Distracted driving is a common issue in many states. It leads to numerous accidents, injuries, and deaths. With the advent of smartphones, truck drivers’ attention often becomes diverted from the road.
Our law firm has experience handling cases involving texting and driving truck accidents in Nashville. If you are a victim of this type of collision, consult with our experienced attorneys at Ponce Law today about your rights and potential compensation.
Tennessee enacted a hands-free law that took effect in July 2019 and prohibits the use of handheld devices for texting or calling while driving. Tennessee Code Annotated § 55-8-199 makes it illegal for drivers to hold a cell phone with any part of their body and send or read texts.
There are stricter rules for truck operators and other commercial drivers due to federal regulations the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has enacted. The laws ban texting and restrict the use of handheld devices for any purpose while operating trucks.
If you were injured in a Nashville texting and driving truck collision, our attorneys can help you understand how these state and federal laws apply to your case.
Truck drivers who text while driving can cause various types of accidents with potentially serious outcomes. One common occurrence is that a distracted big-rig driver does not see that traffic in front of them has slowed down and hits a stopped vehicle from behind. Other occurrences include lane changes leading to sideswipes or even head-on collisions when truck drivers drift into oncoming traffic.
Due to trucks’ size and weight, these crashes often result in significant vehicular damage and severe injuries or death. Texting and driving truck accidents tend to have more serious effects on busy highways and city streets in Nashville, where there is dense traffic.
Proving who is legally responsible for Nashville texting and driving truck wrecks requires evidence such as eyewitness accounts, cell phone records, surveillance footage, and accident reconstruction analysis. If you are a victim of this type of accident, please consider scheduling a consultation with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys.
Injured parties in texting and driving truck crashes in Nashville have legal options for seeking justice and compensation. Our team’s first step in investigating this type of accident involves gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and analyzing relevant documentation to establish who is at fault.
Next, we assess the full extent of the damages, which may include:
We may negotiate with insurance companies to reach fair settlements that adequately compensate you for your losses. If a settlement cannot be reached, the case may proceed to court.
The consequences of Nashville texting and driving truck accidents include more than just physical injuries. They also include emotional trauma and financial problems and can affect the victims’ and their families’ future lives. Healing after such a tragic occurrence can take a long time and may involve a lot of time-consuming and expensive medical appointments.
When a victim of this type of accident dies, their relatives have to find ways to cope with their loved one’s sudden absence while struggling financially. The survivors usually suffer mental distress because someone else’s carelessness has robbed them of their happiness.
Drivers who text while operating large trucks have become a major problem on today’s highways, and their behavior can be disastrous. There have been many texting and driving truck accidents in Nashville, which is a busy urban area with a lot of business activities that involve huge commercial vehicles.
If you have been injured in this type of crash, call Ponce Law today to take legal action.