A judge in New Jersey may hold the sender of a text message partially responsible for an accident in which her friend hit a couple riding a motorcycle in 2009 while responding to the text. The married couple on the motorcycle each lost their left leg.

The reasoning behind the motorcycle accident lawsuit is that the sender knew her friend was behind the wheel when she texted him. The injured couple's attorney says that although she was not in the vehicle at the time of the accident, she was "electronically present." The personal injury attorney likened her actions to enabling a drunk driver.

Her friend who was definitely responsible for the auto accident after drifting into another lane while texting pleaded guilty earlier this year to careless driving, failure to maintain a lane, and using a hand-held cellphone while driving. He was fined $775 and must speak at high schools about the dangers of texting while driving. However, he still faces a lawsuit brought by the couple he seriously injured.

The young woman's lawyers contend that she had no way of knowing her friend was going to read the text while he was driving. However, text message evidence shows the friends had been texting back and forth, and that they had spent the day together.

The judge is expected to rule on the suit later this month.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by another party's negligence, please contact the Accident Lawyers Network to find an experienced auto accident attorney in your area today.