Distracted driving claims

An allegation from the Barson estate lawyers — denied by Williams’ camp — is that she may have been distracted by her smartphone just before impact.

Williams’ lawyers agreed to turn over her phone records covering roughly an hour before and after the crash. But they have refused to allow any inspection of the phone, calling it “overly intrusive” and an invasion of privacy.

This month, Williams’ lawyers hit back with a number of expanded claims, including that Linda Barson was largely responsible for the wreck at the intersection of Northlake Boulevard and BallenIsles Drive that resulted in her husband’s death.

No specifics were provided to support the distracted driving accusation, and Williams’ counsel hasn’t asked the court to force the Barsons to hand over their phone records or devices.

“I do not comment to the press about matters that are in litigation,” said Patrick Dahl, one of Williams’ lawyers.

Attorneys for Barson also declined to comment about any of the defenses outlined by Williams’ lawyers that accuse Linda and Jerome Barson of negligence. The Barson attorneys also had not filed a response as of Friday, records show.

Palm Beach Gardens police have not issued a final crash report, after an initial finding that Williams was at fault, and then a clarification she “lawfully entered” the intersection on a green light.

“The case is still open as the investigation is ongoing,” Major Eduardo Guillen told the Sun Sentinel this week. a jury because the driver of the third car hasn’t been identified.

In lawsuits involving traffic crashes, such third driver claims are filed under a common legal method, said Scott B. Smith, a West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer not involved in this case.

But it will be up to the judge whether Williams will be allowed at trial to blame a “phantom vehicle” and an unidentified driver, he said.

Among Williams’ other positions is that Jerome Barson wasn’t wearing a seat belt and his injuries were caused by that “unreasonable failure.”

Yet in August, the estate’s lawyers argued: information from the Hyundai’s computers proves both occupants were wearing seat belts; experts who examined the passenger seat belt found it was used; and paramedics observed