Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Bates City, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Bates City, MO. How do you hold a driver to blame and collect full compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run crash? Call the Bates City, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law straight away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin fighting for you and getting you the best possible recovery for your Bates City, MO hit and run accident.

When a thoughtless driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and harms you or a family member, it is common to feel shocked and furious. It is particularly distressing when the at-fault party will not take responsibility for their actions and flees the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be pondering who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The dedicated, veteran and knowledgeable Bates City, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and purposefully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your compensation and put you on the road to recovery. Call us immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people were killed in hit and run accidents, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those killed, almost 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths happen in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury arising from a car accident can be traumatizing and bring about life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases aggravate your wounds as you may not find medical attention at once, and you may not know who to trust or how to pursue fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of seasoned and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families injured in hit and run accidents in the Bates City, MO area get great 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 claim.

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

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

If someone else acts carelessly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only liable for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, driving away from the scene of an accident is against the law. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law dictates that they must:

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

Furthermore, an accident report needs to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident results in injury or death.

Missouri Statute 577.060 categorizes “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 county jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene turns into a Class E Felony if any of the three conditions listed 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 was previously found guilty of leaving the scene of a hit and run accident.

A hit and run turns into a Class D Felony if the accident becomes fatal and leads to somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the negligent driver will not get you the compensation you are entitled to. They may be found guilty in front of the Bates City, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will fight by your side until you get the maximum recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we start working on your case straight away and work tenaciously until we win. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to make sure the at-fault party accepts complete responsibility for their harmful behavior.

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

While being in any crash is frightening and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be especially nerve wracking if the at fault party breaks the law and flees the crash site. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disappointing and startling when someone does not respect those rules and behaves carelessly and recklessly. The dedicated and talented Bates City, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers responsible and recover for you the money 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 scene yourself. You might think the damages are too small to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may worry that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the scene of a crash will make it much harder for you to recover compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical treatment. The health and safety of everybody there should be your first concern. If you or somebody else is hurt, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Bates City, 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 crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or leads to physical injury or a fatality. Even if you do not know the extent of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help immeasurably in proving your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. When you are hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Bates City, MO law enforcement’s job. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get important information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely find out what you can about the irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you are not seriously injured and can take out your phone before the car disappears from view, take as many photos as you are able to. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, a partial number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly helpful in locating the driver. It also helps to take photos of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the scene may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to corroborate your version of events. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, police officer or Bates City, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to get in touch with them later.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take pictures, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be easier to remember immediately after the collision, and those details will still be incredibly helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Bates City, MO insurance company. If the driver is never located, you will need to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT straight away. Our savvy and accomplished hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including getting access to close by surveillance video and reaching out to witnesses for complete statements. We work alongside a network of Bates City, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the scene and demonstrate exactly how the negligible party caused your injuries.

Listed here are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for hit and runs and other types of car accidents:

Hit and Run Cases in Missouri

The ideal scenario is that police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to track down the liable driver that caused your injuries and hold them responsible for their dangerous actions. In those cases, the determined and skilled Bates City, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you collect maximum compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, motorists are required to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to locate the aat-fault driver after a hit and run accident, you and your hit and run accident attorneys will need to use this part of your policy to make a claim against your own insurance company. In Bates City, MO, there are four criteria that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received physical injuries
2. You incurred 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 Bates City, MO insurance company takes the place of the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like many insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best chance at receiving the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and knowledgeable Bates City, MO hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law to fight for you. We have been challenging insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not relent until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have probably 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 ensure you get the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to. When you are harmed because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have sustained as a result of the accident, for example: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how grave your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every nickel you are entitled to. If you or a someone you care about in Bates City, 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 any driver’s legal and moral obligation to remain at a crash site. When someone runs away from the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they care more about the consequences for themselves than any damage or injury their dangerous behavior caused. There are many reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Bates City, MO, not having the right 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 Bates City, 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 carry fines, jail time, and getting your license revoked.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It probably is not surprising that people who have already committed a crime would risk breaking the law again to flee the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is reckless 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 can do so without any consequences. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more probable between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Bates City, 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 how other people drive, we can take some safety measures 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 decision.

Regardless of the reason a driver opts to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the pros of running were greater than the cons. The Bates City, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make sure they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Bates City, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing situations. We demand maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you recover the money you deserve to put you on the path to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Bates City, 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 family member experienced injuries in a Bates City, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related costs can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Bates City, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf at once. We demand the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you collect great compensation to help 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.