Sevierville Distracted Driving Car Accident Lawyer

man looking at mobile phone while driving

Cars are so fundamental to our daily lives that it is easy to take them for granted. However, it is essential for all motorists to understand their enormous responsibility every time they get into the driver’s seat. An automobile’s sheer size and power can do severe damage in the event of a collision, which is why drivers must keep their full attention on the road at all times.

Drivers today have more potential distractions than ever before. Many people frequently make phone calls, send texts, adjust entertainment systems, and look up directions while driving. These are not harmless habits but matters of life and death, not just for the distracted driver but everyone on the road around them. Nor are these dangers foreign to the Sevierville area. Over 3,000 accidents involving distracted drivers in Sevier County occurred during one recent 10-year period.

If you have been injured in a car accident and a distracted driver was at fault, The Terry Law Firm can help you seek the compensation you deserve. We are a small-town firm with big-city know-how. Our lawyers have been protecting injured people in East Tennessee since 1960.

Contact us today to speak with a Sevierville distracted driving car accident lawyer at no cost to you and find out how we can help you demand the compensation you’re owed.

What Is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving is operating a motor vehicle while simultaneously doing something that diverts your attention away from the road. The three broad types of distracted driving include:

  • Cognitive – Cognitive distractions take a driver’s mind off the task of driving. That may occur due to a conversation with another passenger, daydreaming, or listening to music too loudly, for example.
  • Visual – Visual distractions take a driver’s eyes off the road. That may include searching for something in or around the vehicle, looking at a GPS device, or watching a video on a cell phone, for example.
  • Manual – Manual distractions take a driver’s hands off the wheel. Common manual distractions include eating or drinking while driving, reaching around the interior, and handling a phone.

Texting is particularly dangerous because it involves all three categories of distractions.

Sevierville Distracted Driving Laws

Tennessee law restricts the use of cell phones while driving. The law states that a driver may not:

  • Handle or hold a cell phone with any part of their body
  • Write, send, or read any text-based communications
  • Reach for a cell phone if doing so requires shifting from the seat or unbuckling their seatbelt
  • Watch, record, or broadcast a video or movie on a cell phone or mobile device.

Exceptions allow hands-free calling and voice-to-text messaging for those over 18.

Types of Distracted Driving Frequently Involved in Crashes

Some of the most common types of distracted driving that result in collisions include:

  • Texting
  • Talking on the phone
  • Posting on social media
  • Using a GPS device
  • Using a tablet or laptop
  • Operating the radio or car infotainment system
  • Grooming oneself, such as applying makeup or adjusting hair
  • Reading
  • Eating or drinking
  • Speaking with passengers, particularly while turning to look at them
  • Interacting with pets in the car

Drivers who allow these distractions to remove their attention from the road can be held liable for the injuries and other losses they cause in the event of a collision.

Common Types of Car Accidents Resulting from Driver Distraction

When a driver’s full attention is not on the road, the distraction can result in many types of crashes, including:

How to Prove Distracted Driving in Sevierville

Proving that a driver was distracted in the moments leading up to a collision requires strong evidence. Eyewitness testimony is one potentially critical source of evidence of distracted driving. Behaviors that indicate distraction include drifting out of the lane, swerving, or running stop lights. If another person saw any of these things happen right before the accident, their testimony can support the agreement that the driver was distracted.

If passengers were in the driver’s vehicle at the time, they might be required to testify about whether the driver was using their cell phone or GPS device or was otherwise distracted in the moments leading up to the collision.

Eyewitnesses are not the only potential source of evidence. Others might include the driver’s cell phone records or external surveillance videos. Some commercial vehicles are equipped with a black box that records activity such as driver steering, acceleration, and braking inputs. If this data indicates that the driver did not behave as they should have right before an accident occurred, it could suggest that the driver was distracted.

The legal team at The Terry Law Firm has the experience and skill to gather and preserve various evidence that can prove that the other driver was distracted and that these distractions led to your injuries.

Contact an Experienced Sevierville Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you were injured in an accident a distracted driver caused, you could be entitled to compensation for the losses they caused you – losses like medical bills, lost income, pain, and suffering. You should not be forced to deal with the financial consequences of a collision that was not your fault.

The Terry Law Firm is a small-town firm with big-city know-how that has been helping injured people in Tennessee seek the compensation they deserve since 1960. Our attorneys have more than a half-century of legal experience and are prepared to give your case the individual attention you deserve. Because we work on contingency and charge no fees for initial consultations, there is no upfront cost to discussing your case with us and securing our services.

Contact us today to speak with an experienced Sevierville car accident lawyer today and find out what we can do for you.

Car Accidents

How Do I Pay for My Car Accident Injuries?

If you have been involved in a car wreck case, there are generally three (3) avenues for payment of medical expenses. 

  1. The first and most common method of payment is for persons who have been injured to pay for their medical care with their own health insurance. This does not create any problems and, in fact, most of the time this is what we recommend at The Terry Law Firm.
  2. Persons involved in car wreck cases can use something referred to as “med pay” to pay for some of their medical bills associated with their car wreck case. “Med pay” coverage is coverage afforded by your automobile insurance to pay for injuries sustained in the car wreck. 
  3. Occasionally, persons will be on the job working when they are injured in a car wreck. In these circumstances, sometimes it is best to use workers’ compensation to pay for your injuries sustained in a car wreck.  

If one of these methods is not available to you, contact The Terry Law Firm at our Morristown, Greeneville, or Sevierville office.

Will My Insurance Rates Go Up If I Use Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Under Tennessee law, insurance carriers cannot raise your insurance as a result of a person utilizing their uninsured motorist coverage. Tennessee law states explicitly that if you are in an accident that is no fault of your own, your insurance carrier cannot raise your insurance rates due to your use of uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage that you purchased.