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Lawsuit places blame for car accidents on smartphone manufacturer

On Behalf of | Oct 3, 2016 | Car Accidents

Even Apple Inc. foresaw the dangers of distracted driving: In 2008 it filed for a patent for technology that locks out a driver’s phone to prevent certain functions, such as texting.

In the patent application, Apple expressed doubt that law enforcement would be able to curb the widespread problem of texting behind the wheel. The patent application also stated that teenage drivers understood the dangers of distracted driving but apparently couldn’t resist the temptation.

Was Apple being overly cautious? Unfortunately not. According to a recent article, the current increase in driving fatalities has outpaced the past 50 years. In fact, Tennessee drivers should take particular note: Our state ranked as one of the worst in the country for distracted driving offenders, according to data compiled by the National Safety Council.

There are already laws against distracted driving. Can anything more be done? The plaintiffs in a recently filed product liability lawsuit against Apple believe so. The lawsuit claims that the tech company should have applied the lockout technology to its products. The legal theory is certainly interesting, but as a personal injury law firm that has helped many crash victims and their loved ones, we know that there is a larger problem.

Although lockout technology might help, there are many other ways that a driver can be negligent. Our attorneys have the experience to help a victim of another driver’s negligence pursue compensation for injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. We work with experts in accident reconstruction to prepare a compelling narrative, illustrating where the negligent driver breached his or her duty of safe driving.

Source: The New York Times, “Phone Makers Could Cut Off Drivers. So Why Don’t They?” Matt Richtel, Sept. 24, 2016

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