Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Smithville, MO

Distracted Driving Accident Attorney in Smithville, MO. If a distracted driver injured you or someone you care about, you need to talk to a distracted driving attorney now. At Burger Law, we have a team of dedicated and talented Smithville, MO distracted driving accident attorneys that will fight by your side, hold the at-fault party accountable for your injuries and demand that you get the compensation you entitled to to assist you on your road 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 Smithville, MO roads are safe. When another person breaks those rules, behaves irresponsibly and does not pay attention while they are behind the wheel, they put you and the people you love directly at peril. You should not have to lose pay, pay expensive medical fees and live with painful and restrictive injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence, and you deserve to receive full compensation for their careless behavior.

The distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law have argued every sort of distracted driving case, and we have the experience, shrewdness and persistence to get you full compensation for your injuries from your Smithville, MO distracted driving accident. We take care of all communication, documentation and litigation for you so you can spend your energy on recuperating from your injuries. We fight in your corner and do not require any legal fees until we have won your case and helped you be awarded the financial recovery you are owed. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review with a professional Smithville, MO distracted driving accident attorney. We will get started on your case at once.

Distracted Driving Statistics

We have certainly all witnessed distracted drivers on the road, 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 in some way while driving, and cell phone caused crashes escalated by 30 percent between 2014 and 2018. In Missouri, there were 408 fatalities in distracted driving wrecks from 2016 to 2020, and thousands more people have been harmed. In 2017, Missouri officially attributed 21,058 collisions to distracted drivers, which far surpasses the sum of drunk driving accidents (5,321) and is bigger than speed-related accidents (19,535).

Missouri Revised Statutes §304.820 forbids cell phone use while driving, but only for drivers 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 a quarter of drivers in distracted driving accidents are between the ages of 20 and 29. Although new legislation has 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 drivers of all ages and there are no other distracted driving laws in the state. This can cause roads to be especially unpredictable for Smithville, MO drivers, passengers and pedestrians. That is why it is vital to remember that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law are here for you and will stand in your corner if a distracted driver injures you.

While Missouri law might not hold everybody accountable, you can bet that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will. Despite the fact that there is no law against texting while driving in Smithville, MO, a thoughtless driver can still be held accountable for any injuries you receive. Driving distracted still breaks our safety, requiring Smithville, MO road users to behave in a way that is safe. As your Smithville, MO distracted driving accident attorney, the Burger Law legal team has helped hundreds of Smithville, MO residents recover full compensation when another driver disregards the rules and hurts them. We have tried every type of distracted driving case, and resistant Smithville, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know we take on – and win – the difficult cases. Call a Smithville, MO Burger Law distracted driving accident attorney today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation and begin down the road to full recovery and maximum compensation. Your talented Smithville, MO distracted driving accident lawyer will begin working on your case and fighting for you at once and will not let up until you get the money you deserve.

Common Types of Driving Distractions

There are a bunch of ways a Smithville, MO driver can become distracted and cause a distracted driving accident. Burger Law’s distracted driving accident attorneys understand the best way to prove any type of case to maximize your compensation. We have seen every kind of distracted driving accident, and, typically, there are three main categories of distractions.

Manual Distractions

These take place when the driver’s hands are occupied, {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 considerably decreased. Some instances of common manual distractions are:

• Texting, talking, or otherwise using your phone
• Eating or drinking
• Adjusting 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 cause you to 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 accident
• Looking at your phone
• Looking in the mirror to check how you look

Cognitive Distractions

These occur when something leads to a driver taking their mind off the road. These can be dangerous because while it might appear that someone is doing everything properly, they are still not focusing or as alert as they should be. They can be:

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

As you can notice, cell phones are a main source of distracted driving accidents because they can result in manual, visual and cognitive distractions. When you drive, it is essential to eschew your phone so you do not cause a distracted driving accident. If you experienced injuries because another Smithville, MO driver was distracted and acted irresponsibly, call the distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law and we will get started on your case straight away. We will remain committed to you and your case until you receive the full compensation you are owed. 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 noticed that the other motorist was a demonstrably distracted driver, it can be difficult to demonstrate beyond doubt to a resistant Smithville, MO insurance company or in a court of law. A seasoned, committed and persistent 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 use and how your distracted driving accident attorney can take advantage of it to prove your claim and demand your full recovery.

The Scene of the Accident. If you are able to, act quickly after you have been in a distracted driving accident and gather evidence at the scene of the crash. This can mean photos of both vehicles and the area surrounding the accident. Most drivers will try to turn sharply or break quickly before causing a wreck. If there are no tire or brake marks, it could help illustrate that the driver who crashed into you was not paying attention. This is why it is essential to take photographs of the area if you can. Surveillance video showing the other driver did not swerve or brake could also help your case. The Smithville, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will procure any video evidence and thoroughly review any photographs or other evidence.

Eyewitness Stories.The more people who say they saw that the other driver was demonstrably distracted, the stronger your case will be. If other people observed the accident and saw that the other driver was eating, texting or not concentrating on the road in front of them, they can give official statements to back your case. If you hire Burger Law, your Smithville, MO distracted driving accident attorney and legal team will conduct depositions and gather official statements on your behalf. You just need to make certain 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 performed any other action on a social media platform in the seconds leading up to the accident, it in all probability means they were distracted by their phone. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will manage gathering this information to help your case.

The Distracted Driver’s Cell Phone Records. Even if there is no social media trail, the distracted driver’s cell phone company will have usage reports with a record of what they were doing using their phone when the accident took place. If the driver was texting, there will be proof of it. A veteran distracted driving accident attorney will subpoena those records to help prove your claim.

Use the Police Reports. Police officers are taught to analyze accidents and decide who was at fault. If the Smithville, MO police officer at the scene determined the other driver was distracted and was at fault in the accident, it will go a long way towards convincing a judge, jury or resistant insurance company that you are owed compensation for your injuries.

Hire a Crash Expert. Crash experts have years of experience in analyzing all available evidence and determining fault in car accidents. Burger Law’s group of distracted driving accident lawyers has a great network of Smithville, MO experts we trust and work with to make certain you get the best possible compensation for your damages.

Hire Burger Law. Our committed and talented distracted driving accident attorneys love taking on difficult cases to get our clients the money they deserve. With decades of combined experience, we have seen every sort of distracted driving accident and have recovered over $170 million for our clients in verdicts and settlements for their damages. We take on bullies like resistant insurance companies and help in your recovery. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will handle 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 start working on winning your case straight away.

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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 practice 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 doing two things at once can seem like a useful way to save time, it can also lead to unnecessary dangers on the road. Taking some extra time to eat before driving can help keep you and others safe.

Get ready before you leave. Similar to eating on the road, applying makeup or getting dressed while driving may save time, but significantly increases your odds of personal injury or hurting somebody else.

Know where you are going. Look carefully at directions beforehand so you will not have to pay attention to your phone when you are driving. While driving, have the volume on any GPS device at its maximum level so you will be able to hear the directions. Alternatively, if you have a passenger, have them take care of the directions so you can concentrate the road in front of you.

If you are sleepy, pull over or have someone else drive. Not only are you at risk of falling asleep at the wheel, but drowsiness increases the odds 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 getting on the road. Adjust the seat, mirrors, heat or AC, music and sound system before you put the car in drive. You need to have your complete 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, it is advisable to pull over to the side of the road.

Keep your eyes on the road. Your entire attention should be on the road in front of you and your mirrors so that you can see what is going on around you. 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 behind the wheel and you ,a family member or a friend can still be harmed because another person disregarded the rules of the road. When that happens, you need to call the distracted driving accident lawyers of Burger Law at once so we can use our expertise and experience to help you get maximum recovery and start to make you whole again. We have experience with distracted driving accident claims, we know how to fight them and we know how to demand full recovery for the harm the negligent driver caused you.

The Smithville, 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 someone you care about has been harmed because another person did not respect the rules of the road and acted thoughtlessly, you are owed full compensation for your injuries. The Smithville, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law hold irresponsible drivers responsible and stand up to dishonest insurance companies who are more concerned about their bottom line than your well-being. We have the knowledge, savvy, work ethic and persistence to fight on your behalf from beginning to end, to win your case and to get you the maximum recovery to help you safeguard you and your loved ones' future. If another Smithville, MO driver was distracted and caused your injuries or the injuries of someone you care about, you should not have to deal with the responsibility 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 free case review and to discover more about what Burger Law will do to get you back on your feet and make you whole again.