Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Carthage, MO

Distracted Driving Accident Attorney in Carthage, MO. If a distracted driver injured you or someone you care about, you need to talk to a distracted driving attorney immediately. At Burger Law, we have a team of dedicated and knowledgeable Carthage, MO distracted driving accident attorneys that will fight on your behalf, hold the at-fault party accountable for your injuries and insist that you get the money you entitled to to assist you on your journey to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

We all have to play by the rules of the road to make sure that we, our passengers and everyone else on the Carthage, MO roads are safe. When someone else breaks those rules, acts recklessly and does not pay attention while they are behind the wheel, they put you and the people you love directly in danger. You should not have to lose wages, pay expensive medical expenses and experience painful and restrictive injuries as a consequence of someone else’s negligence, and you deserve to be awarded maximum compensation for their careless behavior.

The distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law have experience with every kind of distracted driving case, and we have the experience, know-how and grit to get you great compensation for your injuries from your Carthage, MO distracted driving accident. We oversee all communication, documentation and litigation for you so you can concentrate on healing from your injuries. We fight by your side and do not ask for any legal fees until we have won your case and helped you get the financial recovery you deserve. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free consultation with an experienced Carthage, MO distracted driving accident attorney. We will get started on your case at once.

Distracted Driving Statistics

We have certainly all noticed distracted drivers on the street, and you may even have done it yourself. That said, much of the data we have about distracted driving is even more terrifying. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety estimates that nearly 9 in 10 drivers use their phones in some capacity while driving, and cell phone related accidents increased by 30 percent between 2014 and 2018. In Missouri, there were 408 fatalities in distracted driving crashes from 2016 to 2020, and thousands more people have been harmed. In 2017, Missouri officially attributed 21,058 accidents to distracted drivers, which far surpasses the sum of drunk driving accidents (5,321) and is higher than accidents caused by speeding (19,535).

Missouri Revised Statutes §304.820 forbids cell phone use while behind the wheel, but only for people 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. In fact, nearly one out of four drivers in distracted driving crashes are between the ages of 20 and 29. Even though new laws have been a hot topic in the state government as of late, Missouri is still only one of two states that does not have a no texting law for all drivers , nor are there any other distracted driving laws in the state. This can cause roads to be especially hazardous for any Carthage, MO resident anywhere on or near the road. That is why it is important to know that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law are here for you and will stand by your side if a distracted driver hurts you.

While the letter of the law may not hold every driver responsible, you can bet that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will. Even though there is no law against texting while driving in Carthage, MO, an irresponsible driver can still be found liable for any injuries you experience. Driving distracted still breaks our safety, requiring Carthage, MO road users to behave in a way that is safe. As your Carthage, MO distracted driving accident attorney, the Burger Law legal team has helped hundreds of Carthage, MO residents recover full compensation when another driver breaks the rules and hurts them. We have argued every type of distracted driving case, and resistant Carthage, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know we take on – and win – the difficult cases. Call a Carthage, MO Burger Law distracted driving accident attorney today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review and begin down the journey to full recovery and maximum compensation. Your skilled Carthage, MO distracted driving accident lawyer will begin working on your case and fighting for you at once and will work tirelessly until you get the money you are owed.

Common Types of Driving Distractions

There are a lot of ways a Carthage, 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 type of case to maximize your compensation. We have seen every sort of distracted driving accident, and, generally speaking, there are three main types of of distractions.

Manual Distractions

These happen when the driver does not have their hands on the wheel properly, {causing them to no longer have complete control of the vehicle. Even with just one hand on the wheel, a driver’s reaction time is appreciably lowered. A few instances of typical manual distractions are:

• Texting, taking a call, or otherwise using your phone
• Eating or drinking
• Changing the radio or temperature
• Changing clothes, taking off a coat, putting on makeup, combing your hair or other “grooming” activities
• Removing something from 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 are:

• 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 accident
• Looking at your phone
• Looking in the mirror to check how you look

Cognitive Distractions

These take place when something causes a driver to take their mind off the road. These can be hazardous because while it may look like someone is driving properly, they are still not focusing or as alert as they should be. They can be:

• Focusing too much on an audiobook or song
• Daydreaming
• Paying too much attention to a conversation with someone else in the vehicle or on a hands-free device
• Being anxious or preoccupied with something else
• Other passengers, such as kids or pets, need something or need to be disciplined

As you might imagine, cell phones are a major cause of distracted driving accidents because they can result in manual, visual and cognitive distractions. When you get behind the wheel, it is essential to keep away from your phone so you do not create a distracted driving accident. If you experienced injuries because another Carthage, MO driver was distracted and behaved irresponsibly, call the distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law and we will get started on your case immediately. We will remain dedicated to your case until you get the full compensation you are owed. We insist on a full recovery for your distracted driving accident damages.

How to Prove a Distracted Driving Case

While you may or may not have noticed that the other motorist was a visibly distracted driver, it can be complicated to demonstrate beyond doubt to a resistant Carthage, MO insurance company or in a court of law. A talented, committed and indefatigable distracted driving accident attorney like those at Burger Law will be able to prove the negligible driver was distracted. Here is a look at some of the evidence you could present and how your distracted driving accident attorney can utilize it to prove your claim and demand your maximum recovery.

The Scene of the Accident. If you are able to, react quickly after you were hit in a distracted driving accident and collect evidence at the scene of the accident. This can include pictures of both vehicles and the area surrounding the accident. Most drivers will try to swerve sharply or break quickly before causing an accident. If there are no tire or brake marks, it could help demonstrate that the driver who crashed into you was not paying attention. This is why it is vital to take photographs of the scene if possible. Surveillance video in which the other driver did not veer or brake could also help your case. The Carthage, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will secure any video evidence and painstakingly review any photographs or other evidence.

Eyewitness Stories.The more people who say they saw that the other driver was clearly distracted, the stronger your case will be. If other people observed the accident and saw that the other driver was eating, texting or not focusing on the road in front of them, they can provide official statements to support your suit. If you hire Burger Law, your Carthage, 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, responded to a picture on Instagram or performed any other action on a social media app in the seconds leading up to the crash, it in all likelihood means they were distracted by their phone. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will carry out gathering this information to help your case.

The Distracted Driver’s Cell Phone Records. Even if there is no social media footprint, the distracted driver’s cell phone company will have usage reports with a record of what they were doing on their phone when the accident occurred. If the driver was texting, there will be a record of it. A talented distracted driving accident attorney will subpoena those records to help win your case.

Use the Police Reports. Police officers are taught to scrutinize accidents and determine who is responsible. If the Carthage, MO police officer at the scene determined the other person was distracted and was responsible for the accident, it will go a long way towards convincing a judge, jury or resistant insurance company that you deserve to be compensated for your injuries.

Use a Crash Expert. Crash experts have years of experience in examining all available evidence and deciding fault in car accidents. Burger Law’s team of distracted driving accident lawyers has a huge network of Carthage, MO experts we trust and work with to make sure you get full compensation for your damages.

Call Burger Law. Our devoted and knowledgeable distracted driving accident attorneys take pride in taking on hard cases to get our clients the money they are owed. With over seventy years of combined experience, we have seen every sort of distracted driving accident and have gotten over $170 million for our clients in verdicts and settlements for their injuries. We take on bullies like resistant insurance companies and help get you back on the journey to 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 compensation you deserve. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review, and we will start working on winning your case at once.

View More FAQs

How to Avoid Being a Distracted Driver

While Missouri’s distracted driving laws may be light, you should still show extreme caution whenever you drive. 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 doing two things at once can seem like a great way to save time, it can also cause unnecessary dangers on the road. Taking some extra time to eat before getting behind the wheel can help keep you and others safe.

Get ready before you leave. Similar to eating on the road, personal grooming or getting dressed while driving may save time, but greatly increases your odds of personal injury or harming another person.

Know how to get to your destination. Review directions beforehand so you will not have to concentrate on your phone when you are behind the wheel. While driving, have the volume on any GPS device at its maximum level so you will be able to hear the directions. On the other hand, if if someone is in the car with you, have them handle the directions so you can keep your eyes on the road in front of you.

If you are exhausted, pull over or let someone else drive. Not only are you risking falling asleep at the wheel, but fatigue increases the risk 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.

Make adjustments before starting your trip. Adjust the seat, mirrors, temperature, music and sound system before you take the car out of park. You need to have your full concentration on the road while you are behind the wheel.

Secure children and pets. Looking at or reaching to the backseat or passenger seat can lead to a manual, visual and cognitive distraction. If something happens and they need your attention, it is best to pull over to the side of the road.

Keep your eyes on the road. Your entire concentration should be on the road in front of you and your mirrors so that you can see other drivers and pedestrians. While that brightly colored restaurant may look cool, taking a moment to admire it is not worth risk you could pose to yourself and others.

Unfortunately, you can do everything correctly when you are in the driver's seat and you or someone you care about can still be hurt because another person did not respect the rules of the road. When that happens, you need to contact the distracted driving accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately so we can use our talents and experience to help you get full recovery and start to make you whole again. We know distracted driving accident cases, we know how to fight them and we know how to demand the best possible compensation for your injuries.

The Carthage, 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 family member has been hurt because someone else broke the rules of the road and acted recklessly, you deserve to be fully compensated for your injuries. The Carthage, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law hold distracted drivers responsible and stand up to unethical insurance companies who are more concerned about their bottom line than being fair to you. We have the knowledge, insight, work ethic and tenacity to fight by your side from beginning to end, to win your case and to get you the maximum compensation to help you safeguard your family’s future. If another Carthage, MO driver was distracted and caused your injuries or the injuries of someone you care about, you should not have to shoulder 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 evaluation and to discover more about what Burger Law will do to get you back on your feet and make you whole again.