Injured by someone texting and driving in St. Louis, MO? Our skilled texting and driving accident lawyers in St. Louis, Missouri can help you recover financial compensation.
Missouri’s hands-free law makes holding a phone while driving illegal, but distracted drivers still cause thousands of crashes across St. Louis each year.
These aren’t just fender benders. When drivers look at screens instead of the road, they blow through red lights, drift into other lanes, and slam into stopped traffic at full speed.
Distracted driving continues to cause crashes, fatalities, and injuries across Missouri. The actual numbers are likely higher since many drivers won’t admit they were on their phone after causing a crash.
If a distracted driver injured you, our St. Louis texting and driving accident attorneys know you’re facing more than just physical pain. You’re dealing with insurance companies that want to minimize your claim, mounting medical bills, and time away from work.
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, we understand Missouri’s distracted driving laws inside and out, and we use that knowledge to hold careless drivers accountable for the harm they cause.
We’ve been fighting for injured drivers for decades and have obtained significant recoveries for our clients. Consultations are always free. You pay nothing unless we win. Contact us today.
Why Choose Us For Your St. Louis Texting and Driving Accident Case
We don’t take every kind of case. Our entire practice is built around Missouri auto accident law, which means we know exactly how these claims work and how insurance companies try to undercut them.
- Exclusive Focus: We only handle Missouri car accident cases, so we know every angle the other side will try.
- Fast Evidence Action: Phone records and traffic footage disappear quickly. We move immediately to lock them down.
- Trial-Ready from Day One: We build every case as if it’s going to trial, which forces insurers to take your claim seriously.
- Family Firm, Personal Attention: Brothers John Beck and Paul Beck handle cases personally. You’re never handed off to a paralegal or left wondering what’s happening.
Missouri’s Hands-Free Law and What It Means for Your Claim
Missouri’s Siddens Bening Hands Free Law makes it illegal for any driver to hold or support a phone while driving. Enforcement began January 1, 2025, and the law applies to all drivers, not just those under 21.
The law bans drivers from texting, making calls, watching videos, browsing social media, or using apps while holding a device. Hands-free options like Bluetooth and dashboard mounts are still allowed.
When a driver breaks this law and causes a crash, it creates what lawyers call negligence per se. This legal concept means the violation itself is treated as proof of carelessness, which strengthens your claim significantly.
How We Prove a Driver Was Texting at the Time of the Crash
Proving phone use is one of the hardest parts of these cases. Drivers rarely admit it, and police reports don’t always capture it.
Subpoenas for Phone Records and App Data
Our St. Louis texting and driving accident lawyers send a spoliation letter to the at-fault driver right away. A spoliation letter is a formal legal notice that forces them to preserve their phone data and prevents them from deleting anything.
We then subpoena their cell carrier records, text timestamps, and in-app activity. This includes social media, streaming, and navigation apps that were active at the time of the crash.
Traffic Cameras, Business Footage, and Witness Statements
We pull video from St. Louis traffic cameras, nearby business surveillance, and any dashcam footage available. We look at common crash corridors like I-64, I-70, and I-270 where distracted driving incidents are frequent.
Witness statements also matter. Someone who saw the driver looking down or swerving before impact can be powerful evidence.
Vehicle Black Box Data
Most modern vehicles have an Event Data Recorder, or EDR, that works like an airplane’s black box. It records vehicle speed, braking, and steering in the seconds before a crash.
When we cross-reference the EDR data with the driver’s phone records, we can show exactly when they stopped paying attention. That combination is often the most compelling evidence in a texting and driving case.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Texting and Driving Crash?
Missouri is an at-fault state, which means the driver who caused the crash is responsible for your losses. You have the right to pursue compensation from their insurance company for everything the accident has cost you.
You may be entitled to recover:
- Medical Bills: Emergency care, surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy, and future treatment costs.
- Lost Wages: Every paycheck you missed while you were recovering.
- Diminished Earning Capacity: Compensation if your injuries prevent you from returning to the same job or income level.
- Pain and Suffering: Physical pain and emotional distress caused by the crash.
- Property Damage: The cost to repair or replace your vehicle.
- Punitive Damages: Additional money a judge may award to punish a driver whose behavior was especially reckless.
What If You Were Partly at Fault in Missouri?
Missouri follows a rule called pure comparative fault under RSMo 537.765. This means you can still recover compensation even if you were partially responsible for the crash. Your total recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If a court determines you were 25% at fault with $100,000 in damages, you can still recover $75,000.
Insurance companies will almost always try to shift blame onto you to reduce what they owe. Out St. Louis auto accident attorneys push back hard against those tactics and fight to keep your percentage of fault as low as possible.
What to Do Right After a Texting and Driving Crash in St. Louis
The steps you take in the first hours after a crash can make or break your claim. Acting quickly protects both your health and your right to compensation.
- Call 911: Get police to the scene so an official report is created.
- Get Medical Care: See a doctor immediately, even if your injuries feel minor at first.
- Document the Scene: Take photos of the vehicles, the road, and any visible damage.
- Collect Witness Information: Get names and phone numbers from anyone who saw the crash.
- Do Not Give a Recorded Statement: Never speak to the other driver’s insurance company without a lawyer present.
- Contact Us Right Away: The sooner we start, the better our chances of preserving phone records and video footage before they are gone.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim in Missouri?
Missouri gives you five years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit under RSMo 516.120. If the crash caused a death, a wrongful death claim must be filed within three years. Five years sounds like a long time, but phone data gets deleted, camera footage gets overwritten, and witnesses forget details quickly. Waiting hurts your case far more than most people realize.
Who Pays When the Texting Driver Was Working for a Company or App?
Some texting and driving crashes involve drivers who were on the clock at the time. These cases can involve multiple insurance policies, which means more potential sources of compensation for you.
Driver Type | Likely Insurance Source | Key Coverage Note |
Personal Driver | Personal Auto Policy | Covers up to the driver’s individual policy limits |
Rideshare Driver On-App | Up to $1 million in coverage when a passenger is present | |
Delivery Driver | App or Commercial Policy | Depends on whether an active delivery was in progress |
Employee on the Clock | Employer’s Commercial Policy | Employer may share liability for the driver’s actions |
Our St. Louis texting and driving accident lawyers identify every available policy and pursue all of them to maximize your recovery.
Injuries We Commonly See in St. Louis Texting and Driving Crashes
Because texting drivers rarely brake before impact, collisions tend to happen at full speed. That means the injuries are often severe.
We regularly represent clients who have suffered:
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Serious neck and back injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Internal injuries and organ damage
- Wrongful death
The more serious your injuries, the higher the value of your claim and the harder the insurance company will fight against you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Sue a Driver Who Hit Me While Texting in Missouri?
Yes. A driver who violates Missouri’s Hands-Free Law and causes a crash can be held financially responsible through a civil lawsuit. Their violation of the law strengthens your case significantly.
How Can an Attorney Prove the Other Driver Was Texting?
We subpoena cell phone carrier records, in-app usage data, and cross-reference that information with the vehicle’s black box data. This creates a timeline that shows exactly what the driver was doing at the moment of impact.
What If the Driver Deleted Their Texts Before We Could Get Them?
Cell carriers keep metadata showing when data was sent or received, even after a message is deleted. We also send a spoliation letter early in the process to legally prevent the driver from destroying evidence.
Do I Have to Share My Phone Records With the Insurance Company?
No. You are not required to hand over your personal phone records to the other driver’s insurance company. We protect your privacy throughout the claims process and push back against overreaching demands.
Can Passengers and Pedestrians Hit by a Texting Driver File a Claim?
Yes. Passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists injured by a texting driver all have the right to pursue compensation. We file claims against the driver’s insurance policy and explore every available coverage option on your behalf.
St. Louis Car Accident Law Firm Assisting Injured Victims Since 1990
You have one shot at getting the compensation you deserve. The insurance company is already building its case, and every day that passes is a day that evidence can disappear.
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, we handle everything so you can focus on healing. We are available around the clock, consultations are always free, and you pay nothing unless we win.
Contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation today.
