Seattle Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys
Distracted driving is a major cause of Washington car accidents. With the ever-growing popularity of cell phone use and texting, distracted driving is only becoming more prevalent. Washington officials are doing their part by enforcing cell phone use laws but that is not enough to deter all distracted drivers. If a distracted driver has injured you or a loved one in a Washington car accident, do not hesitate to seek the help and counsel of an experienced Seattle personal injury lawyer.
The Three Types of Distracted Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) breaks down distracted driving into three parts:
- Visual: This is when a driver takes his or her eyes off the roadway
- Cognitive: This is when a driver loses focus
- Manual: This is when a driver takes his or her hands off the wheel.
Cell Phone Use
One of the most common forms of distracted driving is cell phone use. A 2007 study by the NHTSA found that 6 percent of all drivers on a roadway talk on a hand-held cell phone. Talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving is illegal in Washington. RCW 46.61.667 states: "A person operating a moving motor vehicle while holding a wireless communications device to his or her ear is guilty of a traffic infraction." Drivers in Washington are permitted to use a hand-held cell phone only during emergencies.
Other Forms of Distracted Driving
Other acts of distracted driving in Seattle which have been known to cause car accidents include:
- Reaching for a moving object while driving
- Eating while driving
- Reading
- Checking a GPS
- Changing the radio
- Fiddling with temperature controls
- Putting on makeup
- Talking to passengers
Determining Liability for a Washington Car Accident
To pursue compensation for an injury accident, the victim of the crash may have to prove that the other driver's negligence caused the crash. Proving that the at-fault motorist was distracted is not always easy. Drivers afraid of being cited by the authorities for causing a crash may deny that they were distracted. In such cases, an experienced personal injury attorney may be needed to prove the cause of the crash.
Washington Personal Injury Claims
A Washington personal injury claim is a civil lawsuit that allows an injured victim to pursue financial compensation from the at-fault driver. Distracted drivers, for example, may be held liable for damages such as medical bills, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering and emotional distress. It is common for someone who pursued damages without the help of a skilled attorney to either settle for much less or to have the claim denied. A skilled personal injury attorney will give an injured victim his or her best chance at getting the maximum compensation available.
Distracted drivers put everyone on the roadway at risk. The Seattle distracted driver accident attorneys at Hardwick & Pendergast make sure that the injured victims of these negligent drivers are able to get financial compensation for their losses. We provide no cost consultations and comprehensive case evaluations to injured victims and their families.
