Distracted Driving Accidents
Named the "Most Beautiful Small Town" in the nation by Rand McNally, Jefferson City, Missouri, is known for cost-effective housing and livability. Unfortunately, it’s also known for auto accidents.
If you have been hurt in a car crash caused by a careless motorist in or around Jefferson City, you may want to enlist a knowledgeable attorney. Matt Uhrig has the skill to help you pursue the compensation that you need.
Holding Distracted Drivers Responsible
Distracted driving happens when a person is paying attention to something other than the road.
Operating a vehicle requires each of us to pay attention to what is happening around us in order to follow traffic laws and avoid harming others. Common examples of distracted driving include eating, texting or calling someone, and checking the map while behind the wheel. All individuals owe a duty of reasonable care to avoid posing foreseeable risks of injury to those who could be affected by their conduct. So, any form of distracted driving may breach a driver's duty of care.
The distracted driving must also be the actual and proximate cause of the victim’s injuries to be actionable. Proximate cause means that the law recognizes an event as having a close causal connection to its consequences.
Proximate Cause in Your Case
For example, if a driver is applying make-up and rear-ends the car in front of him or her, that person’s distraction is the proximate cause of the accident. Similarly, if someone is passionate about a football team, gets into a heated argument with a passenger about the team's recent loss, and runs a stop sign, his or her actions are likely to be found the proximate cause of the crash. However, when an action is too remote, it will not be considered a proximate cause.
After a distracted driving accident, you can sue the at-fault driver for economic and noneconomic damages. Your attorney will explore the full range of your injuries because you can only bring forward one lawsuit for compensation. In some cases, it can take a long time for the complete extent of your harm to become apparent.
If you can prove the distracted driver's negligence, you may be eligible to recover all damages that you can prove, such as medical expenses, out-of-pocket costs, lost wages, property damage, pain, and suffering, or loss of enjoyment.
Seek Legal Advice After a Car Accident
It can be difficult to recover after a serious car crash. In most cases, the at-fault driver's insurer will not offer you the full amount to which you are entitled. Instead, you may be offered a quick settlement in the hopes that you will go away.
However, because it can take some time for the full scope of your injuries to be revealed, you should not talk to the insurer or sign anything without talking to your own attorney.
Find an experienced auto accident lawyer to help you pursue compensation for your losses. The Law Office of Matt Uhrig has been fighting for the rights of injured Missourians since 2008, and we can fight for you, too.