Texting While Driving Car Accidents in Columbia
It’s an act that hundreds of thousands of people do every day throughout Columbia: simply getting in a car and driving from one location to another. However, that simple act can become incredibly dangerous when texting while driving is involved. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 9 people die every day due to distracted driving.
Texting while driving is a common form of distracted driving. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a texting while driving accident in Columbia, it is important to seek advice from a lawyer who can help you to file a personal injury claim. Reach out to a skilled car crash attorney today to learn more.
Laws Against Texting and Driving
The dangers of texting while driving is well-documented by government organizations like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the NHTSA, texting while driving is six times more dangerous than driving drunk. It also estimates that 660,000 drivers are texting or using their phones while behind the wheel in the United States at any given moment. In addition, data gathered by the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety indicates that cell phone-related accidents in Missouri have increased by 31% since 2014.
Despite the dangers, Missouri law currently only prohibits distracted driving for drivers 21 years old and younger. This means that texting while driving is still a legal activity for motorists over 21. However, if texting results in an accident and someone is killed or injured due to another driver’s negligence, texting while driving can be considered a form of recklessness and negligence. As a result, you may be entitled to personal injury compensation.
Proving Negligence in Texting While Driving Cases
If you’ve been a victim of a texting while driving collision, you may be entitled to compensation. However, it can often be difficult to prove texting was the cause of an accident in Columbia. Police reports can be helpful, but law enforcement does not always catch texting drivers in the act. One of the best ways to show that texting was involved in an auto accident is by obtaining cell phone records from the texting driver’s cellular provider. This evidence can be extremely helpful in showing texting while driving was the cause of an accident. This is where a personal injury lawyer who specializes in cases like this can be of tremendous value.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
Typically, texting-while-driving car accident cases are pursued under the legal theory of negligence. In order to win a personal injury claim, you must be able to prove that the other driver owed you a duty to exercise reasonable care, failed in this duty by texting while driving, and caused an accident which resulted in your physical and/or emotional injuries.
A skilled attorney in Columbia can help you to gather the evidence needed to prove cell phone use caused a car crash and that the texting driver failed to exercise reasonable care, resulting in a personal injury. A legal representative can interview witnesses, gather cell phone records, and review police reports to build a solid case. The fact is accidents involving distracted driving can result in serious injuries, as well as costly medical bills and other expenses. It is important to have an experienced texting-while-driving lawyer who will work to get you compensated for your medical expenses, lost income, pain, and suffering, and more.
Contact a Columbia Attorney to Discuss Texting While Driving Car Accidents
The personal injury lawyers of the Law Office of Chris Miller are experienced in texting while driving car accidents in Columbia. We understand how devastating motor vehicle accidents can be and we know what steps need to be taken to ensure that those who have been injured due to the negligence of others receive the justice they deserve.
Our firm is dedicated to helping you receive the full amount of compensation you are entitled to. Contact us today for a free consultation.