Distracted Driving Accident Attorney St. Clair, MO

Distracted Driving Accident Attorney in St. Clair, MO. If a distracted driver injured you or a family member, you need to talk to a distracted driving attorney now. At Burger Law, we have a team of dedicated and knowledgeable St. Clair, MO distracted driving accident attorneys that will fight by your side, hold the responsible party accountable for your injuries and demand that you get the compensation you deserve to help you while you recuperate. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

The rules of the road are in place to ensure that we, our passengers and everyone else on the St. Clair, MO roads are safe. When a distracted driver breaks those rules, drives carelessly and does not pay attention while they are on the road, they put you and the people you care about directly at peril. You should not have to miss time from work, pay monstrous medical fees and sustain painful and restrictive injuries because of someone else’s negligence, and you deserve to be awarded full compensation for their thoughtless behavior.

The distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law have experience with every category of distracted driving case, and we have the experience, savvy and persistence to get you maximum compensation for your injuries from your St. Clair, MO distracted driving accident. We manage all communication, documentation and litigation for you so you can focus on healing from your injuries. We fight in your corner and do not ask for any legal fees until we have won your case and helped you get the financial compensation you deserve. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free consultation with a qualified St. Clair, MO distracted driving accident attorney. We will get started on your case immediately.

Distracted Driving Statistics

We have likely all seen distracted drivers on the road, and you may even be guilty of it yourself. That said, much of the data we have regarding distracted driving is even more terrifying. 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 climbed 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 hurt. In 2017, Missouri officially attributed 21,058 crashes 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 drivers who are 21 years of age or less or commercial drivers, despite the fact 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 accidents 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 without a no texting law for drivers of all ages and there are no other distracted driving laws in the state. This can make St. Clair, MO roads especially hazardous for St. Clair, MO drivers, passengers and pedestrians. That is why it is essential to keep in mind that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law are here for you and will fight by your side if a distracted driver injures you.

While Missouri law might not hold every driver responsible, you can be assured that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will. Even though there is no statute against texting while driving in St. Clair, MO, a careless driver can still be held responsible for any injuries you receive. Driving distracted still disregards our safety, requiring St. Clair, MO road users to act in a way that is safe. As your St. Clair, MO distracted driving accident attorney, the Burger Law legal team has helped hundreds of St. Clair, MO residents recover full compensation when another motorist breaks the rules and harms them. We have fought every type of distracted driving case, and crafty St. Clair, MO insurance companies fear us because they know we take on – and win – the tough cases. Call a St. Clair, MO Burger Law distracted driving accident attorney today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation and begin down the journey to full recovery and maximum compensation. Your experienced St. Clair, MO distracted driving accident lawyer will begin working on your case and fighting for you immediately and will not rest until you get the money you deserve.

Common Types of Driving Distractions

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

Manual Distractions

These happen when the driver’s hands are occupied, {meaning they them to no longer have full control of the vehicle. Even with just one hand on the wheel, a driver’s reaction time is significantly lessened. A few instances of typical manual distractions include:

• Texting, talking, or otherwise using your phone
• Eating or drinking
• Changing the radio or temperature
• Changing clothes, removing 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 happen at the same time. 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 your appearance

Cognitive Distractions

These occur when something causes a driver to take their mind off the road. These can be hazardous because while it may appear that a driver is driving right, 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
• 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 other things
• Other passengers, such as kids or pets, need something or need to be disciplined

As you might notice, cell phones are a principal cause of distracted driving accidents because they can result in manual, visual and cognitive distractions. When you drive, it is important to eschew your phone so you do not create a distracted driving accident. If you experienced injuries because another St. Clair, MO driver was distracted and behaved thoughtlessly, call the distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law and we will start working on your case straight away. We will stay committed to you and 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 observed that the other driver was a clearly distracted driver, it can be complicated to prove to a resistant St. Clair, MO insurance company or in a court of law. A talented, devoted and diligent distracted driving accident attorney like those at Burger Law will be able to prove the other 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 compensation.

The Scene of the Accident. If you can, act quickly after you were hit in a distracted driving accident and accumulate evidence where the crash happened. This can consist of photos of both vehicles and the area surrounding the accident. The majority of drivers will try to swerve sharply or break quickly before causing a crash. If you do not see any tire or brake marks, it could help illustrate that the person who hit you was not paying attention. This is why it is important to take pictures of the scene if you can. Surveillance video in which the other driver did not turn or brake could also help your case. The St. Clair, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will obtain any video evidence and diligently review any photographs or other evidence.

Eyewitness Statements.Your case will be stronger if you have eyewitnesses who corroborate your account. If other people witnessed the accident and saw that the other driver was combing their hair, texting or not looking at the road ahead, they can provide official statements to back your suit. If you hire Burger Law, your St. Clair, 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 tweeted an article, posted a photo on Instagram or carried out some other action on a social media platform in the seconds leading up to the crash, it probably means they were distracted by their phone. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will take care of acquiring 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 detailing what they were doing likely distracted by their phone at the time of the accident. If the driver was texting, there will be a record of it. A savvy distracted driving accident attorney will subpoena those records to help win your case.

Use the Police Reports. Police officers are instructed on how to analyze crashed and decide who was at fault. If the St. Clair, MO police officer at the scene decided the other person was distracted and was responsible for the accident, it will mean a great deal when convincing a judge, jury or resistant insurance company that you are owed compensation for your damages.

Hire 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, MO experts we trust and work with to make certain you get maximum compensation for your injuries.

Contact Burger Law. Our devoted and talented distracted driving accident attorneys love taking on difficult cases to get our clients the recovery they are owed. With decades of combined experience, we have experience with every kind of distracted driving accident and have won our clients over $170 million in verdicts and settlements for their damages. We fight bullies like resistant insurance companies and help make you whole again. 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 recovery 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 right away.

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How to Avoid Being a Distracted Driver

While Missouri’s distracted driving laws may be light, 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 wonderful way to save time, it can also lead to unnecessary dangers on the road. Taking a few extra minutes to eat before getting in the car can help keep you and others safe.

Get ready before you leave. Just like eating on the road, shaving or getting dressed while driving may save time, but significantly increases your chances of personal injury or harming somebody else.

Know where you are going. Review directions beforehand so you will not have to concentrate on your phone when you are driving. While driving, turn the volume up on any GPS device so you will be able to hear the directions. On the other hand, if you have a passenger, have them handle the directions so you can concentrate the road in front of you.

If you are exhausted, pull over or let someone else drive. Not only are you in danger of 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.

Change the radio and settings 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 complete concentration 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 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 full attention should be on the road ahead of you and your mirrors so that you can see other drivers and pedestrians. While that brightly colored restaurant may look interesting, taking a second to admire it is not worth danger you could pose to yourself and others.

Unfortunately, you can do everything right when you are behind the wheel and you ,a family member or a friend can still be hurt because somebody else broke the rules of the road. When that occurs, you need to reach out to the distracted driving accident lawyers of Burger Law right away so we can use our talents and knowledge to help you get maximum compensation and start to make you whole again. We understand distracted driving accident cases, we know how to win them and we know how to insist on maximum compensation for your injuries.

The St. Clair, 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 injured because someone else broke the rules of the road and acted irresponsibly, you deserve to be fully compensated for your injuries. The St. Clair, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers responsible and stand up to unethical insurance companies are more interested in their bottom line than being fair to you. We have the experience, insight, work ethic and determination to fight in your corner from beginning to end, to win your case and to get you the maximum compensation to help you protect you and your loved ones' future. If another St. Clair, MO driver was distracted and caused your injuries or the injuries of a family member or friend, you should not have to deal with the anxiety 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 consultation and to find out more about what Burger Law will do to get you back on your feet and back on the road again.