Distracted driving is a rapidly growing issue on the roadways and highways in the State of Florida. Driving while distracted poses a significant risk to other road users, and it causes hundreds of car accidents every single year.
There were close to 50,000 car accidents as a result of distracted driving, which caused 3,500 injuries and almost 233 deaths, according to a report by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) in the year 2016. If you suffered injuries due to a distracted driver, then you could be entitled to receive compensation in St. Petersburg.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of collective experience when it comes to helping clients who have been injured in distracted driving car accidents in St. Petersburg and all over the State of Florida. Our law firm has the necessary knowledge and resources to help you develop a strong personal injury claim and recover the compensation that you are owed.
If you are seeking the best legal advice in town, then you have come to the right place. We will provide you with all of the support and guidance that you need during this challenging time. Call our office to speak to a St. Petersburg distracted driving lawyer today. Phone lines are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Contact The Law Place to schedule a free consultation today, and a car accident lawyer will fight for the compensation that you deserve following a distracted driving accident in St. Petersburg.
Proving Negligence After a Distracted Driving Accident in St. Petersburg, FL.
A distracted driver can be held financially liable for the injuries and damage caused by their careless actions in St. Petersburg. If you were hurt in a St. Petersburg distracted driving accident, then you will need to prove that the other driver was negligent and failed to act responsibly while behind the wheel. If you wish to win a negligence claim, then you will have to prove:
- The driver owed you a duty of care.
- The driver breached their duty of care by acting carelessly.
- The driver caused you to suffer injuries by breaching their duty of care.
- You incurred damages after the accident caused by the driver.
Statistics of Distracted Driving in St. Petersburg, FL.
Almost 2,841 people died in car accidents caused by distracted driving, according to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the year 2018. A list of people include:
- 400 pedestrians.
- 77 bicyclists.
- 1,730 drivers.
- 605 passengers.
The State of Florida is considered the second most dangerous state for car accidents caused by distracted driving in the whole of America. In the year 2016, there were close to 50,000 car accidents caused by distracted driving in the State of Florida alone.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day. Forms of Distracted Driving in St. Petersburg, FL.
A distraction could be anything for a driver; checking their reflection in the mirror, using their mobile phone, looking at something behind them, or even speaking to another person in the motor vehicle. The three main categories of driving distracted include:
Visual Distraction
All drivers have a responsibility to pay attention to their surroundings and anything that could possibly cause a car accident. A visual distraction is when a driver diverts their eyes from the road, such as:
- Looking at their mobile phone or navigational system.
- Reading a map.
- Looking around for something that they dropped.
- Checking on a child or passenger in the back seat.
Manual Distraction
All drivers have a duty to keep their hands on the wheel at all times. A manual distraction is when a driver is not fully in control of their motor vehicle, such as:
- Digging through a bag or purse.
- Helping a child in the back seat.
- Texting.
- Eating or drinking.
- Applying makeup.
- Smoking.
Cognitive Distraction
All drivers must keep their focus on the task at hand (which is driving, of course). A cognitive distraction is when a driver lets their mind wander, and they put their attention on something else that is not driving, such as:
- Thinking about work or other problems.
- Thinking about how to respond to a text message.
- Daydreaming.
- Engaging in conversation with another passenger.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience Injuries Caused in Distracted Driving Accidents in St. Petersburg, FL.
The car accident lawyers at The Law Place will fight to recover the full amount of compensation for any type of injury that you might have sustained in a St. Petersburg distracted driving accident. Our law firm has helped clients who have suffered:
- Whiplash injury.
- Head and neck injury.
- Chest injury.
- Back injury.
- Spinal cord injury.
- Broken bones.
- Internal organ damage.
- Severe burns.
- Amputations and loss of limbs.
- Paralysis.
- Catastrophic injury.
- Traumatic brain injury.
- Wrongful death of a loved one.
If you are still in the process of healing from your injury, then you do not have to be concerned. Our team of St. Petersburg distracted driving lawyers will come to you, even if you cannot make it to our office.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers. Statute of Limitations for Distracted Driving Accidents in St. Petersburg, FL.
People who suffered injuries in distracted driving accidents have up to four years to file a personal injury claim according to the statute of limitations in the State of Florida.
If the distracted driving accident resulted in wrongful death, then the surviving family members will only have up to two years to file a wrongful death claim.
The statute of limitations is written in Florida Statute 95.11.
Compensation for Distracted Driving Accidents in St. Petersburg, FL.
If you were injured in a St. Petersburg distracted driving accident, then you should file a personal injury claim to cover the costs of your economic and non-economic damages. A car accident lawyer from The Law Place will help you to calculate the value of your case and win compensation for damages such as:
- Medical expenses – If you have past, present, and future medical bills such as hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, prescription medication, and more, then you can receive compensation.
- Lost wages – If you have lost wages due to being unable to work or have a reduced earning capacity since your injury, then you can receive compensation.
- Property damage – If your motor vehicle or other property was damaged in a car accident, then you can receive compensation.
- Pain and suffering – If you are experiencing forms of pain and suffering such as physical pain, mental trauma, or emotional anguish, then you can receive compensation.
- Wrongful death – If someone you love was killed in a St. Petersburg distracted driving accident, then you can receive compensation for funeral expenses, medical bills, and more by filing a wrongful death lawsuit (Florida Statute 768.21).
- Loss of consortium – If you were killed in a St. Petersburg distracted driving accident, then your spouse or surviving family members can receive compensation for funeral expenses, medical bills, and more.
The Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers in St. Petersburg, FL.
If you hire The Law Place, we will immediately get to work to prove negligence and liability for your case. We will identify the driver and determine the distraction that caused the accident in St. Petersburg. We will also:
- Our law firm will protect your legal rights to recover compensation.
- Our law firm will handle all forms of communication with the at-fault party and the insurance company involved.
- Our law firm will investigate your case, including collecting evidence and data.
- Our law firm will work with an accident reconstruction specialist to prove your case.
- Our law firm will develop a case to support your pursuit of compensation.
- Our law firm will collect evidence to show your damages and losses.
Contact The Law Place Today in St. Petersburg, FL.
If you or someone you love were injured in a distracted driving accident, then you could be entitled to recover compensation in St. Petersburg. You will need a law firm that you can trust on your side to win the compensation that you are owed.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of collective experience and knowledge in managing car accident cases for clients who live in St. Petersburg and across the State of Florida. Our law firm has a reputation for winning personal injury claims ranging from car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, slip and fall accidents, and much more.
Our team of car accident lawyers will skillfully negotiate with the at-fault party and the insurance company involved to win you the maximum amount of compensation to cover all of your losses. If you have any questions, feel free to call us now. Our phone lines are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Contact The Law Place to schedule a free consultation today, and a car accident lawyer will fight for the compensation that you deserve following a distracted driving accident in St. Petersburg.
