If a driver in Calvert County, MD, causes an auto accident because he or she is using a GPS device, injured victims have a legal right to make claims for compensation. Imagine, as an example, that the GPS device “tells” a driver to drive the wrong way on a one-way street. The driver follows the instructions, and this, then, causes an accident, and the victims are injured.

Based on legal decisions, the provider of the GPS service is not liable. The service provider is merely providing information, but the driver is responsible for how the information is used. In our example, broadly speaking, there are at least three ways that the driver can be held legally liable:

• Distracted driver theory — a driver fiddling with or looking at the GPS device or using a GPS phone app is not fully focused on the road, he or she might be looking down, and might miss signage, or might not see what other drivers are doing
• Failure to exercise caution theory — even while using a GPS, the driver still has a duty to drive safely; blindly following GPS instructions is not safe driving
• Failure to obey traffic laws theory — even while using a GPS, the driver still has a duty to obey traffic laws; blindly following GPS instructions is not traffic law-compliant driving

Basically, under Maryland law, drivers owe duties to each other while using the highways. These duties include a general duty of care and more specific duties like the duty to obey traffic laws. The duty of care includes related duties such as the duty to drive while not being distracted, to drive while not being sleep-deprived, etc.

As noted, when a Calvert County, Maryland, auto accident is caused by the negligence of one driver, victims who are injured can make claims for compensation. These claims are based on the failure of the at-fault driver to honor the duties owed. Thus, in our example above, the wrong-way driver will be liable under any of those theories (assuming that there is evidence of the distracted driving claim) because those are duties, and the duties have been breached.

The other legal elements that must be proven by a negligence victim are causation and injury. Those elements are generally more obvious to prove since there was an accident and injuries/vehicle damage obviously resulted from the accident. If you have been injured in a Maryland car accident, contact the St. Mary’s County auto accident attorneys here at the Law Office of Robert Castro. Our number is (301) 870-1200, or use our contact page. We have offices in Waldorf, Maryland.

Victims should act quickly to seek compensation. Under Maryland law, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims, such as car accidents, is three years. Compensation is available for a number of damage categories, including damages for medical bills, hospital stays, prescriptions, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional injuries, and more. Of course, if you have been injured, the first step is to seek medical attention. Focus first on healing and recovery.

Contact Waldorf, MD Personal Injury Attorney Robert Castro Today

This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer at (301) 870-1200. We are Waldorf, MD, Personal Injury lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20601.