Texting While Driving Accidents

Little Rock Attorney Assisting Victims of Distracted Motorists

Many drivers do not think twice when reading or sending a text message while behind the wheel. As most of us have witnessed while on the roadways, people sometimes fail to glance up from their phones for unsafe periods of time while checking an email or sending a text while driving. In addition to being against the law in Arkansas, texting while driving is very dangerous, and it has caused major accidents. Little Rock texting while driving accident lawyer Paul Pfeifer of the Pfeifer Law Firm assists people injured by a careless driver with seeking the compensation that they need to move forward with their lives. As a car accident attorney with over a decade of experience, Mr. Pfeifer is dedicated to ensuring that victims’ legal rights are aggressively asserted so that they are able to focus on healing. Mr. Pfeifer works diligently to keep his clients informed of the process at each stage of the case, taking away the burden and stress of dealing with legal complexities. He understands how important the outcome of the case is to his clients and works hard to get the maximum settlement possible for his clients.

Arkansas Texting And Driving Restrictions

In Arkansas, all drivers are prohibited from texting while driving, no matter what the driver’s age is. This restriction is considered a primary offense law, which allows a police officer to initiate a traffic stop regardless of whether or not another traffic violation has occurred.

Because of their inexperience, teen drivers are subject to even stricter phone restrictions. Drivers under 18 years old are not allowed to use cell phones while driving, even if a hands-free device is available. Additionally, young drivers between 18 and 20 are not allowed to use handheld cell phones.

Crashes involving a driver who texts and drives are some of the most severe because the driver is usually unaware that they are about to cause a crash and doesn’t have time to take action to avoid the accident or mitigate the damages. Because of this, these types of crashes may lead to catastrophic or permanent injuries. These may include spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, as well as broken bones or lacerations. It is important to consult a texting-while-driving accident attorney in the Little Rock area who can make sure that a victim’s rights are asserted.

Holding a Texting Driver Accountable

A driver who texts while driving may incur multiple traffic violations and fines. Moreover, when a texting-while-driving accident leads to serious injuries, a driver may be held liable through a personal injury claim. Accident victims may pursue claims based on negligence in order to recover compensation for past and future medical costs, property damage, lost income and earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

To prove negligence, it must be shown that a defendant driver owed a duty of reasonable care to the victim, the duty was breached by the driver’s actions, and those actions were a proximate cause of the injuries sustained. All drivers owe other motorists, as well as pedestrians and bicyclists, a duty to act reasonably behind the wheel. A driver who is texting and driving, in violation of Arkansas law, probably will be found to have acted unreasonably. If a victim is also found to have been negligent in causing their own injuries, they may still recover damages under the Arkansas modified comparative fault theory of liability, as long as the victim is found to have been less than 50 percent accountable for the accident. In Arkansas, auto accident personal injury cases must be filed within three years of the date of the accident. Talk with an experienced car accident attorney to understand your rights.

Discuss Your Options with a Texting While Driving Accident Lawyer in Little Rock

If you were injured or lost a family member in a texting while driving accident, distracted driving accident lawyer Paul Pfeifer will fight for your rights so that you can focus on healing. Our firm offers compassionate and seasoned legal advocacy to victims in Jonesboro, West Memphis, Conway, Hot Springs, Malvern, Batesville, Pine Bluff, Texarkana, Benton, Bryant, Fort Smith, Forrest City, Fayetteville, and Hamburg, as well as other areas of Saline, Pulaski, Miller, Crittenden, Craighead, Faulkner, Garland, Hot Spring, Independence, Jefferson, Sebastian, Washington, Ashley, and Baxter Counties. If you have questions regarding your situation, contact us online or at (501) 374-4440 for a free consultation with a Little Rock texting while driving accident attorney. Our consultations are free, and you don’t owe us anything unless we recover for you.