Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Hazelwood, MO

Distracted Driving Accident Attorney in Hazelwood, 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 devoted and experienced Hazelwood, MO distracted driving accident attorneys that will fight by your side, hold the negligible party accountable for your injuries and demand that you get the money you entitled to to assist you while you recover. 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 Hazelwood, 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 care about directly in jeopardy. You should not have to lose wages, pay costly medical expenses and experience painful and limiting injuries because of someone else’s negligence, and you deserve to be awarded full compensation for their careless actions.

The distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law have experience with every kind of distracted driving case, and we have the experience, know-how and determination to get you maximum compensation for your injuries from your Hazelwood, 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 by your side and do not require any legal fees until we have won your case and helped you collect the financial recovery you deserve. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free consultation with an experienced Hazelwood, MO distracted driving accident attorney. We will get started on your case right away.

Distracted Driving Statistics

We have probably all seen distracted drivers on the street, and you may even be guilty of it yourself. That said, much of the information 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 somehow while behind the wheel, and cell phone caused wrecks increased 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 injured. In 2017, Missouri officially attributed 21,058 accidents to distracted drivers, which far surpasses the sum of drunk driving accidents (5,321) and is bigger than accidents caused by speeding (19,535).

Missouri Revised Statutes §304.820 outlaws cell phone use while behind the wheel, but only for drivers who are 21 years old or younger or commercial drivers, in spite of the fact 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 20 and 29 years old. Even though new legislation has been a hot topic in the state government lately, Missouri is still only one of two states that does not have a no texting law for drivers of all ages , nor are there any other distracted driving laws in the state. This can make Hazelwood, MO roads especially dangerous for Hazelwood, MO drivers, passengers and pedestrians. That is why it is vital to keep in mind that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law are here for you and will stand by your side if a distracted driver injures you.

While the letter of the law might not hold everybody accountable, you can be confident that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will. Even though there is no law against texting while driving in Hazelwood, MO, a distracted driver can still be found liable for any injuries you suffer. Driving distracted still disregards our safety, requiring Hazelwood, MO road users to act in a way that is safe. As your Hazelwood, MO distracted driving accident attorney, the Burger Law legal team has helped hundreds of Hazelwood, MO residents recover full compensation when another motorist breaks the rules and hurts them. We have fought every type of distracted driving case, and shady Hazelwood, MO insurance companies fear us because they know we take on – and win – the complex cases. Call a Hazelwood, MO Burger Law distracted driving accident attorney today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation and begin down the path to full recovery and maximum compensation. Your talented Hazelwood, MO distracted driving accident lawyer will start working on your case and fighting for you at once and will work around the clock until you get the money you are owed.

Common Types of Driving Distractions

There are a variety of ways a Hazelwood, 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 kind of case to maximize your compensation. We have seen every sort of distracted driving accident, and, in general, there are three main kinds 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 full control of the vehicle. Even with just one hand on the wheel, a driver’s reaction time is appreciably decreased. Some examples of common manual distractions include:

• Texting, making a call, or using your phone in another manner
• 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 happen simultaneously. 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 accident
• Looking at your phone
• Looking in the mirror and checking your appearance

Cognitive Distractions

These take place when a driver takes their mind off the road. These can be dangerous because while it may seem that a driver is operating their vehicle 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
• 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 leading cause of distracted driving accidents because they can cause manual, visual and cognitive distractions. When you are driving, it is essential to keep away from your phone so you do not create a distracted driving accident. If you experienced injuries because another Hazelwood, MO driver was distracted and behaved recklessly, call the distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law and we will get started on your case immediately. We will stay devoted to your case until you get the full compensation you are owed. 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 motorist was a demonstrably distracted driver, it can be hard to demonstrate beyond doubt to a resistant Hazelwood, MO insurance company or in a court of law. A seasoned, devoted and tenacious distracted driving accident attorney like those at Burger Law will be able to prove the other driver was distracted. Read on below for some of the evidence you could utilize and how your distracted driving accident attorney can utilize 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 collect evidence where the accident happened. This can mean pictures of both vehicles and the area surrounding the accident. Most drivers will attempt to veer sharply or break quickly before causing a wreck. If there are no tire or brake marks, it could help illustrate that the person who hit you was not concentrated on the road. This is why it is important 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 Hazelwood, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will secure any video evidence and diligently review any photographs or other evidence.

Eyewitness Statements.The more people who say they saw that the other driver was visibly 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 help your suit. If you hire Burger Law, your Hazelwood, MO distracted driving accident attorney and legal team will conduct depositions and gather official statements on your behalf. You only need to make 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 carried out any other action on a social media site in the moments right before the accident, it probably means they were distracted by their phone. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will handle gathering this information to help your case.

The Distracted Driver’s Cell Phone Records. Even if there is no social media footprint, the reckless 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 shrewd distracted driving accident attorney will subpoena those records to help prove your suit.

Use the Police Reports. Police officers are trained to evaluate crashed and determine who is responsible. If the Hazelwood, MO police officer at the scene determined the other motorist 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 deserve to be compensated 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 Hazelwood, MO experts we trust and work with to make certain you get complete compensation for your damages.

Contact Burger Law. Our devoted and talented distracted driving accident attorneys take pride in taking on tough cases to get our clients the money they are owed. With over seventy years of combined experience, we have fought every category of distracted driving accident and have won our clients over $170 million 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 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 use extreme caution any time 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 double-tasking can seem like a useful way to save time, it can also cause unnecessary hazards on the road. Taking a few extra minutes to eat before driving can help keep you and others safe.

Get ready before you leave. Just like eating behind the wheel, applying makeup or getting dressed while driving may save time, but greatly increases your odds of personal injury or hurting 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 driving. 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 fatigued, pull over or have 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.

Make adjustments before getting on the road. Adjust the seat, mirrors, temperature, music and sound system before you take the car out of park. You need to have your complete attention on the road while you are driving.

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 advisable to pull over to the side of the road.

Keep your eyes on the road. Your entire focus 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 minute to admire it is not worth danger you could pose to yourself and others.

Unfortunately, you can do everything properly when you are in the driver's seat and you or someone you care about can still be injured because another person broke the rules of the road. When that occurs, you need to contact the distracted driving accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately so we can use our expertise and experience to help you get the best possible recovery 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 the harm the thoughtless driver caused you.

The Hazelwood, 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

Hire the Distracted Driving Lawyers at Burger Law Today

If you or a family member has been hurt because someone else disregarded the rules of the road and acted carelessly, you deserve to be fully compensated for your injuries. The Hazelwood, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers accountable and stand up to unethical insurance companies who are more concerned about their bottom line than your well-being. We have the experience, savvy, work ethic and determination to fight in your corner from beginning to end, to win your case and to get you the best possible recovery to help you protect you and your loved ones' future. If another Hazelwood, MO driver was distracted and caused your injuries or the injuries of a loved one, you should not have to bear the anxiety of medical bills, 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 find out more about what Burger Law will do to get you back on your feet and back on the road again.