Louisiana Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer
Practice Areas
Distracted Driving Accident Attorneys in Shreveport, Bossier City, and Mansfield, LA
Helping those who have been injured due to the fault of another in a car accident.
According to distracted driving statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nine people lose their lives every day in distracted driving accidents. Distracted driving has quickly overtaken speeding, alcohol use, and reckless driving as the leading cause of car crashes in the United States. Drivers should always be paying attention to the road, not their passengers or their cell phones. These accidents can cause devastating injuries and fatal crashes that leave lasting consequences for everyone involved.
If you or a loved one was injured by a distracted driver, contact a Louisiana distracted driving accident lawyer at Gordon & Gordon Law Firm today. Instead of fighting with insurance companies, you can focus on healing while we do the heavy lifting for you. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can help get the compensation you deserve. Call us today at (318) 716-4357 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced distracted driving attorney.
What is Considered Distracted Driving?
Any number of things can cause a Louisiana motor vehicle accident, but distracted driving is the leading cause. But what is distracted driving, exactly? Distracted driving is anything that pulls the driver’s attention away from the road. While nearly anything can be considered distracted driving, the most common example is texting and driving. In an effort to combat the use of cell phones while driving, Louisiana is one of many states that have laws regarding distracted driving.
Louisiana Distracted Driving Laws
Under Louisiana texting and driving laws, cell phone usage is a primary offense. This means that law enforcement officers only have to witness you using your phone to pull you over and ticket you. Talking on the phone may not be against the law, but reading/writing a text, reading/writing an email, and browsing/posting to social media are all violations of the law. Drivers with a learner’s permit or intermediate license are only allowed to use the hands-free function of their phone while driving.
Types of Distracted Driving Practices
Anything that takes the driver’s mind, eyes, or hands off their task is considered distracted driving. The three main types of distracted driving are cognitive distractions, manual distractions, and visual distractions. Nearly half a million people are injured by distracted drivers every year in the United States. This major problem causes extensive damage to other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Cognitive Distractions
Cognitive distractions are anything that takes the driver’s mind away from the road. Even drivers who take the proper safety measures and only use hands-free devices can be distracted. A heated discussion, daydreaming, and highway hypnosis are all forms of distraction.
Manual Distractions
Manual distractions are anything that takes a driver’s hands off the steering wheel. This includes using a cell phone to browse the web, send a text message, or answer a phone call. Manual distractions also include putting on makeup, changing the radio station, or eating. A cell phone staying in a purse or pocket doesn’t rule out all distractions.
Visual Distractions
Visual distractions often go hand in hand with manual distractions. Visual distractions are anything that takes your attention away from the road. Reading a text message at 55 miles per hour is the equivalent of driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. This dangerous driving practice can lead to catastrophic injuries and even wrongful death.
Distracted Driving Accidents Can Cause Extensive Injuries
Distracted drivers can cause devastating injuries to everyone on the road, even those not in another car. In fact, 1 in 5 people fatally injured in a distracted driving accident were outside of a vehicle. This means innocent pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists died as a result of a distracted driver’s poor choices. A car accident can cause catastrophic injuries, including brain injuries, spine injuries, severe burns, and even traumatic amputations.
Even seemingly minor Louisiana car accident injuries like broken bones, lacerations, and strained muscles can lead to time away from work and expensive medical bills. You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s reckless decisions. If you were injured by a distracted driver, you have a legal right to seek compensation for your injuries.
If You Were Injured by a Distracted Driver, You’re Entitled to Compensation
Financial compensation won’t turn back time, but it can pay for the recovery process and help your family avoid crushing medical debt. The experienced car accident attorneys at Gordon & Gordon can fight for the compensation you deserve. At Gordon & Gordon, our Louisiana personal injury attorneys can help you recover both economic and non-economic damages after your accident.
Economic Damages
During a personal injury lawsuit, you and your legal team must be able to prove that you suffered financially as a result of the accident. As an accident victim, your focus should be on resting and recovering from your injuries. Our Mansfield personal injury attorneys can help you recover compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Funeral and burial expenses, in the event of a wrongful death
These economic damages can help return you to the financial situation you were in before the accident. These expenses are intended to “make you whole.” Even then, economic damages aren’t always the true cost of a car wreck.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are often a little harder to prove. Non-economic damages don’t come with an itemized receipt, so it’s up to your legal team to prove the monetary value. But how do you put a dollar amount on emotional pain? In general, the rule of thumb is that non-economic damages are often worth up to three times the value of economic damages. At Gordon & Gordon, our experienced attorneys will fight to recover compensation for your:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment in life
- Loss of consortium
- And more
Call the Mansfield, Bossier City, & Shreveport Distracted Driving Injury Attorneys at Gordon & Gordon Law Firm | Free Case Review
At Gordon & Gordon, we know the extensive (and expensive) damage a distracted driver can cause. We have been helping injured accident victims get what they deserve all over Northern Louisiana for more than two decades now. Our 24/7 attorneys can help determine the best course of action in your distracted driving case after a free consultation. We don’t ask for reimbursement or fees until after we reach a settlement for you.
We have law offices conveniently located in Shreveport, Bossier City, and Mansfield, but if you’re outside of these regions, don’t worry! We are prepared to meet you wherever you are in Louisiana to make sure you receive appropriate compensation for the injuries you sustained due the negligence of the other driver. Call us today to learn more about your legal rights and schedule an appointment with a skilled personal injury attorney at (318) 716-4357.