Prince William County Distracted Driving Lawyer

What Is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is the operation of a motor vehicle by someone who has taken their attention away from the road and their surroundings. Examples of distracted driving behaviors include answering a cell phone, sending texts, eating food, applying makeup, and talking to passengers.

Such distractions may seem minor to the driver engaging in them, but they can have devastating, lifelong consequences when they lead to a collision.

If you were hurt in a car accident caused by someone who was driving while distracted, get help from a Prince William County distracted driving lawyer. D. Michael Mullori, Jr., Attorney at Law, is ready to explain your rights and how he can seek the compensation you need for your medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and more.

Contact us online today or call (703) 762-2142 to set up a free consultation with our Prince William County distracted driving accident attorney. Our office is conveniently located at 2500 Hunter Place, Suite 102, Woodbridge, VA. We can help!

How a Prince William County Distracted Driving Lawyer Can Help

Our distracted driving attorney in Prince William County is prepared to handle your case from start to finish, relieving you of the stress of meeting deadlines and dealing with insurance companies while pursuing fair compensation on your behalf.

Our lawyer can begin by discussing your case with you to understand the accident and get to know you as an individual, thereby best representing your needs and concerns. Next, attorney Mike Mullori and his legal team can conduct a thorough investigation to identify the parties who caused the accident and gather evidence to prove they should be held financially responsible for the consequences.

Next, Mike and his team can calculate the value of your case based on your lost wages, medical bills, and other expenses related to the accident, plus estimates of your future costs. He will also consider the pain, suffering, and emotional distress you have experienced, as well as the long-term impact of your injuries.

Mike can then send demand letters to the at-fault parties and their insurance providers and negotiate with them for a settlement that reflects the financial and personal costs you have experienced. If the insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement, Mike can then file a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver and argue your case in court.

Compensation Available to People Injured by Distracted Driving in Virginia

Depending on the circumstances of the distracted driving accident, you could be entitled to compensation for your:

• Past and future medical expenses, including surgeries, medical treatments, hospital stays, prescription medications, physical therapy, and medical devices
• Lost wages from your recovery period and reduced future earning potential
• Physical pain and suffering caused by your injuries
• Emotional distress caused by your physical injuries or the accident itself
• Permanent disabilities and the way they affect your daily life and your ability to engage in the activities you once enjoyed
• Property that was lost or damaged in the accident, including your vehicle

What Are the Three Main Categories of Distracted Driving?

There are three main categories of distracted driving:

• Visual – A visual distraction takes a driver’s eyes off the road, such as if they use a mirror to shave while driving.
• Manual – A manual distraction takes a driver’s hands off the steering wheel, such as eating food while driving.
• Cognitive – A cognitive distraction takes a driver’s attention away from the act of driving, such as talking to passengers in the back seat.

Many distractions exhibit qualities of multiple distraction types. For example, texting typically involves all three – looking away from the road and taking hands off the steering wheel while thinking about the text instead of driving.

How to Prove Distracted Driving Caused a Crash

Our experienced car accident lawyer stands ready to help you prove that distracted driving caused the crash that injured you.

For example, a traffic camera may have captured the at-fault driver looking down at their phone as they went through a red light. An eyewitness may testify that they saw the driver eating while driving. The driver’s phone records may indicate they were sending texts or on a call leading up to the accident. Their vehicle’s onboard computer might indicate they did not hit the brakes, suggesting they were not paying attention to the road ahead.

Our car accident attorney can gather these types of evidence during an investigation of the crash. Our team can then use such evidence to show how the driver’s distraction led to the critical error that caused the crash that injured you.

Distracted Driving Penalties and Liability

A driver who is found to have used a personal communications device (typically a cell phone) while operating their vehicle can face a fine of $125 for a first offense under Virginia law. The penalty is $250 for a second or subsequent offense, or a first offense that occurred in a highway work zone.

A distracted driver who causes an accident can also be held liable for the consequences of the accident. In other words, they must pay for the medical expenses, lost income, property damage, and pain and suffering experienced by the victims of the crash. The distracted driver’s liability insurance policy should help cover the losses.

Virginia requires that drivers carry insurance policies that pay for at least:

• $50,000 for injury or death to one person
• $100,000 for injury or death to two or more people
• $25,000 for property damage

Depending on the circumstances, the distracted driver might not be the only liable party. For example, if the driver was working at the time of the crash, their employer might also be vicariously liable for the driver’s negligence.

Contact D. Michael Mullori, Jr., Attorney at Law, Today

D. Michael Mullori, Jr., Attorney at Law, has been representing injured car accident victims and their families in Northern Virginia since 1999. If you have suffered serious injuries in a car accident caused by a distracted driver in Prince William County, let us be the experienced, dedicated, and caring personal injury attorney you need to demand fair compensation.

Contact Mike Mullori’s law office or call (703) 762-2142 now for a free consultation with a distracted driving lawyer about your case. During your initial consultation, Mike and his team will review the accident details, discuss your options for seeking compensation, and outline the basic timeline of a car accident case, then address any remaining questions you may have.