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The problem of distracted driving is a massive one that, each year, takes a major toll on people traveling the country’s roads and highways. Although the number of people killed in distracted-driving deaths dropped from 2015 to 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded more than 3,400 such deaths in 2016. A major cause for distracted-driving wrecks is cell phone usage. If you have been hurt due a driver who was distracted by his/her cell phone, the law may allow you to recover substantial damages. Be sure you have an experienced New Orleans injury attorney on your side to help you get the compensation to which you are entitled.
Back in June, yet another fatal vehicle accident allegedly caused by distracted driving occurred in Louisiana. Police arrested a Terrebonne Parish man in connection with a fatal head-on accident on Highway 659 in Terrebonne, according to nola.com. At around 2:00 A.M., B.M. and R.N. were traveling in opposite directions on the highway when B.M.’s full-size pickup truck crossed the center line and slammed head-on into R.N.’s sedan. The accident caused minor injuries to B.M., moderate injuries to R.N.’s passenger and fatal injuries to R.N.
B.M. was arrested after law enforcement searched his cell phone. The search held “evidence of distraction,” according to the report. The report did not indicate if the proof showed B.M. to be texting while driving or using some other app or feature on the phone when the fatal crash took place.
Unfortunately, injury-causing – or even fatal – accidents that are the result of distracted drivers occur far too frequently in Louisiana. Statistics have shown that an extreme number of fatal vehicle crashes are the result of distracted drivers. LSU and the Transportation Consortium of South Central States analyzed the state’s 700+ vehicle fatalities from 2016 and found that distracted drivers “were involved in more than 50 percent of crashes with injuries,” according to the Shreveport Times.
Not too long ago, when the phrase “distracted driving” got mentioned, you might solely think “texting while driving.” As the Times correctly points out, though, the problem of drivers distracted by their cell phones goes far beyond texting today. “Smart” phone users can – and do – use social media and other apps. As the Times report noted, one of the most popular apps that drivers use while behind the wheel is YouTube.
If you have been hit and injured by a driver whom you suspect was distracted, it is important to take the correct action and to do so in a timely manner. There are ways to discover if the driver who struck you was using his/her phone at the time of the accident, and this evidence can, if obtained and presented in court, be a key part of your presentation to the judge or jury with regard to determining fault. To get the proof you need, it may be necessary to subpoena the other driver’s phone records. All this requires knowledge of the proper procedures to make sure you get the information you need.
If you’ve been hurt in an accident where you suspect the driver was using his/her cell phone, contact the Cardone Law Firm, where our experienced Louisiana injury lawyers have spent many years providing our clients with the useful advice and skillful advocacy they need to obtain the compensation they deserve.
For your confidential consultation contact us online or phone Cardone at 504-522-3333.
More Blog Posts:
Eight Solid Defensive Driving Tips That Will Keep You Safe, Louisiana Injury Lawyers Blog, March 15, 2018
Protecting Your Loved Ones: Teen Driver Safety Tips, Louisiana Injury Lawyers Blog, Jan. 5, 2018