An Auto Accident Lawyer Longwood, FL Trusts Discusses Texting and Driving Dangers

If you have been in an automobile accident, you need the help of a Longwood, Florida auto accident lawyer. Many people today can’t imagine what life would be like without their cell phone. These devices have become an integral part of our lives and it is rare for people not to have one in their hand almost constantly. Tragically, this obsession with our phones has led to far too many distracted driving crashes because of drivers thinking that it will be okay to read or send just that one text. Car accidents can happen unpredictably, in a fraction of a second. All a driver has to do is speed just a little too fast, swerve a bit too abruptly, or violate other rules of the road for a serious wreck to happen. Unfortunately, this means an innocent person may suffer due to the other driver’s recklessness. If this is true for you or a loved one, we encourage you to meet with an attorney at David & Philpot, P.L. for counsel. What many people may not realize is that they can seek compensation from the at-fault driver for any losses and damages that were accrued due to the accident.

At David & Philpot, P.L., we have handled countless car accident injury cases where the at-fault driver was texting at the time of the crash. If you have been hurt in a distracted driving crash, contact a Longwood, FL auto accident lawyer for assistance. Before contacting an attorney, there are a couple of things that the victim of a car wreck must do:

Get Medical Attention Right Away

Those who were in a car accident, must get medical attention with a sense of urgency. For very serious injuries, call an ambulance for prompt care at the scene. In less intense accidents, the victim can schedule an appointment with their doctor that same day or go to the urgent care room. It is possible that injuries were sustained that require medical care, but symptoms are not felt until hours later.

The human body may release properties like adrenaline when we are part of a traumatic event. Adrenaline may also cause our injuries to remain hidden until we have calmed down from the shock. By getting medical care early on, it can help prevent an injury from getting worse or turning into a life-threatening situation.

Talk with Your Insurance Company

It is important that you report the accident to your insurance company soon after the accident. Provide your insurer with all the details you were able to gather, including the driver’s information and relevant evidence. Photographs of the scene are a crucial component of your car accident claim, as these may be used to prove how the other driver was at-fault. After filing the claim, you may receive a call from an insurance adjuster hoping to offer you a settlement.

We recommend talking with one of our attorneys about this offer before you accept. The adjuster may be hoping that you do not realize how much your claim is truly worth, and that you will accept an amount much lower than you deserve.

Prepare to File a Civil Lawsuit

You may be eligible to receive a substantial monetary award through taking legal action against the driver responsible. With some guidance from a Longwood, FL auto accident lawyer, we can get you started preparing for a civil lawsuit. Examples of damages and losses you may be able to recover through this lawsuit can be things like medical bills, loss of wages, and vehicle repairs.

Why It’s Dangerous

Even the most diligent of drivers often admit to texting or at least reading text messages as they are driving. They don’t realize that taking their eyes off the road for even just seconds can result in serious injury or death. Studies show that there are three different types of distraction that occurs when a driver engages in texting:

•     Visual distraction: The driver has his or her eyes off the road.
•     Manual distraction: The driver has at least one hand off the steering wheel.
•     Cognitive distraction: The driver has his or her attention and focus off the   
       road.

One of these distractions can be dangerous enough, but when you combine all three of these factors – which are critical while driving – the driver often misses many of the things going on around them that they should be aware of. This leads to drivers not being able to react in time when a situation arises, such as traffic suddenly coming to a stop. A driver too busy looking at their phone, instead of the road in front of them, who fails to stop could cause a fatal crash.

In fact, government statistics show that almost 10 people are killed each day in this country because of a distracted driver. Another 1,000 are injured. This means that distracted driving kills at least 3,000 victims each year because a driver couldn’t put their phone down. A Longwood, Florida auto accident lawyer understands the losses these victims suffer and can help them obtain the financial compensation they deserve.

What Are Four Other Forms of Distracted Driving? 

While texting and driving is a very common form of distracted driving, other distracted driving exists that may require help from an auto accident lawyer Longwood, FL to obtain compensation. Other forms of distracted driving may include: 

• Eating or drinking: Anything that takes a driver’s hand off the wheel can be very dangerous. While many fast food restaurants have a drive-through service, it’s better to pull into a parking lot to have your meal. 

• Listening to loud music: It’s perfectly common for drivers to listen to their favorite music playlist or listen to an audiobook while driving. However, listening to the radio at high volumes can quickly become a distraction. Likewise, if a driver has passengers that like to sing, a mini karaoke session might occur. This can take attention off the road and drown out the sound of other cars honking, trying to alert the driver of potential harm. 

• Not driving in the right mental condition: Maybe a driver had one too many drinks at the bar, just had a fight with their spouse, or find themselves driving off of only a couple of hours of sleep. Whatever the reasons might be, you should always drive when you’re in the right mental condition. 

• Using dangerous alternatives to texting and driving: Alternatives exist that can replace texting and driving. For example, instead of texting a friend, you may decide to call them through your phone or your vehicle’s wireless phone system. Additionally, it’s possible to send a text using your voice. While these methods may seem safer than texting and driving, they can still be dangerous. 

Four Ways You Can Avoid Texting While Driving 

The truth is that most drivers are already aware that texting and driving is dangerous. However, sometimes the temptation is too much. To avoid needing to call an auto accident lawyer in Longwood, FL, these four tips can help: 

• Put your phone on silent and out of sight: Start by putting your phone either on silent or on vibrant and put it somewhere like your backseat, inside your glove box or trunk. 

• Pull off to the side of the road: Often, we may only use our phone to scroll through social media, look up a random fact, or send a funny GIF to our friend. However, sometimes you do need to send an important text or make a phone call. If this is the case, pull off to the side of the road or into a parking lot to do so. 

• As a passenger, be sure to speak up: If a driver is texting and driving then you can choose to say something as a passenger. You can calmly explain that texting and driving isn’t a good idea. Alternatively, you may even send a text message to them if they’re comfortable with the idea. 

• If you’re a parent, explain the dangers: Teenagers often send more text messages than their parents. That’s why as a parent you should explain the dangers of texting and driving or making a phone call while driving.

If an issue occurs, you can contact David & Philpot, P.L., to see how an auto accident lawyer in Longwood, FL, can help.

Are Handsfree Devices Safe to Use? 

Many cars have built-in hands-free devices that allow you to talk through your car’s speakers through technology such as Bluetooth. It’s not too difficult to add this feature to any vehicle. However, while hands-free devices may seem completely safe at first glance, many risks still exist. Many studies even show that this technology adds another distraction compatible with normally talking on a mobile device. While many countries allow hands-free devices while banning texting and driving or speaking on the phone, countries like Australia have banned the technology outright. It’s better to avoid any distractions when driving, no matter how minor they may seem. 

What If I’m Extremely Careful With How I Do It? 

Finding ways to justify an action, like texting and driving, can be easy for some drivers. For example, some drivers may rationalize their actions by saying things like, “I only do it when I need to send an important text.”, “I never do it at night or in an area with lots of traffic.”, or “You only hear about the crashes when the vast majority of people do it and have no issues.” Ultimately, it boils down to whether or not the decision to text and drive or similar actions are worth the risk. We’re so used to being glued to our phones 24/7 that it’s easy to forget a world exists outside of them. 

Is the Person Who Was Texting and Driving Always at Fault? 

In Florida, the law allows a jury or judge to assign fault to different parties involved in the incident. This means that one party can be found to be 60% at fault while the other party might be 40% at fault. With this in mind, it’s important to note that many factors can lead to a car crash. If you were texting and driving, you will likely share a large percentage of this fault. However, being distracted on the road still wouldn’t remove the fact that the other driver was drunk, speeding, or breaking other traffic laws. 

Should I Ever Admit Fault? 

It’s within our nature to apologize whenever we make a mistake. The simple act of bumping into a stranger will make us apologize. However, in the case of a car crash, it’s better to never admit fault to the other driver, especially not to law enforcement. This doesn’t mean you should lie; rather, you shouldn’t admit to any wrongdoing until you’ve had a chance to speak with your attorney. The small act of apologizing can be an indication of fault, even if the incident was mainly the other driver’s fault. 

Do I Absolutely Need a Lawyer? 

Whether or not you should contact an attorney depends upon a few factors. If you were engaging in an activity like texting and driving, you’ll definitely want legal representation. However, if the incident happened due to the other person’s negligence, consider factors like: 

• The total amount of damage
• How long it’ll take to resolve the case
• If your insurance company is offering a fair settlement

Contact Our Firm Today

Call David & Philpot, P.L. to find out how a Longwood, FL auto accident lawyer from our firm can help you get the financial compensation you deserve. We will sit down with you and provide a free and confidential case evaluation to determine what compensation you may be entitled to.

Depending on the extent of your injuries, our legal team may be able to get you compensation for:

• Past and future medical expenses, including hospitalization, surgery, doctor’s visits, physical therapy, medications, medical equipment, and travel for medical treatment.
• Past and future lost wages and benefits.
• Loss of future income if the injuries have left you with long-term or permanent disabilities, as well as vocational counseling and training for a new occupation.
• Pain and suffering.
• Mental anguish.
• Loss of life enjoyment.
• Scarring.
• Disfigurement.

What Should You Do If You’re Dizzy After a Car Accident?

After a car accident, adrenaline is pumping through your body. You can feel many different emotions and may not even realize you were injured from the shock and stress. Some injuries don’t show up right away. When your body doesn’t feel right, you should seek medical treatment. Dizziness can often seem as if it’s just from the stress, but it could also be a symptom of a more serious injury to your neck or head. The Longwood, Florida auto accident lawyer recommends seeking treatment as soon as possible.

Concussion and Whiplash Symptoms

A concussion is a brain injury caused by a blow to the head or a violent shaking of the head or body. When your head quickly moves back and forth, it can damage the brain. Sometimes, it can take hours before any symptoms occur. Whiplash is an injury to the neck or spine, when the head and neck are quickly jerked backwards and forwards, much like occurs when a read-end collision happens.

Symptoms of concussion and whiplash are similar and include:

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Stiff neck or pain in the neck
• Low back pain
• Vertigo, the room feels like it’s spinning or moving when you’re sitting still
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering
• Light-headedness

After an accident, if you experience any of those symptoms, you should seek medical treatment immediately. You have to consider your health first. Early treatment for concussion and whiplash often leads to better health, because when left untreated, these conditions can quickly deteriorate.

If you wait too long to get treatment, not only are you putting your health at risk, you could be risking your personal injury claim. The other insurance company may try to say that your injuries weren’t from the accident. They aren’t responsible for your medical bills and property damage.

Do You Need an Attorney?

Navigating the claims process after an accident can be daunting. Dealing with insurance companies who don’t want to pay can make you feel frustrated, especially when you need to heal from your injuries. You can learn your rights and responsibilities in bringing a claim against the other driver’s insurance company.

A Longwood auto accident lawyer can help you through the legal process after a car accident. If the other driver was at-fault, his or her insurance company should compensate you for your medical bills, lost wages and property damage. Getting this compensation often isn’t easy. Discuss your case with an attorney to determine the next best step for your situation.

Please contact our law office if you are interested in finding out more about how you can overcome the car accident. An attorney at David & Philpot, P.L. can meet with you at your earliest convenience. You do not have to accept what has happened to you, let us fight for your behalf.

To find out how an auto accident lawyer Longwood, FL clients recommend can help with your situation, contact David & Philpot, P.L. today for a free consultation.