Why St. Louis distracted driving crash victims call The Bruning Law Firm
- 40+ years helping Missouri and Illinois injury victims after serious car crashes.
- Distraction proof matters: phone records, witness statements, vehicle data, camera footage, and crash timing can change the value of a claim.
- Local St. Louis help for rear-end, intersection, lane-change, pedestrian, rideshare, and multi-vehicle crashes caused by distracted drivers.
- Free consultation and no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
If another driver was texting, using a phone, checking an app, eating, or otherwise distracted before the crash, do not let the insurance company treat your case like a routine accident. Our lawyers can help investigate what happened, preserve key evidence, and pursue compensation for medical care, lost income, pain, and the full impact of your injuries.
A distracted-driving crash can happen in seconds, but proving distraction often takes careful work. Drivers may deny texting, looking at a phone, adjusting navigation, eating, talking to passengers, or using an app. The Bruning Law Firm helps injured people build the evidence needed to connect a driver’s distraction to the collision and the harm that followed.
Our St. Louis distracted driving accident lawyers handle these cases as evidence problems from the start. We look for the facts that show why the crash happened, how your injuries changed your life, and why the insurance company should take the claim seriously.
What to do after a distracted driving accident in St. Louis
- Get medical care and explain every symptom. Neck pain, headaches, back pain, dizziness, and soft-tissue injuries can worsen after the adrenaline fades.
- Preserve crash evidence. Save photos, police report information, witness names, repair estimates, rideshare or delivery-app details, and any messages from insurers.
- Write down what you saw. If the other driver had a phone in hand, looked down, drifted lanes, failed to brake, or admitted distraction, record those details while they are fresh.
- Do not give a recorded statement without advice. Insurance questions can be framed to minimize distraction, causation, or your injuries.
- Talk with a distracted driving accident lawyer. Phone records, camera footage, event data, and witness statements can disappear if they are not requested quickly.
How we prove a distracted driver caused the crash
Distracted driving cases often depend on facts outside the driver’s version of events. Depending on the crash, useful evidence may include police reports, witness statements, traffic cameras, dashcam footage, vehicle damage patterns, skid marks or lack of braking, phone-use records, app activity, vehicle event data, repair records, and medical documentation that matches the crash mechanics.
We also look at related crash patterns. Distracted drivers often cause rear-end crashes, intersection collisions, sideswipes, pedestrian impacts, and multi-vehicle wrecks because their eyes, hands, or attention are away from the road.
Missouri distracted driving and hands-free law
Missouri’s Siddens Bening Hands Free Law, found at RSMo § 304.822, restricts drivers from holding or manually using electronic communication devices while operating a vehicle, subject to statutory exceptions. A violation can be important evidence, but it does not automatically resolve every injury claim.
Even when a citation is not issued, distraction may still be proven through witness testimony, phone activity, camera footage, crash reconstruction, and the driver’s behavior before impact.
Common distractions that cause St. Louis car accidents
Texting is one of the most dangerous distractions because it can take a driver’s eyes, hands, and focus away from driving at the same time. But distracted driving includes more than texting.
- Reading or sending text messages
- Holding or talking on a phone
- Using navigation, music, social media, or delivery apps
- Eating, drinking, or grooming while driving
- Looking at passengers, children, pets, or objects inside the vehicle
- Reaching for something instead of watching traffic
For more background, see our articles on texting drivers, cognitive driving distractions, and how texting can be proven after a crash.
Injuries after distracted driving crashes
Distracted-driving collisions can cause serious injuries because the at-fault driver may not brake or react before impact. Victims may suffer common car accident injuries such as whiplash, back and neck injuries, fractures, concussions, brain injuries, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, internal injuries, and chronic pain.
If your symptoms are delayed, continue medical care and document changes. Treatment gaps are often used by insurers to argue that a crash did not cause the injury.
Relevant car accident results
Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. We did not find a public BLF case result that specifically says texting or distracted driving caused the crash, so these are labeled as relevant car accident results, not distracted-driving-specific outcomes.
- $3 Million — St. Louis, Missouri car accident involving broken femur, knee, and ankle injuries.
- $2.5 Million — St. Louis, Missouri rear-end car accident involving serious back and neck injuries.
- $2.2 Million — Missouri car accident involving skull fractures and hearing loss.
- $1 Million — St. Louis, Missouri car accident involving whiplash.
Compensation available after a distracted driving accident
A distracted-driving claim may include compensation for emergency treatment, doctor visits, physical therapy, prescriptions, imaging, surgery, lost wages, reduced earning ability, property damage, pain and suffering, and the long-term effects of the injury. The value depends on fault evidence, injury severity, treatment history, available insurance, and how the crash affects daily life.
Distracted driving accident FAQs
Can I bring a claim if the driver was not ticketed?
Yes, a ticket can help but is not always required. A civil injury claim can use other evidence, including witnesses, photos, camera footage, phone activity, vehicle data, and medical records.
What if the driver says they were not texting?
That denial does not end the investigation. The facts may still show distraction through crash timing, witness observations, braking behavior, phone records, or inconsistent statements.
Should I talk to the insurance company?
You should report the crash, but be careful with recorded statements, blame questions, injury minimization, and quick settlement offers. An attorney can help protect your claim before you sign anything.
Talk to a St. Louis distracted driving accident lawyer
If you were hurt because another driver was texting, looking at a phone, using an app, or not paying attention, The Bruning Law Firm can help you understand your options. Call (314) 735-8100 or use our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.