The warnings against distracted driving have existed since cellphones have existed. The most important change in the last decade is cellphones have morphed into “smart” handheld devices. That change has moved injuries from the driver’s seat to so many other places.
Researchers at Rutgers have reviewed information from a national sample of emergency room visits and the data suggests that thousands of head and neck injuries happen each year due cellphone use. These injuries happen while walking, driving a car, riding a bike, on an amusement park ride and even lying in bed! Many of these injuries happen when we aren’t using our phone as a phone. The reality is many people consider the phones ability to make phones calls a seldom used app and little more.
More than 9000 cases per year show up for medical care due to being injured with their or someone else’s cell phone. The exact number of pedestrian vs. motorist injuries is unclear as the details provided to the emergency room are sometimes incomplete. So what are these people doing that spurs these injury reports? Texting, posting on social media, looking at Instagram, shopping and live streaming. Many of these activities happen when the person is walking and even when they’re driving on a crowded roadway they are sharing with you!
Researchers agree the numbers are grossly under reported because the numbers don’t include visits to urgent care facilities, primary care physicians and those who cared for injuries on their own. The researchers estimate the actual number to be 76,000 injuries with 31,000 accidents happening at home and 13,000 injuries happening behind the wheel of a car. Lacerations and contusions were the most common complaints although sprains, fractures and concussions also made the list. The common factor in these injuries is distraction which causes a direct injury to the face, a fall or a car crash.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when they refuse to follow the law. We help with serious issues that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth. We have almost 60 years of experience in our plaintiff’s only law firm. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We Can Help!
