Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Bolivar, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Bolivar, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and recover the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been injured in a hit and run crash? Call the Bolivar, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can start working for you and getting you the best possible recovery for your Bolivar, MO hit and run accident.

When a reckless driver knowingly breaks the rules of the road and harms you or someone you care about, it is normal to feel appalled and furious. It is especially upsetting when the reckless party will not take responsibility for their actions and drives away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be pondering who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The devoted, seasoned and talented Bolivar, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and consciously irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your recovery and put you on the road to healing. Call us immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people were killed in hit and run accidents, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those who died, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five pedestrian deaths take place in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from an auto crash can be traumatizing and produce life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify that trauma as you may not get medical care immediately, and you may not know who to trust or how to collect fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of veteran and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Bolivar, MO area get the best possible recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we start work on your case immediately, and we do not collect any fees until we win your claim.

If you have been injured in a hit and run accident, take a loot at our personal injury calculator to see how much you may be able to collect in compensation.

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

If a driver behaves recklessly and harms 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 a crime. 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 may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until instructed by police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Bolivar, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Stay at the crash site until a police officer tells them they can leave

Furthermore, an accident report has to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident leads to injury or death.

Missouri Statute 577.060 classifies “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 becomes 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 has previously left the scene of a hit and run accident.

A hit and run becomes a Class D Felony if the crash is 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 culpable in front of the Bolivar, MO criminal court, but you need knowledgeable and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will fight for you until you get the maximum 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 fight tirelessly to make sure the at-fault party bears complete responsibility for their dangerous behavior.

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

While being in any accident is frightening and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be particularly stressful if the negligent individual breaks the rules and flees the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disappointing and alarming when someone disregards those rules and acts selfishly and irresponsibly. The committed and talented Bolivar, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold careless drivers responsible and secure 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 leave the crash site yourself. You could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the inconvenience, or you may be anxious that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more complicated for you to collect compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. The health and safety of everyone present should be your number-one concern. If you or somebody else is harmed, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Bolivar, MO emergency services to get there and render aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any accident that leads to over $500 worth of damages or results in bodily harm or death. Even if you are not certain what the extent of the damages or injuries are immediately, having a police report will go a long way in making your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. After being hit by another auto in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Bolivar, MO law enforcement’s job. Chasing after the other driver not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get valuable information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely discern what you can about the reckless driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can take out your phone before the car is completely gone, 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 a great help in finding the driver. It is also useful to take photos of any tire marks or other damage to the area of the crash.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people in the area may have had a better view than you, or will be able to verify your story. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Bolivar, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to reach out to them later.
  • Write down everything you can. If you did not have time or the ability to take photographs, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be easier to remember immediately following the crash, and those details will still be very helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Bolivar, 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 right away. Our skilled and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including getting access to nearby surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for complete depositions. We work alongside a network of Bolivar, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident and show exactly how the liable party caused your injuries.

Listed 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 discover the liable driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their thoughtless behavior. In those cases, the tenacious and talented Bolivar, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you recover maximum compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers need to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to track down the aliable 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 Bolivar, MO, there are four standards that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. You sustained the injuries as a result 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 Bolivar, MO insurance company takes the place of the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like any insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best odds at receiving the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and savvy Bolivar, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been challenging insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not back down until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have certainly been paying into their policies for years.

Whether the at fault driver is located or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make sure you get the full recovery that you are owed. When you sustain injuries because somebody else did not respect the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have experienced because of the accident, including: your medical costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how serious your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every dollar you deserve. If you or a someone you care about in Bolivar, MO has been hurt 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 duty to remain at an accident site. When someone leaves the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more concerned about the consequences for themselves than any damage or harm their dangerous actions caused. There are a wide array reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Bolivar, MO, not having adequate 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 Bolivar, 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, depending on whether you have been discovered without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver that was impaired by drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also carry 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 flee the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not paying full attention to the road is thoughtless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, drowsy or are just daydreaming.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee an accident site simply because they think they will not be caught. 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 Bolivar, 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 want to get in trouble. often, these drivers turn themselves in after they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do behind the wheel, we can take some precautions 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 decision.

No matter the reason a driver chooses to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the pros of running outweighed the cons. The Bolivar, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and ensure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Bolivar, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different circumstances. We demand the best possible compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you collect the money you deserve to put you on the journey to being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary consultation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Bolivar, 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 Bolivar, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and anxious. Injuries and their related bills can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Bolivar, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf immediately. We insist that the negligent parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you the best possible compensation to aid 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.