Brampton Distracted Driving Lawyer
Distracted driving is at an all-time high. Many Canadian drivers use cell phones to text, browse the internet, and open phone apps while driving. Now, most new cars come with electronic maps and apps that further distract Ontario drivers. It only takes seconds to cause a car accident. Within moments of a driver looking down to adjust his or her car’s electronic map, a tragic car accident could occur. Sadly, many Brampton motor vehicle accidents happen as a result of distracted driving. Even though the province of Ontario has recently enacted legislation intended to prevent distracted driving, drivers continue to drive while distracted.
We Are an Experienced Brampton Distracted Driver Accident Injury Lawyers
If another driver’s distracted driving caused your injury, Preszler Injury Lawyers is here to help you. If someone else’s distracted driving caused the accident in which you suffered an injury, you might have a personal injury claim under relevant Canadian law. Our lawyers will conduct a thorough investigation into the accident that caused your injuries.
We will comb through the police records and investigate how the distracted driver may have caused your car accident. If necessary to your case, we may hire skilled accident reconstruction experts and others to testify as to the fault of the distracted driver. Whether your car accident caused a traumatic brain injury, a spinal cord injury, a fracture, or any other injury, we will fight for your right to compensation. Those who negligently drive while distracted should face the consequences. We will help you hold distracted drivers responsible by filing a compelling claim for compensation.
Ontario’s Strict Distracted Driving Laws Do Not Prevent All Distracted Driving
In 2009, the Ontario Government enacted laws making it illegal to email, dial, type, or text while driving, unless the driver uses an entirely hands-free device. On January 1, 2019, the government raised the existing fines and penalties for distracted driving in Ontario.
Currently, first-time distracted driving offenders must pay a fine of up to $1,000. They will also receive three demerit points on their licenses with a three-day license suspension. Repeat offenders face even more severe consequences, including fines of up to $3,000, a 30-day license suspension and six license demerit points.
Distracted Driving Was the Primary Cause of Deaths on Ontario Roads in 2018
It is unlikely that Ontario’s newer penalties will prevent car accidents caused by distracted driving. Ontario Provincial Police reported that in 2018, distracted driving continued to be the number one cause of deaths on Ontario roads. Any of the following practices may constitute distracted driving:
- Eating while driving
- Drinking while driving
- Reading while driving
- Using your phone to text, call, or look at apps while driving
- Using your car’s electronic map or GPS while driving
- Talking on the phone while driving
- Putting makeup or lotion on while driving
- Becoming distracted by animals or children in the car
- Looking outside at a person, object, or event too long
- Reading road signs
- Talking to passengers while driving
- Trying to stop a child or animal from moving while driving
- Reaching for something while driving
In 2016, 65 people died in Ontario as a result of distracted driving. This number is likely lower than the actual amount of fatalities because distracted driving can be difficult to prove at times. In any event, distracted driving is a primary cause of car accidents resulting in severe injuries and deaths.
Common Injuries Caused By Distracted Drivers
Distracted driving can cause severe car accidents that result in serious injuries or death to other drivers. The potential injuries from a severe car accident are endless. When the body receives a forceful blow, even drivers and passengers wearing seat belts can suffer injuries. Serious car accident injuries include the following:
- Serious bone fractures
- Spinal disc herniation
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Injuries to cognitive abilities
- Tendon, joint, and ligament injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Lacerations of the skin
- Skin burns
- Permanent disfigurement
- Limb amputations
- Vital organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Anxiety
- Shock
- Depression
- Sleep disorders
- Death
Car Accidents Due to Distracted Driving Can Cause Shock
You may have been in a car accident caused by a distracted driver and wonder about the severity of your injuries. The full extent of car accident injuries often does not become apparent until after the accident. After a traumatizing event, the body will often block pain as a result of shock.
If you have recently experienced a car accident and are experiencing shock, please seek medical attention immediately. Left untreated, you may suffer permanent organ damage or even death. The various symptoms of shock after a car accident include:
- Enlarged pupils
- Fatigue or weakness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Rapid pulse
- Rapid Pulse
- Clammy, pale, or ashen skin
- Changes in mental state or behavior
When the shock wears off, the full extent of the pain and suffering caused by the car accident become more apparent. In the case of soft tissue, tendon, and connective tissue damage, you may not feel the full extent of the pain for a few days or even weeks. That is why it is vital to seek legal help from skilled distracted driving personal injury lawyers.
We will make sure you receive a comprehensive medical examination by a skilled physician. Many times, defense lawyers seek to minimize the plaintiff’s injuries. The Preszler Injury Lawyers team offers a network of experts who can testify as to the nature of the suffering caused by our client’s injuries.
Legal Help for Injuries Sustained in an Ontario Distracted Driving Incident
If you or someone you love has suffered an injury as a result of another driver’s distracted driving, Preszler Injury Lawyers can help. Successful plaintiffs can receive compensation for economic damages, pain and suffering, and loss of income. We work on a contingency basis; you will not need to pay us unless we win or settle your claim. To schedule your free Brampton, Ontario, legal consultation, contact us today.