Your life can change in a second after being struck by a distracted driver. When it does, having a Pittsburgh distracted driving accident lawyer on your side can make all the difference.
Driving requires various types of focus, including keeping your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and your mind focused on driving. When a driver fails to do any of these actions and causes a car accident, the injury victim has the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against that driver. Our award-winning car accident lawyers have won millions of dollars in compensation for our clients injured in distracted driving cases, and are ready to fight for a similar verdict on your behalf.
If you or a loved one has experienced a motor vehicle accident that involves a distracted driver in Pittsburgh, you may be eligible for compensation. Contact one of the experienced Pittsburgh distracted driving accident attorneys at Munley Law today for a free case evaluation and learn how we can help protect your rights.
Call Us At 844-686-5397 What Is Distracted Driving?
Anyone who has driven in Pittsburgh knows how difficult driving can be when you are paying attention. We know all too well about the “Pittsburgh Left” after all. Now imagine trying to drive through the city with your eyes closed. That is exactly what you’re doing when you drive while distracted.
Distracted driving is an umbrella term that refers to anything that takes a driver’s attention away from driving. Becoming distracted can lead to car accidents; in fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 9 people die every day in the US from car accidents that involve a distracted driver.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 5% of all drivers involved in deadly road accidents in 2024 were reported as being distracted at the time of these crashes. In Pennsylvania, distracted driving led to 9,687 accidents and 43 deaths that same year, as per PennDOT’s Crash Facts and Statistics Report.
PA Courts notes that Pennsylvania drivers were issued 9,782 distracted driving offenses between 2021 and 2025, with 60% of these offenders in their 20s and 30s. Allegheny County and Berks County had the highest shares of these offenses, each accounting for 9% of the total citations issued.
Types of Distracted Driving
There are three main types of distraction:
- Visual: Visual distraction is something that takes the driver’s eyes off the road, such as texting.
- Manual: Manual distraction means the driver is taking their hands off the wheel, perhaps to fiddle with the radio or type an email.
- Cognitive: Cognitive distraction means the driver is mentally distracted from the act of driving; this could be caused by something like a heated argument with someone else in the car, or the driver simply letting their mind wander.
Anything that takes a driver’s eyes or mind off the road, or their hands off the wheel, can be considered distracted driving. Some common distractions while driving include texting, emailing, making a phone call, eating, applying makeup, changing the radio or selecting music from a phone, setting a destination in a GPS system, and being distracted by other passengers in the car.
While it may seem inconsequential to take a moment to read a text, the results can in fact be disastrous. If a car is traveling at a speed of 55 miles per hour, a driver simply glancing away for a few seconds to read or send a text is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with their eyes closed.
Distracted driving crashes can cause lifelong injuries and even death, with more than 315,167 Americans injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024 and 3,208 lives lost, according to the NHTSA. All drivers need to be cognizant of how important it is to avoid visual, manual, and cognitive distractions.
How Can You Prove Fault in a Pittsburgh Distracted Driving Car Accident?
Generally, there are a few steps to proving fault in a distracted driving car accident or any personal injury case:
- The plaintiff must show that the defendant owed them a duty of care. In the case of a car accident, all drivers are responsible for driving safely and reasonably, and therefore owe a duty of care to all other drivers and pedestrians.
- The plaintiff must show that the defendant violated this duty of care. In a distracted driving car accident, the defendant would have violated the duty of care by exhibiting distraction behind the wheel, leading them to drive recklessly.
- This violation directly caused injuries. In other words, distracted driving directly resulted in an accident, which caused the victim to experience injuries.
- These injuries resulted in measurable losses. The victim and their auto accident lawyer need to show that these injuries resulted in losses, such as medical bills, lost wages from needing to take time off work to recover, and more.
An experienced Pittsburgh distracted driving accident lawyer will know exactly how to prove fault in your distracted driving crash case. The lawyers at Munley Law have nearly 70 years of experience handling these complex cases and have won record settlements totaling more than $1 billion for our clients to date.
Our legal acumen has also earned us invitations to respected directories, including the American Board of Trial Advocates, the American Association for Justice, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association, underscoring our dedication to achieving favorable outcomes for those injured in accidents in Pittsburgh and beyond.
Do I Need a Pittsburgh Car Accident Lawyer for My Claim?
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident that involved a distracted driver, one of the best paths toward justice and compensation is working with a car accident lawyer. These cases can be difficult to prove, and it’s crucial that you have an experienced accident attorney on your side. The defendant and their accident attorney may attempt to argue that it was not the defendant’s distractedness, but rather some other condition that caused the accident and your ensuing injuries. Your personal injury attorney will work to prove that this is not the case and that the defendant’s distracted driving did indeed cause your injuries.
Your lawyer will work to collect evidence that establishes the fault of the other party and the extent of your injuries. If, for instance, you’re seeking to prove that the at-fault driver was texting at the time of the accident, your lawyer may pull their phone records. CCTV footage, witness accounts, police reports, and more can all help to establish the course of events. Medical bills and evidence of wages can also help to show both the extent of your injuries and the financial impact they’ve had on you.
In addition to collecting evidence, your car accident attorney will also liaise with the relevant insurance companies, negotiate on your behalf, and work to ensure you receive compensation that accurately reflects your experience.
The attorneys at Munley Law are also board-certified in Civil Trial Law and Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, possessing the skill to represent your case in court if necessary. Our legal achievements have been recognized by Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, and Best Lawyers, by which Marion Munley has been named Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation.
Munley Law Can Help You After a Car Accident in Pittsburgh
If you or a loved one has experienced a motor vehicle accident of any kind, you deserve both justice and compensation. At Munley Law, we know that the aftermath of a car accident can be a traumatic and overwhelming time, in which you’ll need to focus on resting, recovering, and getting back to the life you love. The last thing you want to worry about is the intricacies of a motor vehicle accident case. That’s where we come in: our Pittsburgh car accident lawyers will do all the heavy lifting, so you can prioritize getting better.
We know you have plenty of choices when you’re picking a Pittsburgh car accident lawyer, but we believe that our track record speaks for itself. We have decades of experience securing settlements for our clients, and we treat every case with the care, compassion, and attention it deserves.
Our partners are regarded as some of the state’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and J. Christopher Munley’s rank as one of the Top 25 Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania allows us to provide you with expert representation and support. We are the only law firm in Pennsylvania with three lawyers board-certified in Truck Accident Law, and Marion Munley and Daniel Munley are both certified by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys to handle commercial vehicle accident cases.
Frequently Asked Questions About Distracted Driving Accidents in Pittsburgh, PA
How Long Do I Have to File a Distracted Driving Accident Claim in Pittsburgh?
Pennsylvania generally gives you two years from the date of your distracted driving accident in which to file your personal injury claim. It’s essential to meet this deadline to preserve your right to seek compensation.
What Types of Compensation Can I Seek in My Distracted Driving Crash Case?
You may be eligible for compensation that covers your medical and rehabilitation expenses, loss of income, personal property damage, and pain and suffering after a distracted driving crash. In some cases, punitive damages could also be awarded. The amount that you could receive will be based on the unique specifics of your case and the extent of your injuries and losses.
How Can I Prove That Distracted Driving Caused My Accident and Injuries?
When distracted driving leads to an accident, the cause is not always obvious. Many distracted driving crash cases require evidence such as CCTV footage, phone records, and statements from witnesses to prove that the at-fault driver was on their phone or otherwise not paying attention to the road. This is why gathering evidence, such as witness testimonies and contact details, at the accident scene is one of the first things you should do after reporting your accident to law enforcement.
What Happens If the Person Who Caused My Injuries Denies Driving While Distracted?
Many drivers who cause accidents while driving distracted will deny their wrongdoing. An experienced distracted driving lawyer will collect evidence from sources such as witness testimonies, accident reconstruction reports, and phone data logs to prove that the person who injured you was at fault.
The Insurance Company Offered Me a Settlement for My Distracted Driving Accident Injuries – Should I Take It?
It’s important not to accept any settlements from your insurance company – or to give them any detailed recounts or statements about your crash – without first speaking to your lawyer. Insurance companies will almost certainly try to minimize your claim and pay you less than you are entitled to.
Contact Munley Law’s Pittsburgh Car Crash Attorneys Today
Don’t hesitate. Contact Munley Law today to schedule a free case evaluation and learn how we can protect your rights.
We’re ready and waiting to take your call.
Daniel W. Munley
Daniel W. Munley is an award-winning auto accident lawyer and advocate for auto accident victims. Widely recognized as a national leader when it comes to truck and rideshare accident cases, Daniel has been rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, alongside being named to Best Lawyers in America since 2013 and in 2020. Daniel has helped recover millions for injured auto accident victims, such as a $17.5 million jury verdict for a teen death caused by a car accident, and another $4.4 million settlement reached for car accident case. As well as this, Daniel has advocated for victims through speaking arrangements such as “Pennsylvania Practice Program: Auto and Trucking Cases.”
