Cellphone Accident Lawyer Santa Clarita

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Distracted driving can lead to serious motor vehicle accidents and injure or kill people. Despite the risks to others, many people in California continue to use their phones while driving. If you have suffered serious injuries or your loved one was killed in a distracted driving accident caused by someone else, you may have legal rights to compensation. A cellphone accident lawyer Santa Clarita at the Valley Accident Lawyers might help you to recover damages to pay for all of your losses.

Distracted Driving Statistics 

One of the most common types of distractions for drivers is their smartphones. Many people check and send text messages while they are driving or use handheld devices to carry on conversations while they are behind the wheel. According to research from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, people who look down at their cell phones while driving at 55 miles per hour travel the length of a football field while their eyes are off of the road. When you drive without having your eyes on the road, accidents can occur.

The California Office of Traffic Safety reports that 59.6% of Californians who were surveyed in 2015 reported that they had been in collisions or near-collisions with drivers who were distracted by their cell phones. Distracted driving causes more than a million car accidents in the U.S. every year.

California’s laws about cell phone use while driving

In California, it is unlawful for motorists to use hand-held cell phones while they drive. For motorists who are under the age of 18, they are also prohibited from using hands-free phones while they drive. All drivers are prohibited from texting, emailing, and other similar uses of their cell phones while they drive.

However, drivers are allowed to use handheld phones to make emergency calls to report crimes, medical problems, or fires. Emergency vehicle operators are also allowed to use hand-held phones. While these laws help to improve the safety of the roads, the penalties for violating them are minimal. A first violation of the cell phone or texting ban is a fine of $20. Subsequent violations carry penalties of $50, and no points are placed on the driver’s record.

Dangers of talking or texting while driving

When you use your cell phone while you are driving, your risk of being in a collision increase by four times. Despite the dangers, many motorists in California continue to use their phones while they are driving. You should avoid distractions while you are driving at all times.

What to do if you are injured in a distracted driving accident

If you are injured in an accident with a distracted driver, you should check yourself and others to determine if anyone has been injured. You should then call the police to report the accident and remain at the scene until they arrive. Take photographs of the damage to both vehicles if you can. After the officers arrive and complete their investigation, ask them how you can obtain a copy of the accident report.

Collect information from the other driver, including his or her name, address, phone number, license plate number, insurance information, and driver’s license number. If the driver is hostile, wait for the police and ask them to get the information that you need. You should also get the names and contact information for any witnesses who saw what happened in the moments leading up to the accident.

Finally, you should seek medical attention. Do not wait to see your doctor. Some injuries may not show symptoms for several hours or days after an accident. Getting medical attention quickly after an accident can help to identify all of your injuries so that they can be properly treated. It also helps to show a causal link between your accident and injuries, which can help to strengthen your injury claim.

Damages in a distracted driving accident

If you are injured in an accident with a distracted driver, you may be entitled to recover damages. Damages are monetary awards that are meant to compensate you for your economic and noneconomic losses. Some of the types of recoverable damages include the following:

• Past and future expected medical expenses
• Past income losses
• A reduction in your ability to earn an income in the future
• Property losses
• Pain and suffering
• Disfigurement
• Emotional trauma

Contact a cellphone accident lawyer Santa Clarita

Being injured in an accident with a distracted driver can be overwhelming. You may be facing substantial losses and serious injuries simultaneously. Contact one of our experienced distracted driving attorneys at the Valley Accident Lawyers by calling us at 818.565.6600 to request a free case evaluation.

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