Top 5 Texting related accident stories for August 2010

Posted on 27. Aug, 2010 by marklink in blog

The following are the top 5 texting accident related stories and Georgia personal injury law.

1. Was Dr. Frank Ryans auto accident related to texting and driving?

Other news reports are surfacing and asking if Dr. Frank Ryans Jeep Wrangler accident was caused by his texting and driving. Associatedcontent.com reported:

It is still uncertain if the Highway Patrol officers verified that Dr. Ryan was texting while driving at the time of his deadly car accident — or if their statements should be interpreted to mean that he was texting at some point before his accident. Even so, it is entirely clear that texting can kill.

Another Celebrity blog, Switched reported the following:

“He lived up in Malibu on a tiny street and he was texting while driving and he accidentally went over the cliff,” says Blake, who is also a celebrity publicist. Blake went on to say that investigators have already told Ryan’s family that the doctor’s tweeting caused the accident, although the California Highway Patrol has yet to declare an official cause.

Until the official police report is released indicating the cause of this accident, much speculation will exist if Dr. Ryan was texting and driving. As an Atlanta law firm, we feel it is important to thoroughly investigate an accident in order to determine the cause(s).

2.Pittsburgh accident tied to texting and driving

The pittsburgh Morning Sun news website reported:

The driver, Roy Hough, 39, Miller, Mo., had been ejected from the car and was taken by helicopter to St. John’s Medical Center in Joplin, Mo., for his injuries. It was determined after the accident that the crash had been caused when Hough was texting on his cell phone and went off the roadway on the east side, overcorrected and lost control of the car.

3. Metrolink offers $200-million settlement in Chatsworth rail disaster

The Metrolink train accident that occurred in 2008 killed 25 people. The cause of the accident was determined to be texting while operating the train by the conductor. Federal law currently caps liability claims related to train accidents at $200 Million, however claimants in this case may seek more.

The proposed settlement fund, if approved by the courts, would relieve Metrolink and private contractor Connex Railroad of any additional liability, which federal law currently caps at a total of $200 million for passenger rail accidents.

4. Texas Considering Ban on Texting while driving

A recent news story reported by the Sun News out of Texas indicated Texas legislatures are considering some form of texting while driving ban bill. The same story reported the most significant decrease in motor vehicle accident related fatalities since 1993. Additional legislation may bring the number even lower.

“The dangers associated with distracted driving cannot be ignored. It is expected the Texas Legislature, during the upcoming 2011 session, will consider bills that would place greater restrictions on the use of wireless communication devices and Texting While Driving. AAA Texas fully supports stronger restrictions.”

5. Oklahoma: Threat of texting while driving deserves more attention

On a Sunday in July, Dallas Hutchinson, 23, died in a car accident that happened, officers think, because Dallas was texting and driving. It was also reported the Oklahoma legislature was considering a ban on texting bill, however, the bill was never passed and signed. The mother of the boy killed in this accident is considering a campaign to convince legislatures to continue the effort to raise the ban on texting and driving.

Commercial vehicle operators are currently banned from texting and driving by federal transportation laws. However, many states in the U.S. currently do not have any legislation addressing the issue. Does your state have a law that bans texting while driving?

If you or someone you know is involved in a texting realted accident, call our office today to make sure your rights are protected.

For a FREE consultation with our attorneys concerning your accident, call 1-888-315-8840

Tags: Dr. Frank Ryan, georgia personal injury lawyer, texting accidents, texting attorney