Personal Injury Settlements Involving Negligent Driver On Cell Phones
Studies have shown that 75% of Americans will talk on their cell phones while driving.(**) Cell phone use by drivers appears to be a major cause of car accidents in Atlanta, Georgia and around the country. These studies have found that drivers who are talking on their cell phones while driving are "distracted drivers".(*) Distracted drivers (drivers who drive while talking on their cell phone) have 28% slower reaction times than drivers not using their cell phones.(*) Drivers who were using their cell phones while driving reacted as slow as drunk drivers.(**) In both cases the delay in applying the brakes greatly increases your risk of rear-ending the car in front of you. There is also a greater chance that the cell phone using driver will be rear-ended by the car directly behind them since they delay applying the brakes and then suddenly slam on their brakes.(*) The reaction time was no faster for drivers who talked on the cell phone using hands-free devices. The distracted driver is one that often uses up the driver's "pool of attention".(*) Clearly this means that using your cell phone while driving may put you and the other drivers around you in danger.
Atlanta personal injury lawyers are now attempting to hold employers liable for accidents their employees cause while talking on the cell phone. Cell phone records are often obtained during the litigation process to find out the phone call was business related (for the benefit of their employer). Usually employers are only liable for injuries caused by their negligent employees if they are doing something for the benefit of their employer. Recently there were two personal injury lawsuits in Fulton County, Georgia that involved negligent drivers using their cell phone for a business purpose. Both of these personal injury lawsuits were settled with employers before trial (one for $5.2 million and the other for $750,00. (**) It appears to be only a matter of time before employers are routinely held liable for personal injury claims involving their employees driving while taking business cell phone calls. This liability is based on the premise that the employee is performing a service for the benefit of their employer at the time of the car accident.
The personal injury lawyers at Griffin Law Firm make sure that all possible liability policies and uninsured or under-insured motorist policies are pursued. Our personal injury attorneys have had great success in stacking insurance policies to make sure you recover as much as you deserve. People who attempt to represent themselves are truly at the mercy of the insurance company and often get offers that are way below the true value of the personal injury claim.
The personal injury attorneys at Griffin Law Firm specialize in personal injury and wrongful death claims. Our attorneys can not only maximize your recovery, but also explore all available insurance policies which may cover your claim. If you or someone you know has a personal injury claim, please do not hesitate to call us at 877-303-8440 or 404-303-8400 ext. 210 for a free consultation. You can also submit your case for a free settlement evaluation at our website at www.griffinlawfirmpc.com.
[The articles and studies discussed above are the following:
* [Men's Health Magazine (April 2008 issue) which cited the study performed by State University Of New York at Cortland by Joy Hendrick, PhD]
** [the Atlanta Journal and Constitution dated April 2, 2008]
