From the moment you start the engine of your personal vehicle to the moment you turn it off at your destination, you — along with every other licensed driver on public Arizona roads — have a legal responsibility to keep your attention fully on driving. As you may have learned the hard way, however, plenty of drivers out there let themselves get distracted by their phones, other people in the car, or any number of other things while in motion, sometimes even while traveling at highway speeds.
If someone acting irresponsibly in this way has caused you to sustain a serious injury, you very likely have grounds to take legal action against them and demand civil restitution for the harm they have caused you. Getting favorable case results after distracted driving car accidents in Peoria can be more difficult in practice than you might expect, though, so you should strongly consider seeking help with your unique claim from the dependable auto accident lawyers at Phillips Law Group.
Common Ways Drivers Get Distracted Behind the Wheel
Texting while driving is the most common form of distracted driving in Arizona and throughout the United States, and Arizona state legislators have gone further than those in some other states by banning not just texting, but using a handheld mobile device for any reason while operating a motor vehicle. However, there are plenty of other ways in which distracted drivers may cause traffic accidents in Peoria which do not have specific state statutes prohibiting them, including but not limited to:
- Reading a map or GPS display
- Changing a radio station or playlist selection
- Talking to someone else in the car, on the phone, or over a CB radio
- Eating and drinking
- Reaching for something in the passenger or back seat
- Personal grooming
- Reading a book or watching a video
Expressly illegal or not, what all these actions have in common with each other is that they all qualify as a “breach” of the duty drivers have to be safe and attentive while driving to reduce the risk of causing a crash and hurting somebody else. Someone shown to have been “negligent” in this way immediately prior to a car crash can likely be held civilly liable for that crash’s consequences as a result. This is as true in distracted driving car accidents in Peoria as it is anywhere else.
Recovering for Short-Term and Long-Term Losses
Both economic and non-economic forms of harm can be incorporated into a distracted driving car accident lawsuit or settlement demand in Peoria. While insurance may cover most economic forms of harm like medical bills and car repair costs, a civil lawsuit or settlement demand can cover any portion of those losses not already paid for by insurance, as well as certain non-covered damages like lost work income and/or earning capacity.
Non-economic damages typically center around physical pain and suffering but can also include things like emotional anguish, psychological trauma, and lost quality of life. A seasoned legal professional can offer more specific guidance on what losses a particular person may have to demand compensation for after their wreck.
Contact a Peoria Attorney for Help With a Distracted Driving Car Accident Lawsuit
Distracted drivers put themselves and everyone around them in harm’s way when they choose to focus on anything other than the road ahead of and around them. Unfortunately, even state laws restricting this sort of behavior cannot always prevent people from causing serious traffic collisions through this type of misconduct.
Phillips Law Group has been locally owned and operated for more than 30 years, and our team is ready to take your case all the way to court if that is what it takes to get you paid fairly. Call today to speak with one of our team members and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation about your distracted driving car accident in Peoria.
We look forward to being able to help you get the justice you deserve!
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