Baton Rouge Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer
If you have been injured in a Baton Rouge car accident caused by a distracted driver, then call (225) 925 1110 to speak to an attorney from Murray Law.
Distracted Driving Accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), more than 3,100 people were killed in car accidents attributed to distracted driving in 2019. They also estimate that 400,000 people were injured in car accidents involving distracted drivers in 2018. More than 9% of fatal car accidents in the US in the last seven years involved a distracted driver. As a result, 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have banned texting while driving for all drivers, and 25 states have banned drivers from using hand-held phones while driving. Louisiana’s state laws prohibit the use of a cell phone to text or post to a social media site while operating a vehicle on any public road or highway.
The Dangers of Distracted Driving
A Baton Rouge car accident can be caused by a driver who is visually, manually, or mentally distracted. A visual distraction takes the driver’s eyes off the road. When a driver looks at a text, GPS directions, or anywhere other than the road, then they are visually distracted. Manual distractions occur when the driver’s hands leave the wheel, and they manipulate objects other than the steering wheel, such as when a driver is eating or applying makeup while operating their car. Mental distractions are when a driver is no longer thinking about driving and, instead, is thinking about something else. Maybe they had a stressful day at work, received some bad news, or got into an argument with a loved one. Whatever the reason for the distraction, it’s dangerous for others when a driver is not focused on the road.
When a driver is distracted in any of these ways, they are less capable of responding to road changes. Distracted driving is even more precarious during inclement weather, heavy traffic, or when driving at high speeds on a freeway. If a driver takes their eyes off the road or their hands off the wheel for even 5 seconds while traveling at 55mph, they can travel the length of an entire football field, a considerable distance full of dangers if one is not watching where they’re going.
Steps to Take After a Distracted Driving Accident
Under Louisiana law, there are steps you must take after a motor vehicle accident. First, assess yourself and the passengers in the vehicle for injuries, and then check on the other driver and people involved for injuries. Call 911 so that law enforcement and paramedics can respond.
You must exchange names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and car insurance information with the other driver involved in the accident. You should also obtain contact information for any witnesses of the car accident.
When law enforcement shows up, you will need to provide a statement. It’s important not to apologize or blame the other driver when giving your statement. Your car accident attorneys from Murray Law will conduct a thorough investigation into your case to prove liability. You should only tell the police officer what you recall seeing, hearing and feeling (such as how many impacts) before and during your accident. You should leave a lot of the talking to your personal injury lawyers when the time comes. At the scene of the accident, though, you want your interactions to be brief, especially since you may be emotional after the car accident.
Take pictures and videos before you leave. The photos you take should include details like where the car accident happened, which direction you and the driver were traveling, street signs, traffic lights, and other distinguishing features of the road.
It’s essential to get treated for your injuries and see a doctor immediately. You may overlook your injuries due to adrenaline rushing through your body as a stress response. A qualified physician will be able to tell if you have internal bleeding, concussion, or other forms of traumatic brain injury (TBI), fractures, or any other injuries.
Lastly, call the personal injury lawyers at Murray Law. We will speak to the insurance company on your behalf and negotiate the settlement that you deserve. We handle cases like yours every day and have the experience necessary to help you get what you deserve.
Compensation After a Distracted Driving Accident
Personal injury lawyers help you recover your financial losses from a car accident so that you are in the financial position you would have been in had the car accident not happened. No doubt you have spent a lot of money on your healthcare since the accident, but you’ve also lost time that you would have spent living your life on your terms rather than thinking about filing a personal injury claim. Murray Law helps you to recover economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages compensate you for financial losses related to your car accident, including but not limited to:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future lost earning capacity
- Car repairs or replacement
They also compensate you for out-of-pocket expenses related to your car accident; for example, if you needed to add a ramp to the front of your house because you could no longer get up the steps to enter your front door due to your injuries, rely on transportation, or require child care because your injuries prevent you from meeting your parental demands. You should speak to an attorney from Murray Law about how to be compensated for those expenses you would not have needed to pay had the distracted driver not injured you.
Personal injury attorneys also help you to recover damages related to your emotional distress, pain, and physical suffering, which are non-economic damages. The law recognizes that compensating someone for their medical expenses is not enough. Although no amount of money can take away your physical suffering or mental anguish, you can still be compensated for your suffering.
How can a lawyer help you?
After being in a Baton Rouge car accident, you likely have questions about who will pay for your expenses related to your injuries, what rights you have under Louisiana law, and what the process is for filing a personal injury claim. Your life got thrown upside down, but the personal injury lawyers at Murray Law are here to help.
The first way we help injured victims is to advise them of their rights under the law. You may not be aware of what types of compensation and protections you’re entitled to, but as a client of Murray Law, you will enjoy regular and open communication to know what to expect. We are here to answer any questions that come up during the personal injury claims process.
Secondly, we are expert negotiators with years of experience handling cases just like yours in Baton Rouge. The insurance companies notoriously try to trick car accident victims into saying things that could be misconstrued or twisted to make them appear to be more liable for their accident than they really are. However, the insurance companies won’t dare pull these kinds of tricks on respected attorneys. There is too much at risk for you to represent yourself. Murray Law has successfully recovered millions of dollars for motor vehicle accident victims just like you in Baton Rouge, and we are eager to help you, too.
Call (225) 925 1110 to schedule your free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys. We encourage you to bring all documents related to your accident and injuries to your initial consultation as well as questions you may have about the process. We will lend you a compassionate and caring ear as we listen to your narrative of what happened on the day of your car accident. Murray Law has helped hundreds of people just like you who were frustrated, lost, and seeking justice. Contact us now.