Distracted driving plays a major role in over one million crashes each year in North America. These days, the behavior typically involves cell phone use, but anything that takes a driver’s attention away from the road can lead to car accidents, all the same.
If you have suffered injuries and other losses in one of these crashes in Wheaton, Illinois, you can begin legal action against the liable party. But in order to have a good chance of obtaining fair compensation, you’ll need the help of a Wheaton distracted driving accident lawyer.
Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys provides the ongoing support that clients like you deserve. Learn more about distracted driving accidents and how our Wheaton personal injury attorneys can make a difference in the aftermath of one below. Contact us today at (630) 690-1919 to set up a free consultation.
How Can Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys Help After a Distracted Driving Accident in Wheaton, IL?
Filing a personal injury claim against a party that was distracted while driving in Wheaton, IL, requires assistance from experienced attorneys. This is mainly because you must be able to negotiate with insurance companies and provide proof that the other person was distracted behind the wheel. And to put it simply, that is not easy to do when dealing with injuries.
That’s where Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys comes in. Our decades of combined experience give us the knowledge to fight effectively for our clients. To date, we’ve recovered over $100 million in compensation for accident victims across the state.
Our Wheaton personal injury lawyers can assist you by way of a variety of services, including the following:
- Assessing your claim during a free consultation
- Investigating the distracted driving accident
- Collecting evidence to show that the other party was distracted
- Calculating your damages
- Communicating and negotiating with insurance companies
Not having representation can harm your claim, so don’t wait to get help. Contact our Wheaton distracted driving accident attorneys today to speak with one of our car accident lawyers.
What Is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving refers to the act of operating a motor vehicle while not being fully focused on the task.
Many behaviors constitute distracted driving, such as:
- Cell phone usage
- Changing radio stations
- Checking the GPS
- Eating or drinking
- Reaching for an object
- Reading billboards
- Self-grooming
- Speaking with passengers
This isn’t an exhaustive list; anything that pulls your eyes or mind away from the road could lead to a distracted driving crash. Our Wheaton car accident lawyers can help you determine if your crash could be a distracted driving case.
How Does Negligence Work in Distracted Driving Cases?
Illinois is a state with fault-based laws. Therefore, in order to be able to recover losses after being in a crash, you must file against the other party, and that means proving that they caused the collision through their negligence.
Proving negligence requires that you show how the other party owed you a duty of care that they breached. Every driver owes others on the road the responsibility of driving safely and lawfully, so if they were distracted while behind the wheel, that is a breach of their duty.
From there, you will then have to demonstrate that the other driver’s conduct directly led to the losses you’ve experienced (and that you can be compensated for them). If you only suffered a bruise that didn’t require medical care, for example, you wouldn’t be able to claim compensation because you didn’t sustain a legitimate loss.
Our Wheaton car accident attorneys can help you prove that the other driver was negligent in your wreck.
Can I Be Partially Responsible for a Distracted Driving Accident in Illinois?
In some instances, the distracted driver may not be fully at fault. If you were also distracted or doing anything else that partially contributed to your injuries, for example, you may wonder how that might affect your ability to seek compensation.
Under Illinois’s modified comparative negligence laws, you can typically still recover some of your losses as long as you are less than 51% to blame for the crash. However, your winnings will likely be reduced by the percentage you are found to be at fault.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available After a Distracted Driving Accident in Wheaton?
There are two forms of damages you can claim after being in a distracted driving accident.
The first are economic damages, which cover your financial losses, beginning with medical expenses. If you miss work as you receive treatment or can no longer return to work at all due to the severity of your injury, you can claim lost wages as well as a loss of earning potential.
The second kind of damages you can claim are non-economic damages. These compensate you for the emotional and physical distress you’ve experienced and for the loss of enjoyment of life, in the event that your injuries don’t allow you to live as you used to.
Contact Our Wheaton Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Being in a car accident caused by a distracted driver can be devastating. You may experience various injuries, struggle to pay medical bills, and address other losses you sustained. Filing a personal injury claim can help you pursue compensation, but it’s no easy feat to accomplish alone.
At Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys, our Wheaton distracted driving accident lawyers can assist you and demonstrate that the other party is responsible for your harm. Contact us today to schedule a free case assessment.
