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Pierce County has seen a sharp increase in traffic fatalities in recent years—rising from an average of 62 per year (2015–2020) to roughly 91 annually from 2021 to 2024, with distracted driving cited as a top contributor. Washington state data shows that drivers using a cellphone or reaching for objects face at least a four‑fold increase in crash risk—and texting raises that risk over 20 times.
Common distractions on Tacoma’s roads include:
Distraction behind the wheel leads to high-speed collisions on some of Tacoma’s busiest roads, including I‑5 near downtown, the SR‑16 Narrows Bridge, and stretches of Pacific Avenue where traffic congestion meets driver impatience.
A crash may look like a clear case of distraction, but that assumption rarely holds up without evidence. Insurance companies challenge the cause, question the severity, and shift blame when details are missing. Proving what actually happened takes early investigation and a legal team that knows how to uncover the facts before they disappear.
What you do in the hours and days after a distracted driving crash can either support your case or give the insurer more room to question it. Even when fault seems obvious, small missteps early on can affect how your claim is handled later.
Fast action gives our attorneys more to work with. We track down surveillance footage, preserve phone data, and act before key evidence disappears or gets buried by insurance tactics.
Crash reports don't always capture what led up to the impact. Unless an officer sees the distraction firsthand or the driver admits to it, the report may say little or nothing about phone use, food containers, or an in-car argument.
Strong cases rarely depend on the report alone. The evidence that matters usually comes from:
Detailed evidence like the above creates a record that can’t be explained away later.
Traffic footage gets erased. Phone carriers archive logs temporarily. Businesses recycle camera feeds within days. By the time a claim hits an adjuster's desk, the most useful evidence might already be gone.
Our team moves fast on cases like this. We don’t wait to see what the insurer decides to offer. We request call records, lock down surveillance video, and get statements while details are still fresh. That speed can be the difference between a claim with leverage and one that gets buried under doubt.
Insurance companies in Washington aren’t limited to arguing about who caused the crash. They also focus on how much blame they can assign to you. Under Washington’s pure comparative negligence rule, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If the insurance company convinces a jury—or a claims adjuster—that you were 25% responsible, your total compensation drops by that amount.
Distraction isn’t always obvious. When the evidence is incomplete, both drivers may accuse the other of not paying attention. It’s common for adjusters to use vague or conflicting statements to create doubt and shift more of the blame onto your side.
Our attorneys don’t leave those arguments unanswered. We push back early and build out the facts that limit your exposure.
Washington gives injured people three years to file a personal injury lawsuit, but that doesn’t mean the evidence will still be available by then. In distracted driving cases, the most useful proof, like surveillance footage, dashcam video, or app data, can disappear long before the filing deadline.
Some businesses only keep video footage for a few days. Phone carriers may delete logs or require legal requests to release them. Even a witness who seemed willing to talk might stop responding after a week or two. Once that window closes, it becomes harder to build a claim that holds up under pressure.
Getting a case started quickly gives your attorneys more time to track down the right records and pressure the insurer from a position of strength. Waiting too long makes it easier for the other side to control the story—and harder to recover what the case is actually worth.
A distracted driver taking their eyes off the road for even a few seconds can cause a high-speed collision with life-changing consequences. Minor scrapes and soreness are rare. Most injuries from distracted driving crashes require real treatment, time off work, and months of follow-up care.
Some of the most frequent outcomes include:
Treatment doesn't stop after the ER visit. Ongoing care may include physical therapy, specialist appointments, medications, or procedures that extend for months—or longer.
We don’t base claims on short-term bills. We build them around the full scope of what the crash has taken from you, including the long-term medical, financial, and personal costs that insurers prefer to leave out.
A crash caused by distraction might seem clear-cut, but insurers rarely treat it that way. Adjusters are trained to question the story and find reasons to reduce the payout.
We prepare for those arguments from the start. Our attorneys back each part of the case with evidence that doesn’t leave room for speculation. When the facts are clear, it’s harder for the insurer to stall, shift blame, or offer less than what the case demands.
Building a case that holds up under scrutiny takes more than a police report and a few photos. Insurance companies look for gaps—and if they find one, they’ll use it to reduce the value of your claim. Our job is to close those gaps fast and force the insurer to respond to facts, not guesses.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
We build cases that leave as little room for dispute as possible—so the insurer has fewer ways to stall, minimize, or deny what you’re owed.
When you contact Freeman Law Firm, you’ll speak directly with someone who can assess your situation and explain your next steps. We’ll review what happened, determine whether distraction can be proven, and tell you what evidence still needs to be secured. If we take your case, we get to work immediately.
There’s no consultation fee and no obligation to move forward. Call us at (253) 383‑4500 to speak with a distracted driving accident lawyer today. We don’t wait for the insurer to make the first move. We take control early, preserve what matters, and build pressure based on facts, not guesswork.