Distracted Driving Accidents
Speak with a Fargo Car Accident Attorney: (888) 288-4756
Distracted driving has long been a problem on public roads and highways, but the advent of new technology is fueling what safety officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have dubbed a nationwide epidemic. In fact, distraction is believed to be one of primary driving forces behind significant increases in traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths on American roads.
Although distracted driving may be common, it should never be tolerated. This is because it is an inherently dangerous, negligent, and at times unlawful act that puts others at serious risk of suffering preventable harm. If you or someone you love were recently injured in an auto accident caused by a motorist who was distracted at the time, it is important to know that you have rights.
Our Fargo car accident lawyers at Marquard & Associates are devoted to protecting the rights of seriously injured victims and their families. Over the years, we have successfully handled hundreds of personal injury cases, including all types of auto wrecks involving distracted drivers. By leveraging more than 30 years of combined experience, our legal team fights to hold distracted motorists accountable for their negligence and liable for the injuries and damages they cause.
Wish to discuss a potential case? Call (888) 288-4756 for a free consultation.
What is Distracted Driving
Distracted driving occurs when drivers engage in any behavior or action other than safely operating their motor vehicle, and it can take many forms:
- Eating and drinking
- Adjusting music
- Cell phone use
- Reading or using navigation
- Talking to passengers
- Personal grooming
While distraction is hazardous in any form when it takes place behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, experts resoundingly agree that cell phone use and text messaging are the most dangerous. This is because using a cell phone, placing a call, or reading / composing a text commands multiple forms of a driver’s attention at once (visual, mental, and manual). This substantially increases risks of auto accidents.
Because cell phone use and text messaging is so dangerous, most states throughout the country have passed laws prohibiting such conduct. The same is true in North Dakota. Under state law, drivers of all ages are prohibited from texting behind the wheel. Cell phone use is also banned for novice drivers under the age of 18.
Distracted Driving = Negligence
There’s no other way around it – distracted driving is negligent. As motorists, we have a legal duty to operate our motor vehicles safely. Engaging in risky multi-tasking and failing to make driving the primary task when behind the wheel is a failure to uphold this duty.
Fortunately, victims injured in distracted driving wrecks have the right to pursue financial compensation for their losses by initiating personal injury cases. Families who have lost loved ones in tragic wrecks caused by distracted motorists also have a right to seek a recovery of damages through wrongful death claims.
By working to prove that a motorists was distracted at the time of a wreck and that they failed to uphold their legal duty, our attorneys fight for the compensation our clients deserve.
This compensation may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Impairment or disability
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost work income and future earnings
- Mental anguish and emotional injuries
- Loss of quality of life or loss of companionship
Our legal team knows that unpredictable wrecks can disrupt the lives of victims and their families, which is why we work zealously to illustrate the full scope of an accident’s impact on our clients – including their physical, financial, and emotional toll. In every case, our goal is to secure the maximum compensation possible.
Request Your Free Consultation Today
Because the steps you take after a preventable car wreck can impact your health and your legal right to compensation, it is essential that you take the rights ones. Our attorneys at Marquard & Associates can help you do just that when you reach out to our legal team as soon as possible after your accident.
From helping you find the medical support you need to advocating on your behalf with insurance companies that want to pay as little as possible, our legal team provides comprehensive support and representation throughout the entirety of your case. We also focus on personalized attention, and make ourselves readily available to client questions and concerns.
To learn more about your rights and what our firm can do to help, contact us for a free consultation. Because we work on contingency fees, there are no charges associated with hiring our firm, and no fee unless we make a successful recovery in your case.