Distracted Driver Runs Red Light And Changes Client's Life Forever!

This is a case we resolved not too long ago. During litigation we were able to get the defendant to admitted that he ran the red light while looking down to check his cell phone. He was driving a large pickup and traveling over 50 mph. Our client was struck in the driver side of her smaller vehicle. She is lucky to be alive. She gave us permission to share this part of her story to help raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving.

At the collision scene she lost and then regained consciousness. She was transported by ambulance to the emergency room. After ten days she was moved from the Intensive Care Unit to the Transitional Care Unit. There she remained for the next two weeks.

After more than 3 weeks in the hospital, our client was discharged and transported by ambulance to her home. A hospital bed, commode, walker, cane and tub bench were delivered and setup in her downstairs living room. There she lived for the next 4 months.

After almost two years of litigation, the case was settled for the insurance policy limits. In addition to being in debt for almost $100,000 (and that’s after insurance paid most of the bills), she continues to experience ongoing problems relating to:

• Fractured clavicle at junction of the middle and distal thirds;
• Fractured left 10th and 11th ribs;
• Multiple pelvic fracture and sacral fracture- bilateral superior and inferior pubic rami fractures;
• Left-sided sacral fracture that appears to be impacted with extension into the first sacral foramen;
• Cerebral concussion resulting in short and long-term memory loss;
• Knee pain and discomfort in both right and left knees;
• Abrasion in the frontal region;
• Severe pain and residual tenderness over left chest wall, left rib cage and deformity, swelling and tenderness over left clavicle;
• Lower abdomen pain and tenderness in pubic area;
• Microscopic hematuria with 10-25 RBCs via foley catheter;
• Pain, tenderness and bruising over left elbow and lower extremities;
• Lung- left side pleural effusion and left-sided infiltrate;
• Bladder elevated by hematoma in pelvis bilaterally;
• Migraines

Today, our client experiences pain and discomfort every hour of every day. The pain together with her memory loss from head trauma constantly haunts her.

None of this would have happened had the defendant not been on his cell phone while driving.

The dangers of distracted driving are real

Each year 4,000-6,000 deaths and 400,000 to 600,000 injuries take place in the United States. Globally, the number of injuries are in the millions.

Every single second of the day in the United States, more than 600,000 vehicles are being operated by drivers with mobile devices in their hands. If that’s not startling enough, most people are surprised to learn that the average time a distracted driver takes his or her eyes off the road is about 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s the equivalent to traveling the distance of a football field blindfolded.

Please visit these to outstanding websites to learn more about how you can help raise awareness as to the dangers of distracted driving StopDD.Today and EndDD.org

If you’d like to support the efforts of our amazing community to raise awareness and stop distracted driving, please visit StopDD.Today, EndDD.org and use #StopDD and #EndDD on social. Thank you!