Salt Lake City Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer

Every year, distracted driving is the number one cause of car accidents. Distraction comes in many forms: involving texting, adjusting the stereo, eating, applying makeup, and more. Utah drivers should be 100-percent focused on the road while driving, but sadly, that is not always the case.

Smartphones are a major cause of distraction these days, even with laws to prevent texting and driving. Drivers may believe they can multitask or take their eyes off the road for just a second. However, that second can make the difference between reaching your destination safely and not making it at all due to an accident.  

Distracted driving causes serious and fatal car accidents every year in Salt Lake City, Utah. If you were the victim of a car accident caused by another driver’s distracting driving, you know the physical pain, financial suffering, and emotional toll that these accidents can cause. 

At Fielding Law, we want to protect Utah victims of car accidents. We are here to advocate your interests and deal with the insurance company on your behalf. Contact us today for a free case evaluation – and know that you don’t pay a dime for your case unless you recover money.

Forms of Distracted Driving

Distraction comes in different forms, depending on the activity that the person is engaging in that draws his or her full attention away from the road. Consider three different kinds of distraction.

Visual distraction

Drivers are visually distracted when their eyes are off the road long enough to create an unsafe driving condition. Whether the person is examining the GPS for directions or glancing at other cars or people, if an accident occurs due to looking away from the road, the driver was visually distracted. In congested parts of Salt Lake City during rush hour, visual distraction accidents can occur in a matter of seconds. 

Manual distraction

As new drivers, we are all taught to keep our hands on the wheel. Small exceptions are made for turning on a blinker or shifting gears. However, our hands must be on the wheel the rest of the time in order to operate the vehicle safely. 

Manual distractions occur when a driver removes the hands from the wheel while driving. Eating while driving, changing the temperature inside the car, and turning to a different radio station are all examples of manual distraction.

Cognitive distraction

When a driver is preoccupied with thoughts other than his or her immediate surroundings, this constitutes cognitive distraction. Whether people mull over their stressful day at work or what to have for dinner, if their thoughts take them away from focusing on the road, they are in danger of causing a Utah driving accident. 

Texting and driving is one of the most dangerous activities someone can engage in on the road because it combines all of the above forms of distraction. The person may be simultaneously visually distracted by looking at a smartphone screen and keypad, manually distracting while typing, and cognitively distracted by thinking of the words to say in the message. 

If you were injured in a Utah car accident, you may deserve compensation for your injuries. Contact our experienced car accident attorneys today to get started on your recovery. 

Proving a Distracted Driver’s Negligence

To win your car accident claim, your attorney must prove that the distracted driver was negligent. This means that the driver failed to show a reasonable amount of care in the circumstances by failing to be completely focused while driving, for example. 

In order to prove negligence, the following four elements must be proven:

• Duty – When a person gets behind the wheel, he or she owes a duty of care to everyone else on the road by driving in responsibly and safely
• Breach – The driver did not fulfill his or her duty but instead showed a lack of care by failing to pay sufficient attention to the road when the car accident occurred
• Causation – After breaching the duty of care, the driver caused an accident out of distraction
• Damages – The distracted driver’s actions caused damage to you; this is usually easily proved by physical damage and emotional suffering after the car accident 

Your Salt Lake City, UT, car accident lawyer will consider the circumstances in your case to determine liability. Then he or she will gather evidence, such as cell-phone records and police reports, and will talk with witnesses to build your case. Your attorney will also handle the communication with the insurance company on your behalf. 

Don’t delay! Contact Fielding Law today to get started on your Salt Lake City, Utah, case. 

Help For Those Injured By a Distracted Salt Lake City, Utah Driver

If you were injured by a distracted driver, your next step should be consulting a qualified Utah personal injury attorney. At Fielding Law, our attorneys are dedicated to taking the weight of a personal injury claim off of your shoulders so you can focus on your recovery.  

If you are successful in your personal injury case, you may receive financial compensation, called “damages,” for various aspects of your accident. These damages may include compensation for medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, physical pain, emotional trauma, property damage, and more. 

We are here to help. Schedule a free consultation with a Utah Fielding Law attorney today! Fill out an online case evaluation form or call (877) 880-4090.