The moment remains vivid in your memory: You were driving safely when suddenly another vehicle slammed into yours. The other driver was looking at their phone instead of the road. In an instant, your life changed—medical bills piling up, missed work, ongoing pain, and a damaged vehicle.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a critical time to understand your rights if you’ve become one of the thousands of victims injured by distracted drivers each year. While Ohio’s prevention campaigns focus on changing driver behavior, those already harmed need immediate legal help.
Understanding Distracted Driving Accidents
Distracted driving accidents often result in severe injuries because the at-fault driver fails to take evasive action before impact. The reason? Too often, it’s because they were distracted by:
- Texting or using their smartphone
- Eating or drinking
- Adjusting vehicle controls or GPS
- Engaging with passengers
- Grooming or applying makeup
These distractions create dangerous situations where the driver’s reaction time is significantly reduced. For example, texting drivers are 23x more likely to crash than attentive drivers! When another driver causes your accident due to factors like this, they’ve breached their duty of care and established grounds for a negligence claim.
Protecting Your Legal Rights After an Accident
In the aftermath of a crash, insurance companies quickly begin building their defense. Their representatives aren’t looking out for your interests—their goal is to minimize payment for your claim. The right actions following your accident can make all the difference in getting the compensation you deserve:
- Seek medical attention promptly, even for seemingly minor injuries
- Document everything about the accident scene
- Obtain the police report
- Gather witness statements
- Preserve evidence of distraction
- Avoid giving statements to insurance companies before speaking with an attorney
The compensation you deserve may include medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering—and in some cases, punitive damages when distraction was particularly egregious.
Don’t Suffer Because of a Distracted Driver
Ohio law provides strong protections for victims of distracted driving, but insurance companies often attempt to minimize payouts or shift blame. Having experienced legal representation ensures your rights are protected throughout the claims process.
The Law Offices of Tim Misny can help you navigate this difficult time. When you’re the victim of someone else’s distracted driving, I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call my office at (877) 944-4373 so I can evaluate your case right away.