Distracted drivers have a significantly increased risk of causing a devastating car accident, whether they look away from the road for too long or fail to react in time to a dangerous situation in front of them. Despite California laws against distracted driving, many drivers still choose to engage in multitasking while behind the wheel.
When you or a loved one sustains harm in a distracted driving car accident in Modesto, reach out to Valero Law Group to help you understand your legal options for pursuing compensation. Our team is here to help.
Common Distractions Behind the Wheel
Distractions are separated into three categories: visual, manual, and cognitive. Distracted driving wrecks in Modesto often occur because of texting and driving. Texting behind the wheel is especially dangerous because it involves all three types of distraction: taking the driver’s eyes, hands, and attention away from the road. However, many drivers also engage in other forms of distraction, often without realizing the potential dangers. These acts often include:
- Changing stations on the radio or settings on the climate controls
- Eating or drinking, especially messy foods or drinks
- Grooming tasks, including putting on makeup or brushing hair
- Dealing with a child or pet in the vehicle
- Using a GPS while driving
- Smartwatches
- Conversations with passengers
- Reaching for an item in the vehicle, including an item dropped by a child
- Daydreaming
- “Rubbernecking” or staring at an accident on the side of the road
Contact our team to learn more about proving a driver was distracted at the time of a crash.
The Dangers of Distracted Driving
Distracted driving has a number of potential risks. Distracted drivers have slowed response times, which means they may not have adequate time to respond to a potential threat on the road. They may also drift out of their assigned lane of traffic. Across California, an estimated 140 people die each year in distracted driving accidents, and hundreds more suffer severe injuries. Common distracted driving injuries include:
- Cuts and lacerations
- Soft tissue injuries like whiplash
- Broken bones
- Head and brain injuries
- Back and neck injuries, including spinal cord damage
- Internal organ trauma
- Amputations
- Paralysis
Following a distracted driving car wreck in Modesto, victims may have a long road to recovery, including substantial time in the hospital and multiple medical procedures. Working with our team on a civil claim for compensation can help offset these costs.
Seeking Compensation After a Distracted Driving Accident
After a distracted driving car accident, victims in Modesto have the right to pursue compensation through a personal injury claim against the distracted driver’s auto insurance. Injured motorists must file that claim before the statute of limitations runs out, two years after the date of the accident.
Car accident claims typically include compensation for the motorist’s medical bills, lost wages, property damage, emotional trauma, and pain and suffering. If the victim carries MedPay insurance, they will use that to cover the initial cost of medical treatment but can file a claim through the distracted driver’s auto insurance for damages in excess of that coverage. Speaking directly with a trusted auto accident attorney is the best way to determine the potential value of a claim.
Contact a Modesto Attorney After a Distracted Driving Car Accident
If you sustained injuries in a distracted driving car accident in Modesto, do not try to handle negotiation with the insurance company alone. Ultimately, that could mean that you do not get the full compensation you deserve. Instead, contact the team at Valero Law Group for a free consultation that will help you understand your rights.
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