Backup Accident Lawyers in St. Louis, Missouri and Illinois

Backup Accident Statistics | St. Louis Backup Accident Lawyers

According to the National Safety Council, one out of four collisions can be blamed on poor backing techniques, and those crashes cause more than 500 deaths and 15,000 injuries every year. Many of these accidents can be attributed to distracted driving, such as texting or setting up a GPS system. The most common deaths are in backup pedestrian accidents.

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report titled, "Deaths and Injuries Resulting From Certain Non-Traffic and Non-Crash Events", 31 percent of fatalities were to children under the age of five, and the majority of those accidents happened at home, in a driveway or in a parking lot.

What to Do After a Backup Accident in St. Louis

Immediately after, and in the days and weeks after, there are several things you need to do both for your health and for a successful resolution to your claim:

• Check to see if anyone is severely injured — If someone sustained significant injuries, render aid if you can, call 911, and do not move them unless it is for moving them out of harm's way. If you sustained significant injuries, do not move until help arrives.
• Take pictures and videos — If your accident took place in a driveway or a parking lot, as you will not be in danger of oncoming traffic it might be best to get out of your car right away and take pictures of the vehicles as they are currently positioned. That can help an expert witness testify to how the accident likely occurred. Also, take pictures of the surrounding area and damage to your vehicle.
• Exchange information with the driver — It is important not to get upset or angry with the driver who backed into you. Ask for their insurance information, and get their name and contact info. Give them yours when they ask for it. If the other driver drove off, take pictures of their vehicle and write down what information about it you can, but do not chase them.
• See if there were any eyewitnesses — If other people witnessed the accident, get their info so they can corroborate your side of the story. If evidence in the case is limited, their accounts can keep your accident from becoming a "he said, she said," claim.
• Call the police — If you did not call 911 for someone's injuries, call a non-emergency police number and have the police come and make a report. Police are trained to assign fault in car accidents, and will make a police report that goes a long way in proving the other driver caused the accident. If you did not call the police immediately following the accident, you should still go to the nearest police station and file a report in the days that follow.
• Get medical attention — Even if you do not think your injuries are severe enough to warrant a trip to a St. Louis emergency room, you should still get checked out by a doctor. In order to make an injury claim and get compensation for your medical bills and non-economic damages, you will need to have a record of your injuries.
• Notify both your and the other driver's insurance companies — Most insurance companies have a 30 day window when you can file a claim. File a claim against the at-fault driver's policy first, but still notify yours. They can step in if your damages exceed the other driver's policy limits. Cooperate with the insurance companies, but stick strictly to the facts when speaking to them. Insurance adjusters may dishonestly try to use your words against you later. Do not give a recorded statement before talking to an attorney.
• Call Burger Law — We offer free consultations, so there is no reason not to talk to us to see if the insurance company is giving you a fair offer. We will be honest with you about how much value we can add to your claim. We know how to win car accident cases; if the insurance adjuster is saying they do not have to compensate you or they cannot offer more, do not believe them until you speak with us first.

While most people in St. Louis do not have to make many injury claims in their life, we deal with insurance companies and stand up to bullies every day. Call Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT to discuss the details of your case for free.