Distracted Driving Car Accidents in Mansfield
Distracted drivers pose a danger to themselves, other motorists, pedestrians, and the property surrounding them. The repercussions of even minimal distraction while operating a motor vehicle can be catastrophic.
You could be entitled to compensation if you have been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver. A skilled crash attorney could help you learn more about distracted driving car accidents in Mansfield and how to prove your legal case.
Forms of Distracted Driving
Distracted driving car accidents can take on various forms and levels of severity in Mansfield. However, most common categories of distracted driving are those relating to visual distractions, manual distractions, and cognitive distractions.
Visual distractions are caused by the driver looking at something other than the road, including looking down to read a text message. When drivers take their eyes off the road, severe and sometimes fatal car accidents can ensue.
Manual distractions involve the driver becoming distracted and taking their hands off the wheel. For instance, a driver might reach down to pick up a phone or reach into the backseat to retrieve a coat. No matter the purpose, removing hands from the steering wheel is a distraction that can cause drivers to veer into oncoming traffic or off the road entirely.
Cognitive distractions occur in the mind of the driver. These are distractions caused by thoughts that keep the driver from being focused on the road and motorists around them. Whether a driver is thinking or distracted by things around them, failing to focus while on the road can also lead to car accidents.
Proving Liability in a Distracted Driving Case
If a driver has caused a car accident by distracted driving, a lawyer handling the case might bring charges against the driver for negligence. To prove a case on a theory of negligence, a lawyer must prove four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. These elements can quickly be overcome by legal complexity and require extensive investigation to be established at a trial.
The first step is to show that the responsible party had a duty to the injured party. While the standard varies, the general rule is that all individuals are responsible for taking reasonable care while driving. To prove a breach of this duty, the lawyer must show that the responsible party failed to exercise the required level of care.
This failure to exercise reasonable care is often shown through the actions that distract the driver. For example, if the driver looked down at their phone rather than the road, this could breach their duty. However, proving this breach can become legally complex, particularly in cognitive distraction cases.
Even if the responsible party breached their duty, the lawyer must also show that the breach caused the damages the injured party sustained. Sometimes this can be linked to distraction, such as when reaching into the backseat causes a driver to veer into the opposite lane and hit another vehicle. Other times, proving this causal link can require extensive investigation into what caused the damages to the injured party.
Finally, a lawyer in Mansfield must show that the injured party sustained damages using medical bills as proof. An attorney must prove these elements to prevail in a case involving a distracted driving car accident.
Reach Out to an Attorney in Mansfield to Learn More About Distracted Driving Car Accidents
Establishing the elements necessary to prove a distracted driving case can be legally complex and time-consuming. By speaking with an attorney, you could learn more about the specifics that will need to be shown in your case.
Schedule an initial consultation today to learn more about distracted driving car accidents in Mansfield. If a distracted driver has injured you, you deserve compensation.