Cleveland Texting And Driving
Trust our Ohio attorneys after your accident
Texting while driving is against the law in Ohio. Even so, many drivers break this law and read, write or send a texting while driving in Ohio. And when they do, many drivers end up causing serious car accidents because they’re not paying attention to everything around them.
If you or a loved one has been injured in accident caused by a texting driver in Ohio, you need to take immediate legal action to protect your rights. You need a law firm on your side that knows how the legal system works and knows what needs to be done. You need Merriman Legal, LLC.
Located in Cleveland and serving accident victims throughout Ohio, our experienced legal team has a strong track record of success. In case after case, we consistently obtain sizable settlements and verdicts for injury victims and their families. That’s why we want to meet with you.
Your legal rights
Ohio’s laws clearly state that all drivers cannot text while driving. For drivers under 18 years old, texting while driving is a primary offense, meaning a police officer can stop a younger driver and cite them for texting while driving.
For drivers over 18 years old in Ohio, texting while driving is secondary offense. That means the police officer can only stop a texting driver over 18 if the police officer observes the driver doing something else illegal.
But just because a driver seemed to be texting at the time of the accident, that doesn’t automatically mean that you will be fairly compensated for your accident. That’s because many drivers deny texting at the time of a crash. And that’s where we can help you.
The dangers of texting and driving
Although texting and driving is illegal in Ohio, some drivers still choose to put themselves and others at risk. When you're behind the wheel and you're texting, your attention is divided between your phone and the road. Not being fully focused on driving can lead to serious car accidents. Texting takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the steering wheel, and your mind off the task of driving.
Being distracted visually, manually, and mentally increases the risk of crashes and injuries. When texting and driving accidents do happen, the injuries tend to be more severe due to the increased impact speeds caused by delayed reactions or not even slowing down at all before crashing into another car. Texting and driving is even dangerous enough to result in fatal car accidents.
How to prove the other driver was on the phone
In Ohio, proving that the other driver was on the phone at the time of an accident can be challenging, as it often involves obtaining phone records and other evidence. To do this, you might need to:
- Request phone records: If you suspect the other driver was using their phone at the time of your accident, you can request their phone records. However, this usually requires help from an experienced lawyer.
- Witness testimonies: Eyewitnesses who saw the accident may have seen the other driver using their phone and can provide valuable testimony to support your claim.
- Police report: In some cases, it may already be known that the other driver was on their phone and the investigating police officer may have included this information in your official Ohio car accident police report.
- Video footage: If the accident was captured on surveillance cameras, dashcams, traffic cameras at an intersection or on a cellphone video recorded by nearby witnesses, this can be crucial evidence in support of your case.
- Expert testimony: Accident reconstruction specialists and other experts can provide insights based on the car accident evidence available for your case.
- Consult an attorney: An experienced car accident attorney can help you gather the necessary evidence your case needs to prove the other driver was on their phone and build a strong legal case.
We can help after your Cleveland texting while driving accident
As your attorney, we can demand to see the cellphone records for the driver who caused your crash. And if the driver or the driver’s cellphone company refuses to cooperate, we can take them to court and demand to see such records.
We also know how to analyze accident reports and search for evidence to build a stronger case. In addition, we regularly consult with experts in their field. We leave no stone unturned in pursuit of justice.
Find out how our legal team can help you after your texting while driving accident. Contact us and schedule your free case evaluation today. Best of all, you only have to pay us if we win your case. That’s because we work on a contingency fee basis.
