Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers in Baltimore, MD
Distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of traffic collisions throughout Baltimore and the surrounding areas, resulting in severe injuries and preventable deaths.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one due to a distracted driver’s negligence, schedule a free case evaluation with a distracted driving accident lawyer at Greenberg Law Offices.
For over 60 years, our firm has been serving the citizens of Maryland, securing millions for injury victims and their families.
What Is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving occurs when a motorist diverts attention away from the primary task of operating a vehicle safely.
Any activity that takes a driver’s focus away from the road, takes their hands off the wheel, or takes their mind off driving-related decisions constitutes a dangerous distraction.
Types of Distracted Driving
Understanding distracted driving helps illustrate how seemingly minor actions create substantial hazards on Maryland roadways. Distractions are categorized into four primary types.
Visual
Visual distractions occur when drivers take their eyes off the roadway to look at objects, devices, or events outside their field of travel.
Reading text messages, checking navigation systems, or attending to passengers diverts visual attention away from traffic conditions and potential hazards.
Cognitive
Cognitive distractions occur when a driver’s attention is diverted from driving to unrelated thoughts or conversations unrelated to the task at hand.
Daydreaming, engaging in heated discussions, or focusing on personal worries can impair the ability to process road conditions and make safe, informed decisions regarding speed, distance, and traffic.
Manual
Manual distractions happen when drivers remove one or both hands from the steering wheel to perform other tasks.
Eating, drinking, adjusting controls, reaching for objects, or grooming diverts physical control away from the vehicle at moments when immediate steering corrections might prevent collisions.
Auditory
Auditory distractions draw a driver’s hearing away from important sounds that indicate road conditions or potential dangers. Loud music, phone conversations, or other noise can prevent drivers from hearing emergency sirens, honking horns, or other signals of mechanical problems with their vehicles.
Maryland Laws on Distracted Driving
Under Maryland Transportation Code § 21-1124.2, drivers are prohibited from using handheld phones—for talking, texting, or electronic messaging—while their vehicles are in motion, resulting in fines and points being added to their driving records for violations.
Drivers who cause a serious injury or death while violating the law can face a misdemeanor charge, a fine of up to $5,000, and/or up to a one-year jail sentence.
Steps to Take Immediately After a Distracted Driving Accident
Protecting your health and legal rights requires prompt action following a collision caused by an inattentive motorist. Taking appropriate steps at the scene and in the days immediately following the crash can strengthen your potential claim:
- Call 911 to report the crash.
- Seek immediate medical evaluation even if injuries seem minor.
- Document the scene with photographs and videos.
- Collect contact information from witnesses.
- Obtain the other driver’s insurance and license details.
- Avoid discussing fault or making recorded statements to insurance companies.
- Preserve evidence of the other driver’s distraction.
- Contact a Baltimore distracted driving accident lawyer.
These measures establish a foundation for your claim and prevent insurance companies from exploiting gaps in documentation. Meeting with an attorney early can stop you from making statements or decisions that could undermine your recovery.
How Is Liability Proven in Maryland Distracted Driving Cases?
Establishing that a distracted driver caused your collision requires substantial evidence demonstrating their negligence and the resulting harm.
Our Maryland car accident lawyers gather and present multiple forms of proof to build compelling cases:
- Cell phone records of the driver.
- Witness testimony.
- Police reports.
- Traffic and dashcam footage.
- Vehicle data from event data recorders or black boxes.
- Social media activity timestamped at the time of the collision.
- Accident reconstruction reports.
Maryland Transportation Code § 21-1124.3 prohibits texting while driving, and violations of this statute can establish negligence per se in civil cases.
Our legal team thoroughly investigates each car accident case to uncover all available evidence that demonstrates the defendant’s inattention caused your injuries.
Compensation After a Distracted Driving Accident in Baltimore
Victims of distracted driving crashes often face substantial financial burdens alongside physical and emotional trauma.
Maryland law allows injured parties to pursue compensation for their financial and intangible losses, which include:
- Medical expenses.
- Future medical costs.
- Lost wages.
- Reduced earning capacity.
- Property and vehicle damage.
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of enjoyment of life activities.
- Disability or disfigurement.
- Wrongful death damages for surviving family members.
Maximum recovery depends on the severity of your injuries, the strength of evidence against the distracted driver, and the available insurance coverage.
Our firm fights to secure full compensation that addresses both immediate needs and long-term consequences of your injuries.
How Insurance Companies Handle Distracted Driving Claims
Insurance companies prioritize their own financial interests over the well-being of injury victims seeking fair compensation. Understanding their tactics prepares you for the challenges ahead and highlights the value of experienced legal counsel.
Common insurance company strategies include:
- Minimizing payouts.
- Shifting blame.
- Delaying resolution.
- Denying valid claims.
- Claiming a pre-existing condition caused your injuries, not the auto accident.
- Pressuring for recorded statements to use against you.
Our attorneys understand these tactics and counter them with aggressive advocacy that protects your interests. At Greenberg Law Offices, we handle all communications with insurers, ensuring they cannot exploit your statements or circumstances to their advantage.
Why Hire a Baltimore Distracted Driving Accident Attorney?
An attorney helps you seek fair compensation and reduce stress during a difficult time. Professional advocacy addresses the complex legal and practical challenges that accident victims face.
Benefits of hiring our firm include:
Thorough Investigation
Our distracted driving accident lawyers employ investigators, accident reconstructionists, and medical professionals who gather evidence, analyze crash dynamics, and establish the full extent of your damages.
A comprehensive investigation builds cases that insurers cannot easily dispute or dismiss.
Skilled Negotiation
Our lawyers negotiate from positions of strength, presenting well-documented claims that demonstrate the true value of your case.
We refuse lowball settlement offers and push for compensation that fully addresses your losses.
Trial Experience
When insurance companies refuse reasonable settlements, we possess the courtroom experience to present compelling cases before juries.
Our willingness to litigate motivates insurers to offer fair settlements rather than risk unfavorable verdicts.
No Upfront Costs
We handle distracted driving cases on contingency fee arrangements, meaning you pay nothing in attorney fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Legal representation becomes accessible regardless of your financial situation.
Six decades of service to Maryland residents have equipped our team with the knowledge, resources, and reputation necessary to fight for you and your family.
We treat each client with respect and dedication, fighting relentlessly for maximum recovery.
As one client wrote:
“I convey my appreciation and my confidence that Greenberg Law has earned during my time of need, at very challenging times, involving very unsettling moments in my life. Auto collisions are and can be such a life altering experience, which can leave you in a whirlwind of chaos, Greenberg Law was there to assure that chaos didn’t take over my life. They’re professionalism, they’re availability, they’re transparency in communicating with me regarding the status of my cases were both encouraging and reassuring. I would and will choose Greenberg Law again & again if the need should arise. Again ” Thank You ” very much for conveying that I the client was your number one priority.”