DISTRACTED DRIVING
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Texting and Driving Accidents | Distract Driving Lawyers
Did another driver prioritize their phone call, text messages, or any other distracting tasks over your health and safety? If so, suffered injuries or a family member was hurt or killed by someone that couldn’t put their phone down to focus on driving, you have every right to be upset.
The driver who hit you made a choice; now it's your turn. The Houston texting and driving accident lawyers of Sneed|Mitchell LLP will help you regain control and recover full compensation for the physical and economical impact of the crash. Contact our distracted driving lawyers now by calling (866)434-0014, or fill out our contact form and a lawyer with call you now. And remember, there is never a charge for our consultations.
OUR TEXTING AND DISTRACTED DRIVING CASE SETTLEMENTS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS
CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT – HEAD-ON COLLISION DUE TO TEXTING
Our client suffered compound, commuted fractures to his left elbow after being hit head-on in northwest Houston at the intersection of Clay Road and Eldridge Parkway. Our law firm pulled the at-fault drivers cell records and discovered the driver was distracted by texting at the time of collision.
$250,000 SETTLEMENT – EATING WHILE DRIVING COLLISION
Our client was hit by an an driver in a Ford F-150 that was was captured by witnesses eating and driving shortly before the moment of impact. Our client suffered a broken wrist and scarring that requirement revision surgery due to the at-fault's distraction. The at-fault driver tired to avoid liability by telling his insurance company our client was speeding (attorneys' fees & case expenses of $90,300).
$220,000 SETTLEMENT – TEXTING WHILE DRIVING ACCIDENT
The 20 year-old at-fault driver was sending Snap Chat text messages to friends and viewing received electronic messages for ten minutes while traveling on Grand Parkway in Katy, Texas before rear-ending our client. Our texting and driving lawyers secured the at-fault driver's policy of $200,000, and an additional $20,000 from the applicable UM/UIM policy. (attorneys' fees & case expenses of $72,600)
$155,000 SETTLEMENT – TALKING ON THE PHONE COLLISION
A teen-driver from Bellaire was talking on their phone and jumped their lane and side-swiped our client's car, forcing the car to collide with a third car here in Houston. Our client suffered mild bulging disks and developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder as a result. (attorneys' fees & case expenses of $51,480)
HOW OUR LAWYERS HELP AFTER DISTRACTED DRIVING ACCIDENTS IN HOUSTON
At Sneed|Mitchell in Houston, we believe in hands-on case management.
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Our firm was founded on one guiding principle: people deserve personal representation and a direct line of communication throughout a personal injury claim.
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We provide every client the direct contact information of their attorney and don’t use paralegal as buffers between clients and attorneys.
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We have a 99% success rate in distracted driving and are undefeated in the courtroom.
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We achieve record-setting results by giving each time energy and resources.
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We never accept more than 15 cases at once so we can focus on getting you largest recover possible for your personal injury claim.
Call or reach us online now to learn more about we are designed for your success. One of our Houston Distracted Driving Lawyers will review your case in a free consultation.
COMMON INJURIES CAUSED BY DISTRACTED DRIVING IN HOUSTON
The physical injuries our clients experienced in collisions caused by a driver's failure to pay attention to the road or texting while driving include:
Head & Neck
Brain Trauma
Concussions, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Blunt Force trauma,
Back & Spine
Spinal Cord Injuries, Bulging Disks, Paralysis
Shoulder Pain
Leg Injuries
Fractures, Crush Injuries, Amputations
Loss of Life
Note: It is important to obtain medical care within 72 hours of the accident, but if you have not, call us now so that we can schedule your appointment as soon as possible.
HOW OFTEN DO DISTRACTED DRIVING OR TEXTING AND DRIVING ACCIDENTS OCCUR?
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In 2019, distracted driving was a reported factor in 8.5% of fatal motor vehicle crashes.
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In 2018 distracted driving claimed 2,841 lives in the U.S, including 1,730 drivers, 605 passengers, 400 pedestrians, and 77 bicyclists
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Drivers under the age of 20 have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes
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In 2018, 9% of all teen motor vehicle crash deaths involved distracted driving
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In 2018, the percentage of motorist driving while holding a phone increased 3.2% from the prior year.
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In 2017, 42% of high school students who drove in the past 30 days reported sending a text or email while driving
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In a recent survey, 93% of polled drivers admitted to talking on the phone while driving
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In the same study 60% of respondents said they sent texts and 56% said they checked notifications while driving
WHAT CAUSES DISTRACTED DRIVING ACCIDENTS IN HOUSTON?
Houston drivers can become distracted in many ways. Three if the main causes of distracted driving are here in Harris County include:
1. Manual Distractions
Manual--relating to a person’s hand--distractions occur whenever a driver is using their hands to do something other than driving, limiting their ability to control the vehicle. Some of the most common manual distractions are:
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Texting
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Making a call
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Eating and/or drinking
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Personal grooming (changing clothes, brushing hair, putting on makeup)
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Fiddling with the radio
2. Visual Distractions
Visual distractions cause drivers to take their eyes from the road. Manual and visual distractions can overlap. Texting and driving requires drivers to distract themselves both manually and visually. Other instances of visual distractions include:
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Looking at a cellphone
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Texting while driving
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Reading or writing
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Studying a map
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Checking appearance in the mirror
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Looking at a passenger while speaking to them
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Focusing on a map or GPS
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Operating a sunroof or moonroof
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Applying cosmetics
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Rubbernecking
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Watching videos from an electronic device
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Adjusting air conditioning or heating control
3. Cognitive Distractions
Cognitive distractions take a driver’s mind from driving for an extended period of time. Some common cognitive distractions include:
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Focusing attention or a phone call or physical conversation
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Attempting to care for or discipline children
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Focusing on an unrelated stressful situation
WHAT COMPENSATION IS POSSIBLE AFTER DISTRACTED DRIVING ACCIDENTS?
After being hit by a distracted driver in Houston, turn to Sneed|Mitchell LLP. We proudly fight for victims injured across Houston and regularly obtain the following types of damages for our clients:
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Lost wages
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Past and future medical care
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Past and future lost wages
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Loss of earning capacity
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Suffering and loss of enjoyment of life
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Loss of consortium with a spouse
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Punitive Damage (in certain cases)
There are time limitations on filings an automobile-pedestrian claim with Sneed|MItchell LLP's Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers, so it is important that you meet with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your case.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form and one of our lawyers will call you now.
TEXAS CURRENT TEXTING WHILE DRIVING SAFETY LAWS AND RULES
As of September 1, 2020, The Texas Department of Transportation's Cell Phone Ordinances provide the following laws regarding cell phone use:
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It is illegal for drivers to send or receive electronic messages in Texas.
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Any driver with learner's permit is forbidden from using a handheld cell phone during their first six months of driving.
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It is illegal for any driver under the age of 18 to use wireless communications devices.
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If children are present, school bus operators are prohibited from using their cell phones.
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All drivers are prohibited from texting or using handheld devices while driving in a school zone.
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Local restrictions: Local ordinances also place restrictions on distracted driving. Drivers should become familiar with their municipal ordinances. Drivers can reach out to their local municipality to learn about additional laws governing the use of cell phones and other electronic devices.
Statewide, the use of cell phones while driving is legal. More than 60 cities in the state of Texas have passed ordinances making it illegal. These municipalities have signs posted at their city limits informing drivers of these laws.
A few of these cities are: Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Galveston, Amarillo, Corpus Christi, and Wichita Falls.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO AVOID DISTRACTED DRIVING IN HOUSTON?
Each distraction mentioned above has one thing in common: it is easily avoidable. Here are a few tips for avoiding the temptation to distract yourself while driving:
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Avoid eating or drinking while driving by making sure you’re fully sated before getting on the road. If that isn’t possible, try parking in order to eat and/or drink. Finish dressing, applying makeup, and grooming before getting in the car. All of these issues can be solved by making sure that you’re not running late and have plenty of time to do all of these things before you drive.
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Make sure you’ve pulled up your GPS directions and set anything else you need to adjust—radio or temperature, for example—before you start driving. Keep the volume on the GPS all the way up to minimize your need to look at the screen.
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If you can, allow passengers to handle some distractions. A passenger can fiddle with the radio, field calls, look at the GPS, and more.
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Do not use your cellphone. No texting, reading, or taking calls. Even hands-free options are distracting enough to cause an accident. If you have an emergency, pull over to call or text.
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Do not hesitate to pull over if a distraction presents itself. Phones, children, and/or pets can all become pressing distractions while driving. Everyone is safe if you pull over rather than attempting to deal with the distraction while driving.
WE REQUEST THE DRIVER'S PHONE RECORDS TO PROVE THEY WERE TEXTING AND DRIVING
If you believe that the other driver may have been texting and driving or on their cellphone at the time of the accident, this is information you should need to share with the police officer that arrived to the scene and your personal injury attorney.
At Sneed|Mitchell LLP, our Distracted Driving Lawyers will demand to see the other driver’s cellphone records to determine whether or not they were using their phone.
Even drivers in Houston that are using hand-free devises are often still liable for being distracted by the device and therefore negligently causing the car accident to occur. Uber and Lyft Drivers are often fails to drive responsibly and engage in unsafe driving by failing to keep their eyes on the road. Uber and Lyft drivers often look at their GPS navigation application too frequently, check their app for future rides, or are seen holding their cell phone while driving with one hand. Regardless of the particular distraction that might by involved in your accident, we can help.
Our founder, Brit Mitchell is an experienced distracted driving lawyer in Houston and can help you and your family understand your rights to compensation under the law. Brit Mitchell has represented cyclists, pedestrians, passengers, and drivers alike in understanding their rights under the law and obtaining complete compensation for how the accident has impacted the life of the victims.
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLISTS HIT BY DISTRACTED DRIVERS IN TEXAS IS ARE ON THE RISE
In 2019, the total number of crashes on Texas Roads were 561,582. Of these collisions, 97,853 or 17.4%, involved distracted driving, whether cell phone use or inattention for other reasons. Among the distracted driving crashed in Texas there were 378 fatalities and 2,500 serious injuries. These statistics were gathers by the Texas Department of Transportation as part of their Talk.Text.Crash Campaign - a Statewide commitment to end distracted driving.
Although Houston, Dallas, and every other major city in Texas is not designed for commuters and foot-traffic, the number of pedestrian and cyclists traversing our roads is rapidly increasing. The number of pedestrians that have died here in Texas has actually increased by a staggering 40% in Texas, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
On a national scale, distracted driving claimed 2,841 lives in 2019 alone. Among those that lost their lives were 1,730 drivers, 605 passengers, 400 pedestrians and 77 bicyclists.
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CALL THE EXPERIENCED DISTRACTED DRIVING ACCIDENT LAWYERS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS
At Sneed|Mitchell LLP, we’re on your side. We listen to you, help you build your case, and fight for you to recover the financial compensation you deserve. We strive to create real relationships and human connections with our clients and handle complex distracted driving accident case across the State of Texas.
If you or a loved one was hit by a distracted driver, contact Sneed|Mitchell LLP today at (866) 434-0014 for a free consultation. Our founding partner Brit Mitchell is a Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer in Houston with a history of success helping drivers, pedestrians, joggers, and children injured by unsafe drivers. Let us help you pursue full compensation for your injuries. And remember, you pay nothing until we win!