Was that negligent driver distracted by work-related activity?
The weather was mild and the traffic flow minimal. Why on earth did that
driver stray across a median line, slam head-on into an oncoming vehicle
and wreak incalculable damage in an instant?
Increasingly, the answer to such a roadway reality that plays out with
sad repetition on streets and highways across Indiana and the rest of
the country is narrow and specific.
Once again,
distracted driving is the culprit. The reasons for that are widely varied, and we have underscored
them in prior blog posts at the proven Indianapolis personal injury
Tabor Law Firm. Maybe a negligent driver was engaged in eating or grooming activities.
Perhaps he or she was texting (that is a flat taboo under Indiana law).
Maybe the kids were acting up. Some drivers seem to focus every bit as
much on various mobile apps while driving as they do on the traffic that
surrounds them.
And some motorists are, well, working. Literally. Legions of drivers view
their vehicles as workplace extensions, focusing on job-related activities
while commuting and during other behind-the-wheel moments.
The results of that new American norm have unsurprisingly been devastating
for the motoring public. Government-supplied data indicate that
road accidents involving individuals focused on work matters are a huge and ever-growing national problem.
One central bottom line regarding injuries inflicted on innocent parties
owing to another motorist’s distracted driving relates to liability.
Evidence following an accident can show that a driver was focused on job
matters at the time a crash occurred. That fact can logically — and rightly
— widen the scope of damage liability to include an employer.
A knowledgeable and aggressive personal injury legal team will always focus
closely on all the parties who share responsibility for damages suffered by an
accident victim. Such a focus ensures that culpability is properly assigned and that a
victim and family members receive the maximum compensation that they are
entitled to.
We welcome
questions or concerns regarding this important subject matter at Tabor Law, as well as the opportunity
to discuss the strong advocacy we routinely bring to bear on behalf of
our valued clients.