Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Audrain County, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Audrain County, MO. How do you hold a driver accountable and receive great compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run crash? Call the Audrain County, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin working for you and winning you the best possible recovery for your Audrain County, MO hit and run accident.

When a thoughtless driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a family member, it is typical to feel appalled and furious. It is especially distressing when the negligent party will not take responsibility for their behavior and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be asking yourself who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The devoted, seasoned and knowledgeable Audrain County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and consciously irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight for you to maximize your compensation and get you on the journey to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people died in hit and run crashes, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those who died, almost 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths transpire in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident transpires every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from an auto accident can be traumatizing and create life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases magnify your wounds as you may not find medical treatment right away, and you may not be certain who to trust or how to pursue equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of veteran and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those harmed in hit and run accidents in the Audrain County, MO area get the best possible recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we start work on your case straight away, and you do not owe us any payment until we win your suit.

If you have been harmed in a hit and run accident, use our personal injury calculator to see how much you may be able to recover in compensation.

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys: Understanding the Laws in Audrain County, MO

If a motorist acts carelessly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only to blame for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, driving away from the scene of an accident is against the law. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

• Stay at the scene
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Render aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Audrain County, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in bad weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Remain at the crash site until a police officer tells them differently

Furthermore, an accident report must be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident causes injury or a fatality.

Missouri Statute 577.060 categorizes “leaving the scene of an accident" as a Class A Misdemeanor, which is the most serious type of misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of one year in a local jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene turns into a Class E Felony if any of the following three conditions are met:

1. Physical injury was caused by another party;
2. Over $1,000 in damages was caused to another party’s property; or
3. The defendant has previously left the scene of a hit and run accident.

A hit and run turns into a Class D Felony if the accident becomes fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws deterring hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the compensation you are entitled to. They may be found culpable in the Audrain County, MO criminal court, but you need knowledgeable and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will insist that you get the maximum recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we get started on your case at once and do not give up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to make sure the at-fault party accepts complete responsibility for their dangerous behavior.

Dos and Do Nots After Being in a Hit and Run Accident

While being in any accident is terrifying and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be especially stressful if the at fault party breaks the rules of the road and leaves the crash site. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disappointing and startling when someone does not respect those rules and acts carelessly and irresponsibly. The committed and accomplished Audrain County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers responsible and secure you the compensation you deserve. It is important to know what to do and what not to do directly following your accident, so you can increase your odds of getting the best possible compensation:

• DO NOT leave the crash site yourself. You may think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be afraid that you are partially responsible. Leaving the scene of a crash will make it much more complicated for you to get compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical treatment. The health and safety of everyone there should be your number-one concern. If you or somebody else is injured, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Audrain County, MO emergency services to get there and provide aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any accident that leads to over $500 worth of damages or causes bodily injury or death. Even if you are not sure what the degree of the damages or injuries are immediately, having a police report will help immeasurably in winning your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. When you are hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are normal reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Audrain County, MO law enforcement’s job. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will impede you from being able to get necessary information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely discern what you are able to about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can use your phone before the car disappears from view, take as many photographs as possible. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, just part of the license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly useful in locating the driver. It is also useful to take photos of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the accident.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the accident site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to validate your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Audrain County, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to get in touch with them at a later date.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take photos, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be easier to recall immediately following the collision, and those details will still be incredibly helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Audrain County, MO insurance company. In the event that the driver cannot be located, you will need to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT immediately. Our skilled and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including acquiring nearby surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for full depositions. We work alongside a network of Audrain County, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the crash and prove exactly how the negligible party caused your injuries.

Here are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for hit and runs and other categories of car accidents:

Hit and Run Cases in Missouri

In the best case scenarios, police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to find the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their careless behavior. In those cases, the indefatigable and expert Audrain County, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you get the best possible compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers must have uninsured motorist insurance. If you cannot locate the aliable driver after a hit and run accident, you and your hit and run accident attorneys will need to utilize this part of your policy to seek damages from your own insurance company. In Audrain County, MO, there are four criteria that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. You sustained the injuries because of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you are unable to identify
3. You are legally entitled to collect from the at-fault driver
4. All other limits of applicable policies have been exhausted by payment or settlement

In these cases, your own Audrain County, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like any insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best opportunity to receive full compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and expert Audrain County, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been pushing back against insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not give up the fight until your own insurance company pays you back the money you have likely been paying into their policies for a long time.

Whether the at fault driver is tracked down or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make sure you get the full compensation that you are entitled to. When you are harmed because another driver broke the rules of the road, you deserve the best possible compensation for all of damages you have sustained owing to the accident, for example: your medical costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how severe your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for all the money you are entitled to. If you or a loved one in Audrain County, MO has been injured in a hit and run accident, call Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.

Causes of Hit and Run Accidents

It is any driver’s legal and ethical responsibility to stay at a crash site. When someone flees the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more worried about the consequences for themselves than any damage or harm their reckless behavior caused. There are a lot of reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Audrain County, MO, not having proper insurance can cause you to have your license suspended for up to a year, paying a $400 reinstatement fee, a $500 fine and/or up to 15 days in jail. "No insurance" tickets also remain on a Audrain County, MO driver’s record.

• The driver does not have a driver’s license, or has a suspended license

  This also carries severe penalties and can be either a Class A misdemeanor or a Class E felony, based on whether you have been caught without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver that was under the influence of drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also result in fines, jail time, and revocation of a license.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It might not be surprising that people who already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to leave the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is thoughtless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, tired or just have their head in the clouds.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may leave the scene of an accident simply because they think they will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to occur between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Audrain County, MO streets or sidewalks.

• A panicked driver

  Sometimes the driver has a clean record but simply leaves the accident because they are afraid and do not know what to do. often, these drivers turn themselves in once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do on the road, we can take some precautions as both drivers and pedestrians. Try to avoid walking in poorly lit areas at night, and when you are driving, never get distracted and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

No matter the reason a driver chooses to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the benefits of fleeing outweighed the cons. The Audrain County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and ensure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Audrain County, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different situations. We demand great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you get the money you deserve to put you on the road to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Audrain County, 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.

• Survival Action Lawyer in Missouri
• Truck Crash Lawyers in Missouri
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Missouri

If you or a family member experienced injuries in a Audrain County, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related costs can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Audrain County, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side straight away. We demand the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you full compensation to aid you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.