As an avid music fan, I was bummed when I read this article in the Huffington Post about legendary guitarist Peter Frampton being injured in a rear-end accident out in Los Angeles. According to Mr. Frampton –who tweeted about the car crash almost immediately after it happened – he was sitting, stopped in his car in freeway traffic (any surprise – it is L.A., after all) when he was rear-ended by a lady who was texting on her cell phone. According to Mr. Frampton, he was already beginning to experience neck and back pain very shortly after the accident.
As an Orlando car accident attorney, this story generated two immediate thoughts. First, we have to do more discourage folks from texting while driving. This kind of distracted driving is causing more and more accidents every year.
Second, it is critical for all drivers (and especially those who are willing to text while driving) to have adequate insurance coverage. In the case of the texting driver, under one scenario, if Mr. Frampton is injured and missed dates from his band’s tour, he is going to experience significant wage loss. This texting driver would be responsible for all of those damages. What if – worst case – Mr. Frampton’s neck injury causes tingling or numbness, or he needs a cervical fusion surgery, and he can never play the guitar the same way again. The damages would be catastrophic for most people to answer to.
As far as Mr. Frampton goes, I hope he has plenty of Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage. Given the importance of his fitness, and particularly his hands and voice, to his livelihood, he should not assume that any driver who might hit him will have enough liability coverage to adequately compensate him. If he is involved in a major crash, his career (and his ability to earn money) might be over.
I hope all of this worry is for nothing, and that Mr. Framptom makes a speedy recovery.
If you have questions regarding a Florida car accident or Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage, call Winter Park personal injury lawyers Kim Cullen and Robert Hemphill at 407-644-4444.
