Can You Sue a Distracted Driver?
Distracted drivers are becoming more and more common on our roadways, and they are exceptionally dangerous drivers. Everyone who gets behind the wheel of a car is responsible for driving safely. A fundamental part of this process includes paying careful attention to the road and the traffic ahead. Distracted drivers are incapable of accomplishing this task. If a distracted driver leaves you injured, yes, you can sue them, and an experienced South Carolina car accident attorney can help you get the job done effectively and efficiently.
A Word About Distracted Drivers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shares that, in the last decade, distracted driving has taken U.S. roadways by storm. That’s a serious statement that they back up with the following grim statistics:
- In 2018, 2,841 people lost their lives to distracted drivers.
- From 2012 to 2018, approximately 23,000 people died in distracted driving accidents.
- In the last seven years, 9 percent of all fatal accidents involved distracted drivers.
Further, NHTSA reports that texting is the worst distraction of a bad lot. In fact, when a motorist reads or writes a text behind the wheel, it takes them an average of 5 seconds, which means 5 seconds with no eyes on the road. At highway speeds, this calculates to driving blind for about the length of a football field, and nobody wants that.
Your Accident
While distracted drivers can cause any sort of serious accident, some are more closely associated than others.
Rear-End Accidents
Motorists who are distracted behind the wheel don’t pay adequate attention to the road ahead, which means they are far more likely to drive directly into the back of forward vehicles. Rear-end accidents are often thought of as nothing more than fender benders, but this is far from the truth. Rear-end accidents are both very common and very dangerous, even at relatively slow speeds.
T-Bone Accidents
T-bone accidents refer to those accidents in which one car barrels into the side of another vehicle (usually a vehicle that’s crossing its path). T-bone accidents are most common in intersections, considered to be the most dangerous areas on our roads because they are the spots where traffic converges. Motorists who allow themselves to drive through intersections while distracted do everyone on the road a serious disservice. T-bone accidents are very dangerous accidents that are often the impetus behind multi-car accidents.
Head-On Accidents
It’s difficult to imagine an accident more dangerous or more terrifying than a head-on accident, and distracted drivers are often the cause. Distracted drivers are far more likely to lose sight of where they’re headed, and when they end up drifting into the wrong lane, life-threatening head-on accidents can be the result.
Your Case
If a distracted driver leaves you injured, your dedicated car accident attorney will help you forge a solid case in defense of your rights and in pursuit of compensation that covers your complete range of damages.
Your Medical Expenses
If you’ve been injured by a distracted driver, you’re going to be facing medical bills that are likely to add up very quickly. Such costs can include the following:
- Emergency costs (both transportation and treatment)
- Surgery and follow-up care
- Hospitalization
- Treatment from doctors and specialists
- Prescription medications
- Adaptive physical devices
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Home healthcare
It’s important to note that even relatively minor injuries can develop into more serious health concerns over time, and secondary health problems are always a possibility. Very serious injuries tend to require ongoing healthcare, monitoring, and medical treatment. Ensuring that your car accident case captures the big picture when it comes to medical expenses is essential to your ability to reach your best possible recovery.
Your Lost Earnings
If a distracted driver leaves you injured, it’s very likely that you’ll need to miss some work, and this means that you’re also very likely to experience lost earnings. If your injury impedes your ability to do your job, you could be looking at decreased earnings into your future. And if your injury alters the career path you’ve cut out for yourself, it can be as damaging emotionally as it is financially.
Your Pain and Suffering
Although there is no price that can be easily attached to the pain and suffering that is common to car accidents, it’s important not to lose sight of these often-debilitating damages. Physical and emotional damages are very real and shouldn’t be discounted in your car accident claim.
Your Injuries
Distracted drivers cause serious accidents that lead to serious injuries, including all of the following:
- Broken bones, which are painful injuries that are also slow to heal and that can lead to serious ongoing health concerns
- Traumatic brain injuries, which are extremely dangerous and unpredictable because they involve the brain
- Spinal cord injuries, which can lead to lifelong pain and decreased range of motion
- Burns and cuts that are painful, slow to heal, closely associated with serious infections, and permanently disfiguring when on or near the face
A serious injury can lead to a lifetime of health concerns, and addressing the negative consequences accurately in your car accident case is important for your ongoing health and well-being.
Discuss Your Case with an Experienced South Carolina Car Accident Attorney Today
Distracted drivers are some of the most dangerous drivers on our roadways. If you’ve been injured by such a driver, the accomplished South Carolina car accident attorneys at McCravy Law are committed to aggressively advocating on behalf of your rights and in pursuit of the compensation you need to address your damages in their entirety. We have more than 25 years of experience successfully guiding claims like yours toward optimal outcomes, and we’d be proud to help you, too. For more detailed information about how we can help you specifically, please don’t wait to call us at 864-388-9100 or contact us online today.
