Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
People just don’t seem to realize that being on a cell phone while driving is a deadly distraction. This case demonstrates that clearly.
This car crash happened on an expressway where vehicles were traveling at high rates of speed. A state trooper was seriously injured as a result of this collision caused by a 19-year-old woman talking on her cell phone.
The details of this case indicate that the 19-year-old Kimmy Buetel (name has been changed to protect the victims) was on the local expressway and busy talking on her cell phone; so busy in fact that she didn’t pay attention to the state police cruiser parked on the right shoulder of the road. The officer was handling a traffic stop.
The female trooper was hit by the speeding Toyota and sustained two broken legs, a crushed pelvis and assorted other serious injuries and was admitted to the intensive care unit at the nearest hospital. The 29-year-old trooper, identified as Shoron Leibel, will be in the hospital for quite some time and may not be able to resume her duties as a police officer. She may not be able to walk that well either depending on how well the long and intensive therapy turns out.
Buetel was charged and subsequently indicted for aggravated reckless conduct and had her bond set at $50,000. While that may seem a bit severe, it wasn’t, considering what the police discovered from interviewing Buetel’s passenger.
Buetel was evidently warned several times to switch lanes to go around the trooper. She ignored the warnings. The passenger even tried to turn the steering wheel to avoid a collision, but Buetel grabbed the wheel back and wrenched it so that her car was aimed directly at the trooper. All this while still talking on the cell phone.
While this is a pretty graphic example of what can happen while talking on a cell phone and driving at the same time, it certainly makes a point. The trooper will have a good case for filing a personal injury lawsuit when she is at a point in her recovery to be able to handle the rigors of filing a suit.
It would be best if she didn’t wait too long, as evidence is crucial in cases like this, and the Atlanta personal injury attorney needs to get on top of the case right away. This of course will not stop the criminal proceedings, but they may be dealt with once any criminal sanctions have been handed out.
Tim Anderson works with Atlanta Personal Injury attorney, Stephen M. Ozcomert. The firm specializes in personal injury, malpractice, motorcycle accidents, and wrongful death. To learn more about Atlanta personal injury lawyer, Stephen M. Ozcomert, visit Ozcomert.com.