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Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Ashland, MO
Distracted Driving Accident Attorney in Ashland, MO. If a distracted driver injured you or someone you care about, you need to talk to a distracted driving attorney straight away. At Burger Law, we have a team of dedicated and talented Ashland, MO distracted driving accident attorneys that will fight by your side, hold the negligible party accountable for your injuries and insist that you get the money you deserve to aid you on your journey to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.
We all have to play by the rules of the road to make sure that we, our passengers and everyone else on the Ashland, MO roads are safe. When another driver breaks those rules, acts irresponsibly and does not pay attention while they are on the road, they put you and the people you love directly at risk. You should not have to miss time from work, pay excessive medical bills and experience painful and limiting injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence, and you deserve to receive complete compensation for their careless behavior.
The distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law have fought every category of distracted driving case, and we have the experience, know-how and grit to get you great compensation for your injuries from your Ashland, MO distracted driving accident. We handle all communication, documentation and litigation for you so you can concentrate on healing from your injuries. We fight in your corner and do not charge you any legal fees until we have won your case and helped you collect the financial compensation you are owed. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review with a professional Ashland, MO distracted driving accident attorney. We will get started on your case straight away.
Distracted Driving Statistics
We have certainly all noticed distracted drivers on the street, and you may even be guilty of it yourself. However, much of the information we have with respect to distracted driving is even more frightening. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety estimates that nearly 9 in 10 drivers use their phones somehow while behind the wheel, and cell phone caused wrecks grown by 30 percent between 2014 and 2018. In Missouri, there were 408 fatalities in distracted driving cases from 2016 to 2020, and thousands more people have been injured. In 2017, Missouri officially attributed 21,058 collisions to distracted drivers, which far surpasses the number of drunk driving accidents (5,321) and is bigger than speed-related accidents (19,535).
Missouri Revised Statutes §304.820 prohibits cell phone use while behind the wheel, but only for individuals who are 21 years of age or younger or commercial drivers, ignoring that 70 percent of drivers whose cell phone use caused an accident were 22 or older. As a matter of fact, nearly one out of four drivers in distracted driving wrecks are between the ages of 20 and 29. Although new laws have been a big issue in the state government recently, Missouri is still only one of two states that does not have a no texting law for drivers of all ages and there are no other distracted driving laws in the state. This can make Ashland, MO roads especially unpredictable for any Ashland, MO resident anywhere on or close to the road. That is why it is essential to know that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law are here for you and will fight by your side if a distracted driver harms you.
While Missouri law may not hold everybody responsible, you can be confident that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will. Even though there is no statute against texting while driving in Ashland, MO, a distracted driver can still be held accountable for any injuries you sustain. Driving distracted still breaks our safety, requiring Ashland, MO road users to driver in a way that is safe. As your Ashland, MO distracted driving accident attorney, the Burger Law legal team has helped hundreds of Ashland, MO residents recover full compensation when another motorist breaks the rules and injures them. We have argued every type of distracted driving case, and dishonest Ashland, MO insurance companies fear us because they know we take on – and win – the complex cases. Call a Ashland, MO Burger Law distracted driving accident attorney today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation and get started on the road to full recovery and maximum compensation. Your veteran Ashland, MO distracted driving accident lawyer will begin working on your case and fighting for you immediately and will work around the clock until you get the money you are owed.
Common Types of Driving Distractions
There are many ways a Ashland, MO driver can get distracted and cause a distracted driving accident. Burger Law’s distracted driving accident attorneys know the best way to prove any sort of case to maximize your compensation. We have seen every type of distracted driving accident, and, in general, there are three main kinds of of distractions.
Manual Distractions
These take place when the driver does not have their hands on the wheel properly, {causing them to no longer have complete control of the vehicle. Even if one hand is still on the wheel, a driver’s reaction time is significantly lessened. Some examples of common manual distractions are:
- Texting, making a call, or otherwise using your phone
- Eating or drinking
- Changing the radio or temperature
- Changing clothes, taking off a coat, applying makeup, combing your hair or other “grooming” activities
- Getting something out of your purse, wallet, or pocket
Visual Distractions
These are distractions that result in you taking your eyes off the road. Sometimes visual and manual distractions go together. Some examples include:
- Looking at a GPS device, map, or otherwise looking at directions
- Looking at another passenger or in the backseat
- Looking around instead of ahead, such as at a roadside attraction, sign, or crash
- Looking at your phone
- Looking in the mirror to check your appearance
Cognitive Distractions
These happen when something leads to a driver taking their mind off the road. These can be dangerous because while it can appear that someone is doing everything properly, they are still not concentrating or as alert as they should be. They can be:
- Focusing too much on an audiobook or song
- Daydreaming
- Concentrating too much on a conversation with another person in the vehicle or on a hands-free device
- Being stressed out or preoccupied with something else
- Other passengers, such as kids or pets, need something or need to be disciplined
As you can imagine, cell phones are a main cause of distracted driving accidents because they can cause manual, visual and cognitive distractions. When you are operating a vehicle, it is essential to eschew your phone so you do not cause a distracted driving accident. If you experienced injuries because another Ashland, MO driver was distracted and behaved carelessly, call the distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law and we will get started on your case immediately. We will remain committed to you and your case until you get the full compensation you deserve. We demand a full recovery for your distracted driving accident damages.
How to Prove a Distracted Driving Case
While you may or may not have observed that the other motorist was an obviously distracted driver, it can be difficult to prove to a resistant Ashland, MO insurance company or in a court of law. A talented, committed and diligent distracted driving accident attorney like those at Burger Law will be able to prove the negligible driver was distracted. Read on below for some of the evidence you could use and how your distracted driving accident attorney can leverage it to prove your claim and demand your full recovery.
The Scene of the Accident. If you are able to, react quickly after you have been in a distracted driving accident and gather evidence where the crash happened. This can consist of pictures of both vehicles and the area surrounding the accident. Most drivers will try to veer sharply or break quickly before causing a crash. If there are no tire or brake marks, it could help demonstrate that the motorist who hit you was not concentrated on the road. This is why it is essential to take photographs of the area if possible. Surveillance video in which the other driver did not veer or brake could also help your suit. The Ashland, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will obtain any video evidence and meticulously review any photographs or other evidence.
Eyewitness Statements.The more people who say they saw that the other driver was visibly distracted, the stronger your case will be. If other people observed the accident and noticed that the other driver was eating, texting or not focusing on the road in front of them, they can provide official statements to aid your case. If you hire Burger Law, your Ashland, MO distracted driving accident attorney and legal team will conduct depositions and collect official statements on your behalf. You only need to be sure you get any witnesses’ contact information at the scene.
Social Media Activity. If the other driver made a tweet, posted a picture on Instagram or carried out some other action on a social media site in the moments leading up to the wreck, it likely means they were distracted by their phone. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will carry out obtaining this information to construct your case.
The Distracted Driver’s Cell Phone Records. Even if there is no social media trail, the negligent driver’s cell phone company will have usage reports detailing whether or not they were likely looking at their phone when the accident took place. If the driver was texting, there will be a record of it. A skilled distracted driving accident attorney will subpoena those records to help win your case.
Use the Police Reports. Police officers are trained to scrutinize accidents and determine who is responsible. If the Ashland, MO police officer at the scene judged the other driver was distracted and was at fault in the accident, it will mean a great deal when convincing a judge, jury or resistant insurance company that you are entitled to compensation for your damages.
Use a Crash Expert. Crash experts have years of experience in examining all available evidence and determining fault in car accidents. Burger Law’s team of distracted driving accident lawyers has a great network of Ashland, MO experts we trust and work with to make certain you get the best possible compensation for your injuries.
Hire Burger Law. Our committed and knowledgeable distracted driving accident attorneys take pride in taking on hard cases to get our clients the money they are owed. With decades of combined experience, we have experience with every category of distracted driving accident and have collected over $170 million for our clients in verdicts and settlements for their injuries. We stand up to bullies like resistant insurance companies and help in your recovery. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will manage all official communication and litigation, and you do not owe us any fees until you get the money you are entitled to. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation, and we will begin working on winning your case at once.
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How to Avoid Being a Distracted Driver
While Missouri’s distracted driving laws may not be as tough on distracted driving as we are, you should still employ extreme caution whenever you get behind the wheel. There are a number of steps you can take to ensure the safety of yourself, your passengers, other drivers and other pedestrians.
Eat before you leave. While double-tasking can seem like a useful way to save time, it can also lead to unnecessary dangers on the road. Taking a few extra minutes to eat before driving can help keep you and others safe.
Get ready before you leave. Just like eating behind the wheel, shaving or getting dressed while driving may save time, but greatly increases your chances of personal injury or harming somebody else.
Know where you are going. Look carefully at directions before you leave so you will not have to pay attention to your phone when you are behind the wheel. While driving, turn the volume up on any GPS device so you will be able to hear the directions. Alternatively, if if someone is in the car with you, have them manage the directions so you can keep your eyes on the road ahead.
If you are sleepy, pull over or have someone else drive. Not only are you risking falling asleep at the wheel, but drowsiness increases the chances of an accident by almost four times, and over a third of drivers have admitted to nodding off or falling asleep while driving at least once in their lives.
Change the radio and settings before starting your trip. Adjust the seat, mirrors, temperature, music and sound system before you leave the driveway. You need to have your full attention on the road while you are behind the wheel.
Secure children and pets. Looking at or reaching to the backseat or passenger seat can results in a manual, visual and cognitive distraction. If something happens and they need your attention, the best thing to do pull over to the side of the road.
Keep your eyes on the road. Your entire focus should be on the road ahead of you and your mirrors so that you can see what is happening around you. While that weird roadside attraction may look cool, taking a minute to admire it is not worth putting you and others at peril.
Unfortunately, you can do everything correctly when you are in the driver's seat and you ,a family member or a friend can still be hurt because another person disregarded the rules of the road. When that happens, you need to reach out to the distracted driving accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately so we can use our expertise and experience to help you get maximum compensation and start to make you whole again. We know distracted driving accident suits, we know how to win them and we know how to insist on the best possible recovery for your injuries.
The Ashland, MO lawyers of Burger Law have the experience and knowledge to help you receive the full recovery you deserve after any accident or injury caused by someone else leaves you injured. Learn more about our fields of expertise below.
- Truck Crash Lawyers in Missouri
- Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Missouri
- Car Accident Attorney in Missouri
Hire the Distracted Driving Lawyers at Burger Law Today
If you or a loved one has been harmed because another person disregarded the rules of the road and acted carelessly, you deserve to be fully compensated for your damages. The Ashland, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law hold distracted drivers accountable and stand up to dishonest insurance companies who are more concerned about their bottom line than being fair to you. We have the experience, savvy, work ethic and tenacity to fight in your corner from beginning to end, to win your case and to get you the full compensation to help you protect you and your loved ones' future. If another Ashland, MO driver was distracted and caused your injuries or the injuries of someone you care about, you should not have to take on the worry of medical expenses, lost wages or lost future earnings, pain and suffering and mental anguish. Call us today a (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review and to learn more about what Burger Law will do to get you back on your feet and make you whole again.