Car Accidents Caused by Distracted Driving & the Role of Your Accident Lawyer in Tampa Bay

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 80 percent of car accidents—plus 65 percent of near-accidents—involve distracted or inattentive driving. Whether they’re caused by drowsiness, texting, or eating, distracted driving accidents are needless tragedies that can have dire consequences including serious injuries, lifelong disabilities, and death.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident caused by distracted driving in the Tampa Bay area, you should consult with an accident lawyer in Tampa about your case. The assistance of an experienced, committed lawyer is often critical to establishing the distracted driver’s liability, which is an important factor in pursuing compensation for medical bills, lost wages, wrongful death, and other losses.

To properly litigate your case, a knowledgeable Tampa personal injury attorney will investigate the many ways an at-fault driver may have allowed distractions to cause the accident that led to your injuries. Common distractions include:

• Drowsiness
• Reaching for an object in the car
• Looking at an object outside the car
• Reading
• Applying makeup
• Dialing and/or talking on a cell phone
• Texting
• Eating, drinking, or smoking related activities
• Caring for children or pets
• Adjusting vehicle controls such as the radio, CD player, or air conditioner
• Passengers

While the above list shows that there are many distractions which may cause a car accident, distracted driving is generally defined as anything that takes the driver’s attention away from navigating the vehicle. Officially, distractions are usually defined as visual (sight-related), cognitive (mind-related), or manual (hand- or foot-related).

To establish your right to compensation, your Tampa auto accident lawyer may focus on proving that the at-fault driver in your car crash allowed a trivial distraction to take his or her attention away from the wheel, meaning the driver could be held liable for the injuries and property damage resulting from the distraction. To establish driver distraction as a factor in the accident, your Tampa personal injury attorney may need to interview witnesses, thoroughly review accident reports, hire experts for trial, hold depositions, and more. Therefore, it is advisable that you choose an accident lawyer in Tampa with the means and dedication necessary to prove that distracted driving caused your injuries.

To speak to an accident lawyer in Tampa from Clark & Martino, P.A. about a collision that caused serious injuries, please contact our office for a free initial consultation.