Newport News Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer

A Brief Summary of the Following Article

  • Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, provides legal representation in distracted driving cases, offering comprehensive guidance from evidence gathering to trial presentation, ensuring clients’ rights are protected.
  • Distractions such as cell phone use, eating, in-car system adjustments, external factors, passenger interactions, personal grooming, daydreaming, reaching for objects, and managing pets or children significantly increase the risk of driving accidents.
  • Virginia law, effective January 1, 2021, prohibits the use of cell phones and other wireless devices while driving, except in emergencies or when the vehicle is legally parked or stopped.
  • Victims of distracted driving accidents are able to seek compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.

As a leading cause of vehicle accidents in recent years, distracted driving often results in devastating consequences. Characterized by any activity that diverts attention from driving, such as texting, eating, or even adjusting the radio, distracted driving endangers the safety of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians alike. In a single instant, a moment’s distraction leads to a collision that causes victims physical, emotional, and financial hardship.

The award-winning attorney at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, has focused knowledge of the intricacies of distracted driving accidents. We provide crucial support and guidance through these challenging times, helping you understand your rights, navigate car accident claims, and advocate for the full compensation you deserve. From investigating the accident to gathering evidence, negotiating with insurance adjusters, and representing the victim in court, we are instrumental in securing a fair and just outcome to help you heal and rebuild your life following an accident.

How the Newport News Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, Helps Your Claim

The distracted driving accident lawyer at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, offers indispensable guidance to victims navigating the aftermath of a collision caused by an opposing driver’s lack of attention. With focused knowledge and experience in such cases, we handle the specific nuances and challenges presented in your specific car accident claim. We meticulously investigate the accident to build a strong case on your behalf.  

Additionally, we increase your chances of success by taking on the following aspects of your car accident claim: 

  • Gathering evidence like police reports, medical records, and employment records
  • Answering all your legal questions
  • Making your claim timely and otherwise properly 
  • Negotiating with insurance companies
  • Determining who is liable for your injuries
  • Calculating your damages
  • Utilizing resources like healthcare providers and accident reconstruction specialists
  • Taking your case to trial if necessary
  • Researching medical and technical literature

Beyond just legal representation, working with Newport News, VA distracted driving accident lawyer Avery T. “Sandy” Waterman, Jr., Esq. protects your legal rights and provides personalized legal counsel to achieve a favorable resolution. We know the potential long-term impacts of injuries, so we fight for immediate medical costs as well as ongoing rehabilitation, lost earnings, and emotional trauma.

9 Types of Driver Distractions That Lead to Accidents

Distracted driving accidents are caused by a wide range of activities that divert a driver’s attention away from the road. Some of the most common types of distractions include:

  1. Cell phone use: This includes texting, talking, using social media, browsing the internet, or any other smartphone use. Texting is especially dangerous as it combines visual, manual, and cognitive distractions.
  2. Eating and drinking: Consuming food or drinks while driving is distracting, as it often requires drivers to take his or her hands off the wheel and his or her eyes off the road.
  3. Using in-car systems: Adjusting the radio, climate control, navigation system, or other in-car technologies diverts attention from driving.
  4. External distractions: Distractions outside the vehicle, such as billboards, accidents, scenic views, or even people on the sidewalk, draw a driver’s attention away from the road.
  5. Passengers: Conversations with passengers, particularly intense or emotional discussions, are a significant distraction, especially for inexperienced drivers.
  6. Personal grooming: Actions such as applying makeup, shaving, or fixing hair while driving lead to impaired focus and control of the vehicle.
  7. Daydreaming: Mental distractions, even without physical tasks, significantly impair an individual’s driving ability.
  8. Reaching for objects: Trying to pick up items from the floor, backseat, or glove compartment causes a driver to cause a collision. 
  9. Pets and children: Unrestrained pets or active children in the car are a major source of distraction for a driver.

As of January 1, 2021, Virginia law forbids motorists from holding cell phones or any other wireless communication devices while operating a vehicle. Exceptions to this rule include situations of driver emergency or when the vehicle is legally parked or stopped.

Recoverable Compensation in Distracted Driving Accident Claims

Drivers must operate vehicles with a reasonable duty of care, which means the opposing driver must refrain from engaging in distracting behaviors that lead to accidents. In a successful car accident claim, you are able to recover the following economic and non-economic damages if your Newport News distracted driving accident attorney at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, proves the driver acted with negligence or reckless disregard for safety: 

  • Pain, suffering, and inconvenience 
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Continuing disability and limitations
  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages from missed work
  • Mental anguish

Any activity, whether it is visual, cognitive, or manual, that takes a driver’s attention away from driving, even momentarily, leads to a dangerous situation and increases the risk of an accident. If someone else’s actions or inactions caused you to suffer injuries, speak with the Newport News distracted driving accident lawyer at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, for an assessment of your claim. 

Speak With the Award-Winning Distracted Driving Accident Lawyer at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC

If you were involved in a distracted driving accident, Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, is prepared to fight for the compensation you deserve. Attorney Avery T. “Sandy” Waterman, Jr., Esq. was named to The Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury during 2007-2024 and was voted its “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury by his peers in Southeast Virginia in 2022; and Waterman Law Centers has been listed as a Metropolitan Tier 1 Best Law Firm for Personal Injury in U.S. News & World Report and in The Best Lawyers in America for 2021-2024.

Speak with our Newport News, VA car accident attorney today by calling (757) 881-9881 or filling out a contact form for a complimentary consultation.