New Orleans Motor Vehicle Accident Law Blog

Unfortunately, distracted driving contributes to a number of car accidents. From 2011 to 2015, 192 victims were killed, and 26,077 victims were injured in Louisiana in distraction-related car accidents. Victims of distracted driving-related car accidents can suffer serious damages, including injuries or death. As a result, a distracted driving-related car accident can have a significant impact on victims and their families.

While cell phone use and texting while driving are the most familiar and commonly known types of distraction, any activity that removes the driver's hands from the steering wheel, eyes from the roadway and the focus and attention from the roadway and the task of driving are considered distracted driving. Specific examples of distracted driving include cell phone use while driving; accessing the internet while driving; texting while driving; operating a navigation device or radio while driving; engaging with passengers while driving; or eating or grooming while driving, among other behaviors.

Louisianan distracted driving is a serious concern on our roadways. It is important that victims of distracted driving accidents understand the protections available to them, if they have been injured in a distracted driving accident. Too many victims of distracted drivers, including motorcycle riders, suffer serious injuries and other types of harm because of the carelessness of a distracted driver.

A negligent distracted driver may be liable to compensate victims for their damages. Distracted driving includes engaging in any activity while driving that removes the driver's focus and attention from the roadway. It also includes manual distraction that removes the driver's hands from the wheel. All distracted driving is considered dangerous but texting while driving is considered especially dangerous because it removes the driver's focus, eyes and hands from the task of driving.

Truck accidents are serious accidents that can cause catastrophic injuries and death to victims. Serious injuries that can result from truck accidents can include brain injuries and spinal cord and back injuries. Because of the size disparity of semi-trucks compared to passenger vehicles they share the roadways with, victims of truck accidents hit in a passenger vehicle are more likely to sustain serious injuries than in some other types of accidents.

Victims of truck accidents may have their lives turned upside down by brain injuries, spinal cord and back injuries, broken bone injuries or soft tissue injuries all sustained in a truck accident. Victims may be left unable to work as they receive medical expenses to treat their injuries that may begin to pile up. As a result, personal injury legal options are available to help victims of truck accidents recover compensation for medical expenses, lost ages and pain and suffering damages.

The brain is the most complex organ in the body. Scientists argue that the brain may be the most complex system on earth. Its importance for the human body cannot be understated. Although the skull protects the brain, it is still vulnerable to injuries. Traumatic brain injuries are not uncommon during car accidents. Each year throughout the United States, including the New Orleans, area, there are approximately 1.7 million documented traumatic brain injuries.

Brain injuries typically come in two types, open and closed. Open head injuries are physically more obvious and can be catastrophic. They include instances where the skull itself has been fractured. Closed injuries can be less obvious, but they are usually not any less severe. Brain swelling or blood clots inside the brain, typically resulting from the brain impacting the inside of the skull are common results of a closed head injury.