Distracted Driver Accident Lawyers Anderson Hemmat

Understanding Distracted Driving

Multitasking has become a very common activity in the modern age, especially with all of the technological advances that have made it so much easier to perform several tasks at once. Because of this, people have gotten overly comfortable with this practice, and it's caused them to exhibit dangerous driving behavior.

Technology has certainly caused some of these problems, but it isn't the only cause. Something as simple as eating, taking a drink, or fiddling with the radio can cause a devastating auto accident. If a distracted driver caused your car accident and injury, you have the right to pursue financial compensation for your pain, suffering, medical expenses, and property damage.

The person or people responsible for your property damage and injuries should be made to pay for the problems they have caused, so that you can avoid further suffering and financial distress.

Distracted driving is a serious issue that affects thousands of people every year. It is defined as any activity that diverts a driver’s attention away from the road, including visual, manual, and cognitive distractions. Visual distractions take a driver’s eyes off the road, manual distractions take a driver’s hands off the wheel, and cognitive distractions take a driver’s mind off of driving. Examples of distracted driving include texting, talking on a cell phone, eating, and using a GPS.

Distracted driving can have severe consequences, including car accidents, serious injuries, and even fatalities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving was responsible for 3,166 deaths in 2017 alone. In Colorado, distracted driving is a leading cause of car accidents, and it is essential to understand the risks and consequences of distracted driving to stay safe on the roads.

Distracted Driving Laws in Colorado

Colorado has laws in place to prevent distracted driving and reduce the number of car accidents caused by distracted drivers. It is unlawful for a driver to use a cell phone or other electronic device while operating a motor vehicle, except in certain circumstances. Drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using a cell phone or other electronic device while driving, except in emergency situations.

Additionally, Colorado law prohibits drivers from texting or sending emails while driving. Drivers who are caught violating these laws can face fines, points on their driver’s license, and even jail time. It is essential to understand Colorado’s distracted driving laws to avoid penalties and stay safe on the roads.

We Can Help with Your Distracted Driving Accident Case

That’s where our team of Denver car accident lawyers comes in. At Anderson Hemmat, we are committed to helping victims of Denver distracted driving accidents (and their families) fight for the money they deserve and need.

We know that the property damage and medical expenses that result from these avoidable accidents can be extensive and very stressful, and we want to help you overcome these difficulties and bring the responsible parties to justice.

It is crucial to hire experienced distracted driving accident attorneys to navigate the complexities of personal injury claims and secure fair compensation for your injuries and losses. Our experience with distracted driving accidents, and dedication to seeking justice for injured victims are unparalleled, and we are ready to help you with your personal injury case. To learn more, contact our personal injury office below.

Types of Distracted Driving Accidents

Any activity that takes the driver's attention or eyes away from the road is a distraction. This includes many different activities, objects, or even emotional stresses, some of which are so simple and common that you may not realize that they are dangerous at all. Driving distractions fall into one (or more) of the following categories:

1. Cognitive Distraction

2. Visual Distraction

3. Manual Distraction

A cognitive distraction takes the driver's mental focus off driving and causes him or her to think of something unrelated; a visual distraction takes the driver's eyes off the road to look elsewhere in the vehicle or even out the window; a manual distraction removes his or her hands from the steering wheel, usually to fumble around or reach for something. Some activities, such as texting while driving, fall into all three categories. No matter what category a distraction falls into, they are incredibly dangerous when combined with driving an automobile.

Common Causes of Distracted Driving Accidents

Many experts believe that texting and surfing the web are the deadliest forms of distracted driving. Smartphones and tablets make these activities easy to do in a car, even while driving, but that doesn't mean that people should, and they usually know better too.

Such activities while driving severely reduce reaction time and decision making skills, and the results can be dangerous, sometimes even deadly. If you were involved in an accident where someone was distracted by technology while driving, you may have a strong personal injury case to fight for compensation, which can be very important if you are accumulating medical bills for accident-related injuries.

Forms of Distracted Driving that Often Cause Accidents Include:

Common Injuries from Distracted Driving Accidents

Depending on the type of accident you are in, and the type of vehicle involved, there are numerous injuries that may occur. Some of the most common injuries in distracted driving accidents include:

Soft Tissue Damage
Soft tissue damage includes injuries to the connective tissue in the body such as the muscles, ligaments, or tendons. Whiplash falls under this category as it is an injury sustained in the soft tissue of the neck and upper back. Car accidents can also result in lower back and mid back muscle sprains, which can develop into more serious back injuries over time.

Lacerations
In a car accident, loose objects become projectiles. Anything inside your vehicle like a GPS, book, sunglasses, cell phone, et cetera can easily strike victims and create deep lacerations that can be very serious. In some cases the cuts and scrapes are minor, but more serious lacerations require medical treatment such as stitches, and more severe ones can result in amputation.

Head Injuries
Head injuries are a common injury resulting from distracted driving accidents. The unexpected change in direction or jarring experienced during a car accident can cause the head to experience unnatural movements very suddenly, putting strain on the muscles in the neck much the same as it does in the back. Whiplash alone at high enough speeds can lead to concussions and brain damage, but when impacts with objects like steering wheels, windshields and other objects come into play, the consequences can be much more severe.

The impact of hitting your head against a steering wheel or a side window can also result in bruising to the head, deep lacerations, or severe head injuries. In some cases, the tissue and fluid in the skull can become damaged, which can result in concussions and permanent traumatic brain damage.

Broken Bones & Torn Ligaments
Ligaments and bones are at a high risk of being injured during distracted driving accidents. Hitting them on the steering wheel, or the side of the door at high speeds can be enough to fracture bones and tear ligaments.

Severe Burns & Paralysis
Distracted driving accidents can sometimes result in fires from fuel sources, which can leave victims trapped and disoriented, and leave them with severe burns.

Some even more serious collisions result in paralysis of one or more parts of the body. This is usually linked to severe spinal cord injuries, which there is usually no known cure for, and which almost always last for the rest of a victim's life.

If you or a loved one have experienced any type of injury from a distracted driving accident in Colorado, it is essential you speak with an experienced attorney immediately about getting the compensation you deserve for your trauma and suffering.

Who is at Fault in a Distracted Driving Accident?

Distracted driving by default is a type of negligence - meaning that the driver was deliberately acting in an illegal and unsafe manner, putting other drivers on the road at risk. This means that distracted drivers are always at fault - to some degree - for the distracted driving accidents they cause.

The problem then becomes proving that the driver was in fact distracted, and that distraction led to the accident. For individuals, this can be very difficult, as it takes an in-depth understanding of both state and federal laws, and access to information that may help prove negligence.

That is why working with a distracted driving attorney near you is very important to getting compensation. Our lawyers have the skill, experience, and resources to get access to phone records, security cameras, police reports, and other important information that can help prove distracted driving and negligence to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Distracted Driver Injury Claim FAQ’s

What Am I Entitled to from My Colorado Distracted Driving Accident?

If you or a loved one were the victim of a distracted driving accident, you could be entitled to compensation. This compensation ranges based on the severity of the case and other factors such as:

• Types of injuries were sustained and severity

• Damage to the vehicle and property

• Long term injuries

• Loss of time from work

• Mental trauma sustained

Filing a distracted driving accident claim is crucial to recover various economic and noneconomic losses.

If you sustained physical injuries, you could be entitled to compensation to cover your medical costs, and recurring costs associated with any long-term injuries. If your injuries prevent you from being able to return to work immediately, you can also receive compensation for lost wages.

If the injuries are severe enough that they impact your ability to return to your daily activities, subsequent compensation may be available, as well as the emotional damage sustained because of the accident and your injuries.

When you first work with a distracted driving attorney, the attorney will pursue compensation for damages by way of the insurance company. If the insurance company fails to approve the proper amount of compensation for your situation, then litigation is the next step whereby the case gets taken to court to obtain compensation through a lawsuit.

Common Types of Distracted Driving Accidents

There are a few types of distracted driving accidents that are very common in the Denver, Colorado area in particular:

T-bone accident injury cases are extremely dangerous because they typically expose either the driver or the passenger to the full impact of an oncoming vehicle in the opposite direction.

Nearly all of these accidents are a result of aggressive/negligent driving or from distracted drivers who are not paying attention to the flow of traffic.

Rear-end injury accident cases typically happen in rush hour traffic or during construction hours. Often, the culprit is distracted driving; drivers looking down at their phone or off into space in boring traffic, and accidentally rolling into the person in front of them.

However, there are also less casual, more severe rear-end accidents that happen at higher speeds because of distracted driving, which can be very dangerous or even fatal in some cases.

Head-on-collision injury cases are the most dangerous type of distracted driving accident. This typically occurs on two-lane highways, and main roads, as someone slowly drifts over the yellow line while not paying attention.

Even at slow speeds, these accidents can often be unavoidable for the victim, and can result in very serious injuries that can last a very long time.

Pedestrian accident injury cases have seen a dramatic rise in Colorado in the past decade, putting our city on the map as one of the Top 6 Most Dangerous places for pedestrian accidents in the entire country.

Fatigued commercial truck drivers and driving distracted don’t mix. Truck drivers do not have it easy…we understand that. Driving for hundreds of miles on end at strange hours of the night, for days at a time causes severe strain on the body and mind and is one of the leading causes of car accidents in the United States. Often times, this can lead to fatigued truck driving accidents on the highway, which can be very dangerous, even fatal.

Distracted driving is the number one culprit behind a lot of these avoidable accidents. A distracted driving car accident or distracted driving crash can be extremely dangerous, and often result in a high percentage of fatalities due to the lack of protection for victims.

Distracted Driving Crashes and Wrongful Death in Colorado

Occasionally and tragically, distracted driving accidents can lead to wrongful death. There is no bringing back a loved one from this tragic event, but you are entitled to compensation for your family's suffering and should begin working with an experienced distracted driving attorney near you immediately to have the best chance to get the compensation and justice you deserve.

What Should You Do if You Have Been Involved in a Distracted Driving Accident?

If you or a loved one has been involved in a distracted driving accident, we are very sorry you have had to deal with this unfortunate circumstance. We understand it is a traumatic and unpredictable hardship, and that it is very difficult to comprehend and deal with in the moment. There are a few steps you should always take in order to ensure the best chances of receiving full compensation:

1. Exchange pertinent information with people involved in the accident, and witnesses who saw it happen. This includes information such as name, contact information, and insurance with any parties involved.

2. Take pictures of the physical damage to vehicles, private property, and any injuries sustained. Having pictures of injuries and property will be very useful as evidence in a case down the line, especially when submitted to insurance agents.

3. File a report with the police and contact an attorney to represent you immediately. With an attorney on your side, you can receive more specific guidance on how to proceed forward with your case to get the best compensation. Filing a proper police report will help to investigate the distracted driving aspect of the car accident and have an authoritative record of the events that transpired which is very useful in following up for damages with an insurance company.

4. Seek medical attention immediately for any injuries and simply for a check-up. This allows you to have a documented record of visiting a doctor, who evaluated your medical condition after the accident. This is very important later when you seek damages for your injuries and compensation for medical costs. If you fail to go to the doctor after being involved in a distracted driving accident, it may prevent you from receiving full compensation.

At Anderson Hemmat, we have over 30 years of combined experience helping the victims of driving accidents in Colorado get the compensation they deserve for their injuries, damages and suffering.

The best thing that you can do after being involved in this type of accident is to speak with an attorney immediately. They will give you advice on what information to collect, what steps to take next, what amount of compensation you may be entitled to, and more.

Our experienced Colorado Distracted Driving Attorneys have the experience, resources, and skills necessary to help you get the most compensation for your accident, and help you get it quickly, so you can get back to your daily life, and not be consumed by the accident.

Useful Distracted Driving Accident Case Information

We understand that this is a traumatic experience for you and your family and provide guidance every step of the way to ensure that we fight for and receive the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering. It is crucial to file a personal injury claim to obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.

Navigating personal injury claims can be challenging, especially without legal assistance, but our experienced attorneys are here to ensure you receive fair compensation for your injuries and losses.

Useful Distracted Driving Accident Case Information

Distracted Driving Statistics

Distracted driving is a significant problem in the United States, and the statistics are alarming. According to the NHTSA, distracted driving was responsible for 3,166 deaths in 2017, which accounted for 9% of all traffic fatalities that year. In Colorado, distracted driving is a leading cause of car accidents, and it is estimated that distracted driving causes over 40,000 crashes every year.

The most common distractions for drivers include:

• Cell phone usage: 481,000 drivers are using cell phones while driving at any given time during daylight hours.

• Eating or drinking: 1 in 5 drivers admit to eating or drinking while driving.

• Using a GPS or other in-vehicle technology: 1 in 5 drivers admit to using a GPS or other in-vehicle technology while driving.

These statistics highlight the importance of staying focused on the road and avoiding distractions while driving.

Why Choose Our Firm for Your Injury Case?

At Anderson Hemmat, we are dedicated to helping victims of distracted driving accidents receive fair compensation for their injuries. Our team of experienced attorneys has a proven track record of success in handling accident cases, and we are committed to providing personalized attention to each of our clients.

We understand the complexities of distracted driving accident cases, and we have the expertise and resources to handle even the most challenging cases. Our attorneys are skilled negotiators and litigators, and we will fight to ensure you receive the maximum compensation for your injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a distracted driving accident, contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We are here to help you navigate the complex legal process and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact our expert distracted driver crash attorneys today.