Studies show that an alarming number of drivers are distracted behind the wheel. Distracted driving can take many forms. Cell phone calls, texting, GPS navigation, fast food, other passengers and many more.
When another driver causes a car accident, it’s not always clear whether that person was distracted. They might tell you that they were not looking at their phone, but that’s not always the case. Your attorney may need to investigate matters to determine whether distracted driving was to blame.
At Malzahn Law, Ltd., we thoroughly investigate the circumstances leading up to the car accident lawsuits we handle. We obtain phone records, question the driver and interview witnesses. In doing so, we often discover that the driver was not paying attention to the road, and thus was at fault for your accident and injuries.
Lawsuits involving distracted drivers can be complex. Often, evidence and witness testimony play big parts in the outcome of the case.
The laws that hold distracted drivers accountable for the damage they cause are changing. For example, it is now illegal to text and drive in Minnesota. If phone records show that the driver was texting at the time of the accident, he or she may be held strictly liable for the damage. (Don’t know what that means? Don’t worry—we do. And we’ll put that knowledge to work for you.)
Minnesota courts have yet to require distracted drivers to pay special additional compensation to the people they hurt, called punitive damages. We are pushing to change this in the future and hope judges and courts will join the cause with us.
Know this: At all times, our focus is on holding distracted drivers accountable to the utmost of the law.
It’s no secret that teens are the leading age group when it comes to causing distracted driving accidents, including fatal distracted driving crashes. Teens are also the most at risk to be involved in fatal car accidents. As parents, we encourage you to have your teens sign a safe driving contract.
After 30+ years, we have seen the unfortunate and lasting results of serious injuries. Many times accidents involved new and inexperienced teenage drivers. As a means to help the families of new or teenage drivers, we are offering the free “parent/teenager driving contract,” with the idea that this contract may be of some benefit or help for families of new drivers. Just click on the following link to download the contract and fill in the blanks where appropriate.
If you have been hurt in a distracted driving accident, or if you think your car crash involved a distracted driver, talking with a lawyer is a good idea.
At Malzahn Law, we offer free consultations. That means you can have your case evaluated by a top personal injury lawyer in Minnesota without worrying about the cost of quality representation. Call us at 763-421-2160 or email us to get started.
