Distracted Driving Accident Attorney St. Joseph, MO

Distracted Driving Accident Attorney in St. Joseph, MO. If a distracted driver injured you or someone you care about, you need to talk to a distracted driving attorney right away. At Burger Law, we have a team of committed and accomplished St. Joseph, 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 money you owed to aid you while you heal. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

The rules of the road are in place to ensure that we, our passengers and everyone else on the St. Joseph, MO roads are safe. When somebody else breaks those rules, drives recklessly and does not pay attention while they are behind the wheel, they put you and the people you love directly at risk. You should not have to miss time from work, pay excessive medical fees and live with painful and limiting injuries because of someone else’s negligence, and you deserve to be awarded maximum compensation for their thoughtless behavior.

The distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law have argued every kind of distracted driving case, and we have the experience, shrewdness and resolve to get you full compensation for your injuries from your St. Joseph, MO distracted driving accident. We manage all communication, documentation and litigation for you so you can focus your energy on recuperating from your injuries. We fight on your behalf and do not require any legal fees until we have won your case and helped you receive the financial recovery you are owed. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free consultation with a qualified St. Joseph, MO distracted driving accident attorney. We will get started on your case immediately.

Distracted Driving Statistics

We have certainly all noticed distracted drivers on the road, and you may even be guilty of it yourself. However, much of the statistics we have about distracted driving is even more alarming. The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety estimates that nearly 9 in 10 drivers use their phones in some way while behind the wheel, and cell phone related accidents increased by 30 percent between 2014 and 2018. In Missouri, there were 408 fatalities in distracted driving accidents from 2016 to 2020, and thousands more people have been harmed. In 2017, Missouri officially attributed 21,058 accidents to distracted drivers, which far exceeds the sum of drunk driving accidents (5,321) and is higher than accidents caused by speeding (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, even though seven out of ten accidents caused by cell phone usage were over 21 years old. 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 lately, Missouri is still only one of two states without a no texting law for drivers of all ages , nor are there any other distracted driving laws in the state. This can make St. Joseph, MO roads especially hazardous for St. Joseph, MO drivers, passengers and pedestrians. That is why it is important to remember that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law are here for you and will fight in your corner if a distracted driver injures you.

While the letter of the law may not hold every driver responsible, you can be confident that the distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will. Even though there is no statute against texting while driving in St. Joseph, MO, a thoughtless driver can still be held responsible for any injuries you receive. Driving distracted still breaks our safety, requiring St. Joseph, MO road users to act in a way that is safe. As your St. Joseph, MO distracted driving accident attorney, the Burger Law legal team has helped hundreds of St. Joseph, MO residents recover full compensation when another motorist disregards the rules and harms them. We have tried every type of distracted driving case, and resistant St. Joseph, MO insurance companies are afraid of us because they know we take on – and win – the tough cases. Call a St. Joseph, 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 toward full recovery and maximum compensation. Your experienced St. Joseph, MO distracted driving accident lawyer will start working on your case and fighting for you straight away and will work around the clock until you get the money you deserve.

Common Types of Driving Distractions

There are many ways a St. Joseph, MO driver can become distracted and cause a distracted driving accident. Burger Law’s distracted driving accident attorneys know how to prove any type of case to maximize your compensation. We have seen every sort of distracted driving accident, and, typically, there are three main categories of distractions.

Manual Distractions

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

• Texting, making a call, or using your phone in another manner
• Eating or drinking
• Adjusting 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 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, for example at a roadside attraction, sign, or crash
• Looking at your phone
• Looking in the mirror to check your appearance

Cognitive Distractions

These happen when something leads to a driver taking their mind off the road. These can be dangerous because while it could seem that someone is operating their vehicle properly, they are still not concentrating or as alert as they should be. They can be:

• Focusing too much on an audiobook or song
• Daydreaming
• Concentrating too much on a conversation with another person 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 can imagine, cell phones are a major cause of distracted driving accidents because they can lead to 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 received injuries because another St. Joseph, MO driver was distracted and behaved recklessly, call the distracted driving attorneys at Burger Law and we will get started on your case right away. We will remain dedicated to your case until you are awarded the full compensation you are entitled to. We demand 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 an obviously distracted driver, it can be hard to prove to a resistant St. Joseph, MO insurance company or in a court of law. A seasoned, devoted and diligent distracted driving accident attorney like those at Burger Law will be able to prove the other driver was distracted. Here is a look at some of the evidence you could utilize and how your distracted driving accident attorney can leverage 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 collect evidence where the accident happened. This can include photos of both vehicles and the area surrounding the accident. The majority of drivers will attempt to turn sharply or break quickly before causing a wreck. If there are no tire or brake marks, it could help show that the motorist who crashed into you was distracted. This is why it is essential to take pictures of the scene if possible. Surveillance video showing the other driver did not swerve or brake could also help your suit. The St. Joseph, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law will procure any video evidence and painstakingly review any photographs or other evidence.

Eyewitness Stories.The more people who say they saw that the other driver was clearly distracted, the stronger your case will be. If other people witnessed the accident and saw that the other driver was eating, texting or not focusing on the road ahead, they can provide official statements to aid your suit. If you hire Burger Law, your St. Joseph, MO distracted driving accident attorney and legal team will conduct depositions and obtain official statements on your behalf. You only need to make certain 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 moments leading up to the crash, it probably means they were distracted by their phone. Your Burger Law distracted driving accident lawyer will handle collecting this information to help 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 showing what they were doing likely looking at their phone when the accident took place. If the driver was texting, there will be proof of it. A skilled distracted driving accident attorney will subpoena those records to help prove your suit.

Use the Police Reports. Police officers are coached on how to analyze accidents and determine who is responsible. If the St. Joseph, MO police officer at the scene judged the other driver was distracted and was responsible for the accident, it will go a long way towards 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 reviewing all available evidence and deciding fault in car accidents. Burger Law’s team of distracted driving accident lawyers has a huge network of St. Joseph, MO experts we trust and work with to make sure you get maximum compensation for your damages.

Contact Burger Law. Our committed and talented distracted driving accident attorneys take pride in taking on hard cases to get our clients the recovery they are owed. With over seventy years of combined experience, we have experience with every variety of distracted driving accident and have collected over $170 million for our clients in verdicts and settlements for their damages. We stand up to bullies like resistant insurance companies and help in your recovery. 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 complimentary case evaluation, and we will begin 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 whenever 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 wonderful time-saver, it can also lead to unnecessary hazards 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 behind the wheel, personal grooming or getting dressed while driving may save time, but considerably increases your chances of personal injury or harming another person.

Know where you are going. Look carefully at directions beforehand so you will not have to look at 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 if someone is in the car with you, have them manage the directions so you can keep your eyes on the road ahead.

If you are exhausted, pull over or have someone else drive. Not only are you risking 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 getting on the road. Adjust the seat, mirrors, heat or AC, 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 cause 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 attention should be on the road in front of you and your mirrors so that you can see what is happening around you. While that brightly colored restaurant may look cool, taking a moment to admire it is not worth danger you could pose to yourself and others.

Unfortunately, you can do everything correctly when you are driving and you or a loved one can still be injured because somebody else disregarded the rules of the road. When that occurs, you need to get in touch with the distracted driving accident lawyers of Burger Law immediately so we can use our expertise and experience to help you get full compensation and start to make you whole again. We have experience with distracted driving accident suits, we know how to fight them and we know how to insist on full compensation for the harm the thoughtless driver caused you.

The St. Joseph, 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 harmed because another person did not respect the rules of the road and acted thoughtlessly, you are entitled to full compensation for your injuries. The St. Joseph, MO distracted driving accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers responsible and stand up to dishonest insurance companies are more interested in their bottom line than being fair to you. We have the knowledge, insight, work ethic and resolve to fight in your corner from beginning to end, to win your case and to get you the maximum compensation to help you safeguard your family’s future. If another St. Joseph, MO driver was distracted and caused your injuries or the injuries of a family member or friend, you should not have to shoulder the tribulation 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 review and to learn more about what Burger Law will do to get you back on your feet and back on the road again.