their focus, eyes, and at least one hand off the wheel.
When you consider these three types of distractions, it becomes obvious that there are many distractions for drivers out there.
Here are just a few of the most common causes of distracted driving our attorneys have seen:
- Cell phones (texting, emailing, dialing) and other mobile devices
- Radios
- Climate controls
- Eating
- Drinking
- Smoking
- In-vehicle entertainment
- GPS and other navigation devices
- Passengers
- Looking for something or reaching to pick up an object in the vehicle
- Looking at traffic, construction, and accidents in other lanes
- Grooming
- Attending a pet.
Distraction doesn’t just stem from a driver’s actions. A crash on the side of the road or an animal darting in front of the vehicle can be a distraction and lead to a serious car accident.
Regardless of the source of the distraction, when another driver’s distraction causes us harm, we are within our rights to explore our legal options. The Houston distracted driver accident attorneys at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law help clients get the compensation they deserve.
Types of Injuries Caused by Distracted Driving
We’ve represented clients with many different types of injuries. Every case is different, and we approach each client with the goal of understanding every aspect of their suffering.
Some of the most common injuries our clients suffer in these types of accidents include:
- Fractures
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s)
- Spinal injuries
- Organ damage
- Whiplash.
These injuries have consequences. They’re painful and costly. They affect our ability to work, play with our children, enjoy our hobbies, and connect with our loved ones. These effects are just as serious as the injury itself.
How Our Houston Distracted Driving Lawyers Can Help
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a negligent driver, the experienced legal team at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law is here to help. We will investigate your case to determine who was at fault and how much you are owed, and we’ll fight to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Terry Bryant is a Board Certified personal injury trial lawyer (by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization) and a former judge. He knows the law inside and out. More importantly, he knows what it takes to get results for clients.
Our Houston Distracted Driving Attorney Offers Free Consultations
You likely have many questions that you want to be answered. Call us today to schedule a free consultation with Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law so we can answer your questions about distracted driving accidents.
Free consultations aren’t just opportunities for distracted driving attorneys to find out more about your case. They’re also an opportunity for you to see whether you are comfortable with the firm you’re considering. We believe in our team, and we offer free consultations so we can tell you why we’re the right fit for your case. We believe that every firm, no matter how credentialed and reputable, should be able to prove itself to potential clients.
We have built our reputation not only on the results we get for our clients but also on the relationships we’ve built with those we represent. We believe in the work we do, and we want to help people get the justice they deserve.
Let us hear your story and learn how a distracted driving accident has affected your life. The attorneys at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law know that we can make a difference. Call us today at (713) 973-8888, or fill out our online form, to learn how.
Attorney Terry Bryant
Terry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]