Distracted Driving Accident Attorney St. Clair County, MO

Distracted Driving Accident Attorney in St. Clair County, MO. If a distracted driver injured you or a loved one, you need to talk to a distracted driving attorney right away. At Burger Law, we have a team of dedicated and accomplished St. Clair County, MO distracted driving accident attorneys that will fight on your behalf, hold the at-fault party accountable for your injuries and demand that you get the compensation you are to help you while you heal. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review.

We all have to play by the rules of the road to make sure that we, our passengers and everyone else on the St. Clair County, MO roads are safe. When another driver breaks those rules, drives irresponsibly and does not pay attention while they are behind the wheel, they put you and the people you love directly at hazard. You should not have to miss time from work, pay pricey medical expenses and sustain painful and restrictive injuries as a consequence of someone else’s negligence, and you deserve to be awarded complete compensation for their careless actions.

The distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law have experience with every variety of distracted driving case, and we have the experience, shrewdness and persistence to get you full compensation for your injuries from your St. Clair County, MO distracted driving accident. We manage all communication, documentation and litigation for you so you can focus on recuperating from your injuries. We fight by your side and do not charge you any legal fees until we have won your case and helped you recover the financial recovery you are entitled to. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review with an experienced St. Clair County, MO distracted driving accident attorney. We start working on your case at once.

Distracted Driving Statistics

We have certainly all witnessed distracted drivers on the street, and you may even have done it yourself. That said, much of the statistics we have with respect to distracted driving is even more startling. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety estimates that nearly 9 in 10 drivers use their phones in some capacity while behind the wheel, and cell phone related accidents 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 hurt. In 2017, Missouri officially attributed 21,058 crashes to distracted drivers, which far transcends the total drunk driving accidents (5,321) and is bigger than speed-related accidents (19,535).

Missouri Revised Statutes §304.820 restricts cell phone use while behind the wheel, but only for individuals who are 21 years old 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 a quarter of drivers in distracted driving wrecks are between 20 and 29 years old. Although 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 and there are no other distracted driving laws in the state. This can cause roads to be especially unpredictable for St. Clair County, MO drivers, passengers and pedestrians. That is why it is important to know that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law are here for you and will fight in your corner if a distracted driver hurts you.

While Missouri law may not hold everybody responsible, you can be confident that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will. Despite the fact that texting while driving is not against the law in St. Clair County, MO, a distracted driver can still be found liable for any injuries you suffer. Driving distracted still breaks our safety, requiring St. Clair County, MO road users to behave in a way that is safe. As your St. Clair County, MO distracted driving accident attorney, the Burger Law legal team has helped hundreds of St. Clair County, MO residents recover full compensation when somebody breaks the rules and injures them. We have tried every type of distracted driving case, and crafty St. Clair County, MO insurance companies fear us because they know we take on – and win – the complex cases. Call a St. Clair County, MO Burger Law distracted driving accident attorney today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation and get started on the journey to full recovery and maximum compensation. Your talented St. Clair County, MO distracted driving accident lawyer will start working on your case and fighting for you right away and will not let up until you get the money you are owed.

Common Types of Driving Distractions

There are a lot of ways a St. Clair County, MO driver can get distracted and cause a distracted driving accident. Burger Law’s distracted driving accident attorneys know how to prove any type of case to get you a full recovery. We have seen every sort of distracted driving accident, and, generally speaking, there are three main categories of distractions.

Manual Distractions

These occur when the driver’s hands are occupied, {meaning they 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 lowered. Some instances of common manual distractions include:

• Texting, talking, 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 cause you to taking your eyes off the road. Sometimes visual and manual distractions coincide. 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, for example at a roadside attraction, sign, or crash
• Looking at your phone
• Looking in the mirror to check your appearance

Cognitive Distractions

These take place when something causes a driver to take their mind off the road. These can be dangerous because while it can appear that a driver is operating their vehicle 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 stressed out or preoccupied with something else
• Other passengers, such as kids or pets, need something or need to be disciplined

As you might notice, cell phones are a major cause of distracted driving accidents because they can cause manual, visual and cognitive distractions. When you get behind the wheel, it is essential to keep away from your phone so you do not cause a distracted driving accident. If you experienced injuries because another St. Clair County, MO driver was distracted and acted carelessly, call the distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law and we will start working on your case immediately. We will remain dedicated to your case until you receive the full compensation you deserve. We insist on full payment for your distracted driving accident damages.

How to Prove a Distracted Driving Case

While you may or may not have noticed that the other person was a demonstrably distracted driver, it can be difficult to prove to a resistant St. Clair County, MO insurance company or in a court of law. A skilled, committed and indefatigable distracted driving accident attorney like those at Burger Law will be able to prove the at-fault driver was distracted. Below is some of the evidence you could utilize and how your distracted driving accident attorney can take advantage of it to prove your claim and insist on your full recovery.

The Scene of the Accident. If you can, react quickly after you were hit in a distracted driving accident and gather evidence where the crash happened. This can consist of photos of both vehicles and the area surrounding the accident. Most drivers will attempt to swerve sharply or break quickly before causing a crash. If you do not see any tire or brake marks, it could help show that the driver who hit you was not concentrated on the road. This is why it is vital to take pictures of the area if you can. Surveillance video in which the other driver did not swerve or brake could also help your suit. The St. Clair County, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will acquire any video evidence and meticulously review any photographs or other evidence.

Eyewitness Stories.Your case will be stronger if you have eyewitnesses who corroborate your account. If other people observed the accident and noticed that the other driver was eating, texting or not focusing on the road ahead, they can give official statements to help your suit. If you hire Burger Law, your St. Clair County, MO distracted driving accident attorney and legal team will conduct depositions and collect official statements on your behalf. You just 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 platform in the moments right before the crash, it in all likelihood means they were distracted by their phone. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will manage collecting this information to build your case.

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

Use the Police Reports. Police officers are instructed on how to scrutinize accidents and decide who is responsible. If the St. Clair County, MO police officer at the scene decided the other motorist 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 owed compensation 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 group of distracted driving accident lawyers has a huge network of St. Clair County, MO experts we trust and work with to make certain you get maximum compensation for your damages.

Hire Burger Law. Our dedicated and talented distracted driving accident attorneys take pride in taking on difficult cases to get our clients the money they entitled to. With decades of combined experience, we have experience with every sort of distracted driving accident and have gotten over $170 million for our clients in verdicts and settlements for their injuries. We stand up to bullies like resistant insurance companies and help make you whole again. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will take over 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 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 be light, you should still employ extreme caution any time you get behind the wheel. There are a number of steps you can take to keep yourself, your passengers, other drivers and other pedestrians safe.

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 hazards 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. Just like eating on the road, putting on makeup or getting dressed while driving may save time, but greatly increases your chances of personal injury or injuring another person.

Know where you are going. Review directions beforehand so you will not have to focus on 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. On the other hand, if if someone is in the car with you, have them take care of the directions so you can keep your eyes on the road in front of you.

If you are sleepy, pull over or let someone else drive. Not only are you in danger of falling asleep at the wheel, but fatigue 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 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 in the driver’s seat.

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 important to pull over to the side of the road.

Keep your eyes on the road. Your full attention should be on the road in front of you and your mirrors so that you can see other drivers and pedestrians. While that weird roadside attraction may look interesting, taking a second to admire it is not worth risk you could pose to yourself and others.

Unfortunately, you can do everything correctly when you are driving 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 call the distracted driving accident lawyers of Burger Law right away so we can use our expertise and knowledge to help you get full compensation and start to make you whole again. We understand distracted driving accident claims, we know how to win them and we know how to insist on full compensation for your damages.

The St. Clair County, 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 harmed because someone else disregarded the rules of the road and acted thoughtlessly, you deserve to be fully compensated for your injuries. The St. Clair County, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law hold distracted drivers accountable and stand up to dishonest insurance companies care more about their bottom line than being fair to you. We have the knowledge, skillset, work ethic and grit to fight in your corner from beginning to end, to win your case and to get you the full recovery to help you protect you and your loved ones' future. If another St. Clair County, MO driver was distracted and caused your injuries or the injuries of a loved one, 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 find out more about what Burger Law will do to get you back on your feet and make you whole again.