Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Aurora, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Aurora, MO. How do you hold a driver accountable and receive full compensation for your damages when you have been injured in a hit and run accident? Call the Aurora, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law straight away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin working for you and securing for you a great recovery for your Aurora, MO hit and run accident.

When a thoughtless driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a family member, it is common to feel shocked and outraged. It is especially perturbing when the at-fault party declines to take responsibility for their behavior and drives away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be pondering who is going to reimburse you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The committed, seasoned and talented Aurora, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and consciously irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight for you to maximize your compensation and get you on the path to recovery. Call us now at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people were killed in hit and run accidents, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those who died, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five pedestrian deaths occur in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident takes place every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury caused by an auto crash can be traumatizing and create life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases exacerbate your wounds as you may not find medical care at once, and you may not know who to trust or how to collect just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of seasoned and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families hurt in hit and run accidents in the Aurora, MO area get full recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your claim.

If you have been harmed in a hit and run accident, take a loot at our personal injury calculator to see how much your damages may be worth.

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

If a motorist drives negligently and hurts you in a hit and run accident, they are not only liable for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, leaving the scene of an accident is against the law. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

• Stay at the accident site
• Move their car if it dangerous to other drivers, otherwise, wait for directions from police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Aurora, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with everybody involved
• Remain at the scene until a police officer tells them differently

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

Missouri Statute 577.060 classifies “leaving the scene of an accident" as a Class A Misdemeanor, which is the most serious misdemeanor offense and carries a maximum penalty of one year in a local jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene becomes a Class E Felony if any of these 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 becomes a Class D Felony if the accident becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the negligent driver will not get you the compensation you are owed. They may be found culpable in the Aurora, MO criminal court, but you need expert and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will demand that you get the best possible recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we get started on your case right away and do not give up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to ensure the negligent party bears complete responsibility for their thoughtless actions.

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

While being in any accident is scary and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be particularly worrisome if the responsible individual does not respect the law and leaves the accident site. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is discouraging and frightening when someone breaks those rules and behaves carelessly and recklessly. The dedicated and knowledgeable Aurora, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers accountable and get you the compensation you are entitled to. 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 flee the accident site yourself. You might think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the hassle, or you may worry that you are in some measure responsible. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much harder for you to be awarded compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. Your first worry should be your health and safety and the health and safety of anyone else in your car or involved in the accident. If you or somebody else is hurt, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Aurora, MO emergency services to come and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any accident that causes over $500 worth of damages or causes bodily injury or death. Even if you are unsure of the degree of the damages or injuries are immediately, having a police report will help a lot in proving your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. When you are hit by another vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are natural reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is Aurora, MO law enforcement’s obligation. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased risk, but it will impede you from being able to get necessary information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely note what you can about the irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can take out your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many photos as you can. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, a partial number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in determining who the driver was. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people in the area might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to validate your version of events. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, police officer or Aurora, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to get in touch with them at a later date.
  • Write down everything you can. If you did not have time or the ability to take photos, anything you could observe about the other car or driver will be easier to remember immediately after the crash, and those details will still be of great help to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Aurora, 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 at once. Our skilled and accomplished hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including acquiring nearby surveillance footage and reaching out to witnesses for full statements. We work alongside a network of Aurora, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the crash and prove exactly how the at-fault party caused your injuries.

Here are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for hit and runs and other kinds 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 track down the at-fault driver that caused your injuries and hold them responsible for their reckless actions. In those cases, the tenacious and skilled Aurora, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you recover full compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers are required to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to track down the aat-fault 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 pursue damages from your own insurance company. In Aurora, MO, there are four specifications that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. You sustained the injuries because of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you cannot 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 Aurora, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like any insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best opportunity to receive maximum compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and talented Aurora, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not back down until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have likely been paying into their policies for a long time.

Whether the at fault driver is found or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make sure you get the full recovery that you are entitled to. When you are harmed because another driver broke the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have experienced owing to the accident, including: your medical costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how severe your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for all the money you deserve. If you or a loved one in Aurora, MO has been harmed 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 every driver’s legal and ethical responsibility to remain at the scene of a crash. When someone flees the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more concerned about the consequences for themselves than any damage or injury their dangerous actions caused. There are many reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Aurora, MO, not having appropriate insurance can lead to having 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 are also never removed from a Aurora, MO driver’s record.

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

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

• A drunk driver or a driver otherwise 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 likely is not surprising that people who already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to run away from the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

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

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee the scene of an accident simply because they think they can do so without any consequences. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to happen between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Aurora, MO roads 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. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do behind the wheel, we can take some safety measures as both drivers and pedestrians. Try to avoid walking in areas with bad lighting at night, and when you are driving, never get distracted and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

Whatever the reason a driver decides to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the pros of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Aurora, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make certain they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Aurora, 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 are awarded the money you are owed to put you on the road to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can begin working on your case right away.

The Aurora, 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

If you or a loved one experienced injuries in a Aurora, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related bills can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Aurora, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf straight away. We demand the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you the best possible compensation to help you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review to take the first step in getting your life back on track.