Hattiesburg Distracted Driving Accidents
Car Accidents in Hattiesburg Caused by Drivers Not Paying Attention to the Road
On an average day, approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured in car accidents involving distracted drivers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies distracted driving as driving while doing another activity that takes away from driving. Common activities that distract drivers are talking or texting on a cell phone, navigation use, eating, applying makeup, or fiddling with the radio. Those involved in distracted driving accidents in the Hattiesburg area are often severely injured and left with thousands of dollars in medical bills without the ability to pay them. If you or a loved one has been injured in a wreck caused by someone not paying attention, call our Hattiesburg distracted driving accident attorneys. For over 30 years, our car wreck attorneys have dedicated their lives to helping injured people recover after tragic and life-changing accidents. With over 30 attorneys and the help of more than 120 support staff members, we have successfully recovered over $1.5 billion in compensation for innocent car accident victims.
The Epidemic of Distracted Driving
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), driving a vehicle while distracted is 6 times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. Distractions are everywhere; there is no doubt about it. In today’s society, it is almost commonplace for someone to use their cell phone while driving. Startling statistics estimate that 660,000 people across the country use some type of electronic device while driving every day, with many choosing to text while driving. There are three main types of distractions that are found to be linked to auto accidents:
- Visual – taking your eyes off the road
- Manual – taking your hands off the wheel
- Cognitive – taking your mind off driving
Any of these distractions can endanger those around them, and most of the time, all three of these distractions are occurring all at once. For example, let’s say someone is texting while driving through the University of Southern Mississippi’s campus, near Reed Green Coliseum. Visually, his or her eyes will be on the phone and not the road. Manually, the phone will most likely be in hand of the driver keeping it off the wheel. And lastly, sending or reading a text message will make that person concentrate on the message and not the road and nearby drivers or pedestrians.
Recovering After a Car Wreck in Hattiesburg
In order to recover compensation after a distracted driving accident, you will need to prove that the other driver acted in a negligent manner. To do this, you will need to prove that the distracted driver owed you a duty to drive safely, breached that duty, the breach caused the accident to occur, and that you suffered injuries and actual damages as a result.
To illustrate, let’s say that as you were passing the Forrest County Circuit Court Clerk’s office on Main Street, a car swerved into your lane and collided with you. As a result, you had to seek immediate treatment at Forrest General Hospital. Information gathered after the accident revealed that the other driver was typing a destination into his vehicle’s GPS system and accidentally swerved into you. Here, the at-fault party owed you a duty to drive safely but breached that duty by looking off of the road and swerving over into your lane. Both of these actions caused the accident to happen, and you suffered injuries as a result. By establishing these elements, you could be entitled to compensation for your bodily injuries and property damage.
Awarded compensation after an auto accident in Mississippi is generally composed of economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are your medical bills and lost wages. Non-economic damages are the intangible losses you have sustained. These include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, mental anguish, and loss of consortium. Our car accident lawyers can help Hattiesburg residents by documenting their losses and pursuing all classes of compensation to which they may be legally entitled.
Retain a Distracted Driving Accident Attorney for Legal Representation
Experts say it takes an average of 3 seconds after a driver’s mind is taken off the road for an accident to take place. Although everyone is well aware of the dangers of distracted driving, tragic accidents still occur every day as a result. At Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz, our Hattiesburg distracted driving accident lawyers are ready to speak with you today to discuss all of your legal options with you. We fight for injured victim all across Mississippi as well as Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky, including cities such as Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Biloxi, Picayune, McComb, and Brookhaven. Contact our office by calling 800-529-4004 or by completing our online form to set up a free consultation with one of our motor vehicle wreck lawyers. Once you get to know us, you will realize that NST is the way to go.