ST. LOUIS DISTRACTED DRIVING ATTORNEY
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Terry Crouppen who has more than 40 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney. Our last modified date shows when this page was last reviewed.
- Last Modified:
- March 14, 2024
Distracted driving is responsible for countless injuries and deaths every year. When a driver is distracted, they must be held accountable for the accidents they cause. Our St. Louis distracted driving attorneys at Brown & Crouppen help clients secure life-changing compensation, so they’re not left to deal with the burdens of these accidents on their own.
- How Brown & Crouppen Can Help After A Distracted Driving Car Accident In St. Louis
- How Common Are Distracted Driving Accidents In Missouri?
- What Are The Three Types Of Distracted Driving?
- Why Is Distracted Driving So Dangerous?
- Missouri Distracted Driving Laws
- How Do I Prove Another Driver Was Distracted?
- What Types Of Damages Can I Get If I File A Distracted Driving Claim In St. Louis?
- How Long Do I Have To File A Lawsuit After A Distracted Driving Accident In Missouri?
- Trusted St. Louis Distracted Driving Attorneys Ready To Fight For You
Are you struggling with painful, debilitating injuries after a car accident with a distracted driver in St. Louis, Missouri? You do not have to bear the burden of your injuries on your own. Call Brown & Crouppen and discover how our St. Louis distracted lawyer can help you work toward a meaningful financial recovery.
Texting and driving may be one of the leading causes of driver distraction, but distracted driving isn’t new. Since our founding in 1979, our top-rated law firm has been a source of strength and support for clients injured by distracted drivers. Our goal is simple: to make a genuine and meaningful difference in the lives of the people we represent. Our track record speaks for itself. We’ve won more than $1 billion in compensation for deserving clients like you.
Now is the time to stand up and demand the compensation you deserve. Our award-winning Missouri trial attorneys are here to help. Call our law office in St. Louis today to schedule a free consultation and learn more.
HOW BROWN & CROUPPEN CAN HELP AFTER A DISTRACTED DRIVING CAR ACCIDENT IN ST. LOUIS
We all know that driving while distracted is dangerous. It’s proven to increase the likelihood of an accident. However, some drivers still engage in behaviors that put themselves and others at risk. When you get hurt as a result, the distracted driver must be held accountable.
When you trust our St. Louis car accident attorneys with your distracted driving case, others will take notice. Our reputation as tough, unrelenting litigators is well-known. You’ll make it clear that you are serious about not only winning your case but getting every cent you deserve.
You’ll also have time to focus on getting back on your feet while our acclaimed car accident attorneys in St. Louis:
- Investigate your distracted driving car accident
- Gather evidence to prove that the other driver was distracted, including witness statements, red light camera photos, video footage, wireless communication records, police reports, and vehicle damage
- Determine if the other driver was also negligent in other ways, such as speeding or driving under the influence
- Remain available whenever you have questions about your car accident or need help making important case-related decisions
- Handle settlement conferences with the insurance company and the at-fault driver
- Prepare for trial if the distracted driver (or their insurer) refuses to accept responsibility and offer you a fair settlement
Our top-rated St. Louis personal injury lawyers have helped thousands of clients stand up, tell their stories, and walk away with life-changing settlements and jury awards. Get our team in your corner by calling our St. Louis law office for help today.
HOW COMMON ARE DISTRACTED DRIVING ACCIDENTS IN MISSOURI?
Distracted driving is a huge problem across the state of Missouri, particularly in bustling cities like St. Louis.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 15,059 distracted driving accidents were reported statewide in 2022.
That’s roughly 41 car accidents caused by distracted drivers every day.
Many of these accidents were serious, with 27 percent causing at least one injury or death.
In 2022, 5,860 people were injured in Missouri distracted driving crashes, while 86 people were killed.
WHAT ARE THE THREE TYPES OF DISTRACTED DRIVING?
Texting and driving is incredibly dangerous, causing about 390,000 injuries and nearly 400 deaths annually. There’s a reason why texting is inherently dangerous: it involves all three types of driver distractions.
The three types of distracted driving are:
- Cognitive – A distraction that takes your mind and concentration away from driving
- Manual – A distraction that causes you to remove your hands from the wheel
- Visual – A distraction that diverts your eyesight from the road
When a driver sends or reads a text, they’re thinking about the message, physically manipulating the phone with their hands, and looking at the cell phone.
Of course, texting isn’t the only way drivers in St. Louis get distracted.
Other examples of distracted driving include:
- Talking with a passenger in the vehicle
- Uber and Lyft drivers looking for a person who requested a ride
- Eating and drinking
- Calming a crying child in the back seat
- Reaching for an object on the floor of the vehicle
- Scrolling social media
- Making a phone call, even on a hands-free device
- Applying makeup
- Smoking
- Reading
- Daydreaming
- Replaying a conversation or interaction in your head
- Changing the radio station
When a driver is distracted, they’re less capable of identifying and reacting to changes in St. Louis traffic.
WHY IS DISTRACTED DRIVING SO DANGEROUS?
And remember, since the personal injury lawyers at Brown & Crouppen work on a contingency fee basis, you don’t pay any attorney fees upfront. In fact, if you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reading a text takes about five seconds. When driving at 55 mph, a vehicle can travel the length of a football field. That’s quite a distance to cover without looking at the road, and a lot can happen in that span of time.
When a driver takes their hands off of the wheel, begins to daydream or think about something else, or looks away from the road, they might:
- Suffer from reduced reaction times
- Not notice pedestrians or bicyclists in an intersection
- Swerve into other lanes of traffic
- Drive the wrong way down the road
- Not notice that they’re speeding or engaging in other reckless driving behaviors
Other negligent behaviors, like drunk driving, speeding, and tailgating, can amplify the dangerous nature of distracted driving, significantly increasing the crash risk.
MISSOURI DISTRACTED DRIVING LAWS
Missouri has relatively relaxed distracted driving laws. Currently, it is illegal for drivers under the age of 21 to use a hand-held cell phone or device to write, send, or read electronic messages.
Simply put, drivers under 21 can’t text and drive unless they do so using a hands-free device.
Drivers who violate Missouri’s texting and driving law risk a $200 fine and two points added to their driver’s license.
HOW DO I PROVE ANOTHER DRIVER WAS DISTRACTED?
Distracted driving is an act of negligence. Specifically, a distracted driver breaches the duty of care owed to you when they are distracted behind the wheel.
You’ll have the burden of proving that they (a) were distracted and (b) their distraction caused an accident in which you were injured.
Evidence that might be helpful in proving that another driver was distracted includes:
- Witness statements and testimony
- Photographs from red light cameras at St. Louis intersections
- Video footage proving the driver was distracted
- Cell phone statements
- Onboard navigation history
The more evidence you have to prove that a driver was distracted (and therefore negligent), the better the odds of a successful financial recovery.
Our car accident attorneys in St. Louis will thoroughly investigate the accident and leave no stone unturned as we search for evidence to support your claim.
WHAT TYPES OF DAMAGES CAN I GET IF I FILE A DISTRACTED DRIVING CLAIM IN ST. LOUIS?
When you’re hit by a distracted driver in St. Louis, you can generally recover compensatory damages in a claim or lawsuit.
Compensatory damages include compensation for financial losses (economic damages) and traumatic life changes related to your accident (non-economic damages).
Examples include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Nursing care
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
- Depression and anxiety
- Embarrassment
- Loss of consortium
At Brown & Crouppen, our St. Louis distracted driving accident lawyers will fight to ensure that your damages are calculated properly. We won’t give the insurance company the ability to drive down the value or scare you into accepting less money than you deserve. In fact, we’ll bring in experts and specialists to help us get the valuation right.
Get started with a free consultation with one of our skilled Personal Injury Lawyers today.
HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO FILE A LAWSUIT AFTER A DISTRACTED DRIVING ACCIDENT IN MISSOURI?
You’ll have until the fifth anniversary of your distracted driving car accident in St. Louis to file a lawsuit.
If a family member is killed in a fatal distracted driving car accident, you’ll have three years to bring a wrongful death claim.
Once the Missouri statute of limitations expires, you will forfeit your right to compensation. That’ll leave you to shoulder the burden of your accident on your own, something that simply shouldn’t happen.
You can protect yourself by reaching out to our award-winning Missouri car and truck accident attorneys for help right away.
TRUSTED ST. LOUIS DISTRACTED DRIVING ATTORNEYS READY TO FIGHT FOR YOU
Did you recently get hurt in St. Louis, Clayton, or Ferguson because another driver was distracted behind the wheel? Call Brown & Crouppen for immediate legal help. You may be entitled to compensation from the distracted driver or their insurance company. Our St. Louis distracted driving attorneys can help you make the most of your fight for damages.
Benefit from a team with decades of experience, unparalleled client satisfaction, and a winning record that exceeds $1 billion.
To get started, call our law office in St. Louis, Missouri, to schedule your free consultation.
FREE CASE EVALUATION
OUR OFFICE
Brown & Crouppen Law Firm
(314) 501-9510
Our Results
SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION
