The national statistics regarding car crashes are jarring. There are more than 38,000 victims who die in vehicle accidents every year. This comes out to 12 deaths for every 100,000 people. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for people who are between the ages of one and 54 years of age. More than four million victims suffer injuries serious enough they need to seek out medical treatment. The total cost of crashes each year in this country is more than $870 billion.
There are many reasons why car accidents happen, but the majority of crashes occur because a driver acted negligently. The following are some of the more common types of driver negligence that our clients experience in crashes they are injured in.
The most common act of negligence that is the most easily proven by a car accident attorney is drinking and driving. Although there has been a massive number of safety campaigns and driver education, tragically, alcohol-related crashes kill more than 10,000 victims in the U.S. every year. That comes out to 30 victims every day or one person killed every 50 minutes.
In the majority of these cases, the negligent driver is charged criminally with driving under the influence. The evidence and/or conviction used in the at-fault driver’s criminal case can also be presented in any civil case filed by injured victims.
Another common form of driver negligence is when a driver engages in distracted driving behaviors. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), almost 3,000 victims are killed each year in distracted driving crashes. One of the most common of these behaviors is cellphone use, whether talking on the phone, texting, or checking social media sites. Also falling under distracted driving behaviors that contribute to accidents are eating, drinking, setting GPS, fiddling with the radio, or even talking to passengers in the vehicle.
In addition to driving under the influence and distracted driving, other negligent driving activities that too often result in accidents are drowsy driving, aggressive driving, and speeding. Any of these acts can result in the driver being deemed at fault and liable under the law. This means that the at-fault driver could be held liable for the victim’s medical expenses, loss of income and benefits, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, permanent disability, scarring, and more.
Proving Distracted Driving
If you were injured in a car crash and you suspect the other driver was using engaged in some sort of distracted driving behavior, you may be stressed trying to figure out how you will be able to prove it. This is where a Virginia car accident attorney can help. A skilled and experienced injury attorney knows how to fully investigate crashes, obtain any surveillance videos from nearby businesses, interview witnesses, and even legally obtain the other driver’s cell phone service records to prove he or she was texting, emailing, etc.
Let a Virginia Injury Attorney Help
If you have been injured in a crash caused by a driver who was texting and driving or some other distracted driving behavior, contact a Virginia Beach car accident attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have. The legal team from Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp has been advocating for injured clients since 1985 and will do all we can to ensure you receive the best possible financial outcome under the circumstances of your case. If you would like to meet with one of our skilled Virginia car accident attorneys to find out how we can help, call us today for a free case evaluation.
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For over twenty years, Mr. Sharp's law practice has focused on serious personal injury claims, including traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury claims. He also handles nursing home neglect cases and medical malpractice claims. Mr. Sharp has counseled numerous clients about the complexities concerning litigation of both pediatric and adult brain injury. Mr. Sharp has been awarded the AV Preeminent ranking by Martindale, the highly respected and widely utilized directory of lawyers throughout the world. AV Preeminent status is awarded only to those lawyers who achieve the highest level of success within the legal field and is a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers and Judges rank him at the highest level of professional excellence. He has also been recognized as a "Best Lawyer" by U.S. News for personal injury, an accolade awarded to only a small fraction of lawyers. Mr. Sharp has also been recognized by Super Lawyers as one of the top personal injury lawyers in Virginia. This recognition is awarded only to those lawyers who have achieved the highest level of success and have been recognized by their peers as demonstrating the highest level of professional excellence.
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