Distracted Driving Accident Attorney Independence, MO

Distracted Driving Accident Attorney in Independence, MO. If a distracted driver injured you or a loved one, you need to talk to a distracted driving attorney immediately. At Burger Law, we have a team of dedicated and knowledgeable Independence, MO distracted driving accident attorneys that will fight by your side, hold the at-fault party accountable for your injuries and insist that you get the recovery you deserve to aid you on your journey to recovery. 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 Independence, MO roads are safe. When another driver breaks those rules, drives recklessly and does not pay attention while they are driving, they put you and the people you love directly at peril. You should not have to lose pay, pay costly medical bills and suffer 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 type of distracted driving case, and we have the experience, shrewdness and persistence to get you great compensation for your injuries from your Independence, MO distracted driving accident. We manage all communication, documentation and litigation for you so you can focus your energy on healing from your injuries. We fight on your behalf and do not ask for any legal fees until we have won your case and helped you be awarded the financial recovery you deserve. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free consultation with an experienced Independence, MO distracted driving accident attorney. We get to work on on your case right away.

Distracted Driving Statistics

We have certainly all seen distracted drivers on the road, and you may even be guilty of it yourself. However, much of the statistics we have regarding distracted driving is even more startling. 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 crashes 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 hurt. In 2017, Missouri officially attributed 21,058 crashes to distracted drivers, which far surpasses the amount of drunk driving accidents (5,321) and is greater than speed-related accidents (19,535).

Missouri Revised Statutes §304.820 prohibits cell phone use while driving, but only for people who are 21 years old or less or commercial drivers, ignoring 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 accidents are between the ages of 20 and 29. 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 , nor are there any other distracted driving laws in the state. This can cause roads to be especially hazardous for Independence, 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 by your side if a distracted driver injures you.

While the letter of the law might not hold every driver accountable, you can be confident that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will. Despite the fact that there is no law against texting while driving in Independence, MO, a distracted driver can still be found liable for any injuries you sustain. Driving distracted still disregards our safety, requiring Independence, MO road users to act in a way that is safe. As your Independence, MO distracted driving accident attorney, the Burger Law legal team has helped hundreds of Independence, MO residents recover full compensation when another motorist breaks the rules and injures them. We have fought every type of distracted driving case, and shady Independence, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know we take on – and win – the complex cases. Call a Independence, 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 seasoned Independence, MO distracted driving accident lawyer will start working on your case and fighting for you immediately and will not rest until you get the money you are entitled to.

Common Types of Driving Distractions

There are a lot of ways a Independence, MO driver can become distracted and cause a distracted driving accident. Burger Law’s distracted driving accident attorneys know the best way to prove any kind of case to maximize your compensation. We have seen every sort of distracted driving accident, and, usually, there are three main kinds of of distractions.

Manual Distractions

These take place when the driver’s hands are occupied, {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 considerably lowered. A few instances of common manual distractions include:

• Texting, talking, or using your phone in different manner
• Eating or drinking
• Adjusting the radio or temperature
• Changing clothes, removing a coat, putting on makeup, combing your hair or other “grooming” activities
• Getting something out of 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 coincide. 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 crash
• Looking at your phone
• Looking in the mirror to check your appearance

Cognitive Distractions

These occur when a driver takes their mind off the road. These can be dangerous because while it may seem that somebody is driving right, they are still not concentrating or as alert as they should be. They can be:

• Paying too much attention to an audiobook or song
• Daydreaming
• Concentrating too much on a conversation with someone else in the car 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 can notice, cell phones are a principal source of distracted driving accidents because they can lead to manual, visual and cognitive distractions. When you are driving, it is essential to keep away from your phone so you do not cause a distracted driving accident. If you received injuries because another Independence, MO driver was distracted and acted irresponsibly, call the distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law and we will start working on your case right away. We will stay 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 seen that the other person was a clearly distracted driver, it can be hard to prove to a resistant Independence, MO insurance company or in a court of law. A skilled, devoted and diligent distracted driving accident attorney like those at Burger Law will be able to prove the at-fault driver was distracted. Here is a look at some of the evidence you could utilize and how your distracted driving accident attorney can take advantage of it to prove your claim and demand your maximum compensation.

The Scene of the Accident. If you can, act quickly after you were hit in a distracted driving accident and accumulate evidence at the scene of the accident. This can consist of photos of both vehicles and the area surrounding the accident. The majority of drivers will try 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 crashed into you was distracted. This is why it is vital to take pictures of the scene if you can. Surveillance video in which the other driver did not veer or brake could also help your suit. The Independence, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will acquire any video evidence and thoroughly review any photographs or other evidence.

Eyewitness Accounts.The more people who say they saw that the other driver was obviously distracted, the stronger your case will be. If other people observed the accident and noticed that the other driver was combing their hair, texting or not concentrating on the road ahead, they can give official statements to help your case. If you hire Burger Law, your Independence, MO distracted driving accident attorney and legal team will conduct depositions and obtain official statements on your behalf. You just 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 page in the seconds immediately before the wreck, it in all likelihood means they were distracted by their phone. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will take care of acquiring this information to construct your case.

The Distracted Driver’s Cell Phone Records. Even if there is no social media trail, the careless driver’s cell phone company will have usage reports with a record of what they were doing likely looking at their phone when the accident occurred. If the driver was texting, there will be proof of it. A skilled distracted driving accident attorney will subpoena those records to help win your suit.

Use the Police Reports. Police officers are taught to examine crashed and determine who is responsible. If the Independence, MO police officer at the scene judged 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 deserve to be compensated for your injuries.

Use a Crash Expert. Crash experts have years of experience in evaluating all available evidence and deciding fault in car accidents. Burger Law’s group of distracted driving accident lawyers has a great network of Independence, MO experts we trust and work with to ensure you get full compensation for your injuries.

Hire Burger Law. Our committed and skilled distracted driving accident attorneys enjoy taking on hard cases to get our clients the recovery they deserve. With over seventy years of combined experience, we have seen every variety of distracted driving accident and have gotten over $170 million for our clients in verdicts and settlements for their injuries. We take on bullies like resistant insurance companies and help in your recuperation. 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 compensation you are entitled to. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation, and we will begin working on winning your case at once.

View More FAQs

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 any time 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 double-tasking can seem like a great time-saver, it can also cause 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. Similar to eating behind the wheel, shaving or getting dressed while driving may save time, but significantly increases your chances of personal injury or hurting another person.

Know how to get to your destination. Review directions beforehand so you will not have to pay attention to 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. Alternatively, if you have a passenger, have them handle the directions so you can keep your eyes on the road ahead.

If you are exhausted, pull over or let someone else drive. Not only are you at risk of falling asleep at the wheel, but drowsiness 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 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 cause a manual, visual and cognitive distraction. If something happens and they need your attention, the best thing to do pull over to the side of the road.

Keep your eyes on the road. Your full concentration should be on the road ahead of you and your mirrors so that you can see what is happening around you. While that brightly colored restaurant may look interesting, taking a moment to admire it is not worth putting you and others at peril.

Unfortunately, you can do everything correctly when you are in the driver's seat and you or someone you care about can still be hurt because somebody else broke the rules of the road. When that occurs, you need to call the distracted driving accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately 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 suits, we know how to argue them and we know how to insist on the best possible recovery for the harm the careless driver caused you.

The Independence, 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 loved one has been hurt because another driver disregarded the rules of the road and acted irresponsibly, you are entitled to full compensation for your damages. The Independence, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers responsible and stand up to resistant insurance companies are more interested in their bottom line than being fair to you. We have the experience, savvy, work ethic and determination to fight by your side from beginning to end, to win your case and to get you the best possible recovery to help you safeguard you and your loved ones' future. If another Independence, MO driver was distracted and caused your injuries or the injuries of a loved one, you should not have to shoulder the burden 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 case evaluation and to find out more about what Burger Law will do to get you back on your feet and make you whole again.