Distracted driving remains a growing problem in New Jersey and across the U.S. despite the advancement of hands-free technology. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving caused eight percent of traffic accident fatalities in 2021, and 14 percent of injuries. Alarming data reveals that 32,657 people died in distracted driving crashes during the 10 years between 2012 and 2021. Distracted driving also has serious economic consequences for the country each year, costing more than the costs of speeding and intoxicated driving accidents combined.
If you’ve been injured due to a distracted driver in Cherry Hill, you need experienced legal representation for your accident claim. Under New Jersey’s no-fault car accident laws, it’s difficult to know where to turn after an accident caused by a driver’s careless or reckless actions behind the wheel. A Cherry Hill distracted driving lawyer from Cuneo & Leonetti can help. Call our law office today for a free evaluation of your case.
How Can a Cherry Hill Attorney Help?
Unlike the majority of states with fault-based insurance filing requirements, New Jersey requires drivers to file claims against their own insurance companies after an accident—regardless of who was at fault for the crash. Obtaining the most compensation for your damages after a distracted driving accident depends on how you handle your claim. A Cherry Hill personal injury attorney from Cuneo & Leonetti will do the following to advance your claim for prompt action and the maximum compensation:
- Investigate all aspects of your accident by scrutinizing the police report, examining any photo and video evidence, and hearing eyewitness testimony
- Carefully examine your options for recovering compensation and advise you on the best way forward for your claim depending on the coverage you chose on your insurance policy and the circumstances of the accident
- Explore the possibility of a lawsuit against the distracted driver
- Take a results-oriented approach toward recovering the maximum compensation available in your case
- Use the favorable local reputations and track record of success of our lead attorneys, David K. Cuneo and Mark Leonetti to put a powerful voice behind your claim for the compensation you deserve to recover your losses
When a distracted driver causes a car accident, the effects of their carelessness may result in life-altering injury to others. Injury victims deserve compensation and a voice for justice and accountability.
What is Distracted Driving?
All drivers have a duty to others on the road to take all reasonable measures to prevent causing an accident and injuries. A large part of this duty is a driver’s obligation to maintain vigilant attention to the road ahead. When a driver allows the focus of their attention to wander away from the task of driving, their distracted attention can cause an accident in as little as a few seconds of diverted attention. An NHTSA warning states that a vehicle going 55 miles per hour travels the length of a football field during the 4.6 seconds it takes to read the average text message.
Cell phones are a major cause of distracted driving, but other distractions also cause accidents. Common causes of distracted driving accidents in Cherry Hill include the following:
- Calling, texting, scrolling through social media, setting a GPS, selecting playlists or podcasts, or any other hands-on use of cell phone technology
- Hands-free technology that diverts attention from driving
- Eating and drinking while driving
- Adjusting sound systems
- Retrieving dropped objects
- Grooming or applying makeup
- Interacting with children in the backseat or others in the vehicle
- Reading/studying while driving
- Daydreaming
Common Distracted Driving Injuries
Distracted driving accidents cause severe injuries. A distracted driving crash may occur at full speed and impact. This occurs because the driver fails to take evasive measures or apply their brakes during the moments before the accident since their attention is elsewhere and they fail to recognize an impending crash. Common injuries from distracted driving accidents include the following:
- Head injuries/traumatic brain injury
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Fractured bones
- Facial injuries
- Burns
- Internal organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Soft tissue injuries such as sprains, torn ligaments, bruises, lacerations, and abrasions
Injuries from distracted driving accidents range from mild to severe and life-altering. Even mild injuries may cause financial hardship from expensive medical bills and a few missed work days. Grave injuries may cause disability that impacts the victim’s quality of life and ability to return to work.
What are My Options for Recovering Compensation After a Distracted Driving Accident in New Jersey?
Your Cherry Hill distracted driving attorney from Cuneo & Leonetti will carefully examine your insurance coverage and determine the best way forward for your claim after calculating your damages. Depending on the coverage you selected when choosing your policy, you may be able to recover compensation up to the limits of your coverage. If you added options to your coverage such as limited or unlimited rights to sue at-fault drivers, you may be able to gain compensation from the distracted driver who caused the accident. Under a policy with a limited right to a lawsuit, you’d recover economic damages. If you chose an unlimited right to sue in addition to your basic coverage you could recover both economic and non-economic damages.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover After a Car Accident in Cherry Hill?
Accidents sometimes cause far more than property damage. You could have painful injuries requiring costly medical care. Common damages claimed in Cherry Hill car accident or Cherry Hill truck accident cases include the following:
- Economic damages like medical care, future medical costs, lost wages, future income loss, and lowered future earning potential
- Non-economic damages like pain and suffering compensation, PTSD, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, disfigurement, or loss of limb
Non-economic damages are only available if your New Jersey auto insurance policy allows you to file a lawsuit for non-economic damages against the at-fault driver.
Call Our Cherry Hill Law Office Today
No one should take on profit-protecting insurance companies alone, especially while trying to focus on recovering from serious injuries. Instead, call the Cherry Hill car accident lawyers at Cuneo & Leonetti today so we can review your options and develop the right strategy to move forward. Then, let our experienced distracted driving law team manage your case while you focus on recovering from your injuries.