Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Boonville, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Boonville, 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 accident? Call the Boonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin working for you and winning you a full recovery for your Boonville, MO hit and run accident.

When a careless driver purposefully breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or someone you care about, it is normal to feel appalled and angry. It is especially unnerving when the negligent party refuses to take responsibility for their behavior and drives away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be puzzled about who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The dedicated, veteran and talented Boonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your recovery and get you on the path to healing. Call us straight away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people died in hit and run crashes, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those who died, nearly 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 transpires 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 intensify that trauma as you may not receive medical treatment right away, and you may not know who to trust or how to pursue just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of veteran and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people hurt in hit and run accidents in the Boonville, MO area get great recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

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

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

If a driver behaves carelessly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible for your injuries, they are guilty of a criminal act. 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:

• Remain at the scene
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Help anyone who is hurt
• Call the Boonville, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Remain at the scene until a police officer tells them they can leave

Additionally, an accident report must be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident leads to 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 county 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 was previously found guilty of leaving the scene of a hit and run accident.

A hit and run becomes a Class D Felony if the crash becomes fatal and leads to somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws deterring hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the irresponsible driver will not get you the compensation you are owed. They may be found responsible before the Boonville, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will insist that you get the best possible recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we get started on your case straight away and are relentless until we win. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to ensure the negligent party accepts full responsibility for their harmful actions.

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

While being in any crash is scary and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be particularly nerve wracking if the negligent person disregards the rules and flees the crash site. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disheartening and alarming when someone breaks those rules and drives carelessly and recklessly. The devoted and accomplished Boonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers responsible and get you the money you are owed. 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 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 an accident will make it much harder for you to receive compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. Your number-one thought 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 injured, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Boonville, MO emergency services to get there and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or results in 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 pursue the driver. After being hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Boonville, MO law enforcement’s obligation. Chasing after the other motorist 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 make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely learn what you are able to about the irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you are not badly injured and can use your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many pictures as you are able to. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, a partial license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly useful in discovering who the driver was. It is also useful to take photos of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the scene might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to validate your version of events. Make sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Boonville, 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 photographs, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be fresher in your memory immediately after the accident, and those details will still be of great help to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Boonville, MO insurance company. If the driver is never located, you will have to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT right away. Our savvy and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including obtaining adjacent surveillance footage and contacting witnesses for full depositions. We work alongside a network of Boonville, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the scene and demonstrate exactly how the at-fault party caused your injuries.

Below are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for hit and runs and other kinds 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 locate the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their reckless behavior. In those cases, the indefatigable and talented Boonville, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you are awarded 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 cannot locate the anegligent 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 make a claim against your own insurance company. In Boonville, MO, there are four specifications that are required to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received physical injuries
2. The injuries occurred because of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you cannot identify
3. You are legally owed compensation from the at-fault driver
4. All other limits of applicable policies have been exhausted by payment or settlement

In these cases, your own Boonville, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like many insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best chance at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and expert Boonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been challenging insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not relent until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have likely been paying into their policies for years.

Whether the at fault driver is tracked down or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will ensure you get the full compensation that you deserve. When you get injured because somebody else disregarded the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have received 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 dime you are owed. If you or a family member in Boonville, 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 stay at the scene of a crash. 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 actions caused. There are a wide array reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Boonville, 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 Boonville, MO driver’s record.

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

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

• A drunk driver or a driver otherwise impaired by drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also lead to fines, jail time, and having your license revoked.

• 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 run away from a crash site.

• 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 will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to happen between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Boonville, 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. Sometimes, 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 poorly lit areas at night, and when you are driving, stay alert at all times and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

Regardless of the reason a driver opts to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the benefits of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Boonville, 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 Boonville, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different circumstances. We insist on maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not let up until you collect the money you are owed to put you on the path to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case evaluation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Boonville, 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 sustained injuries in a Boonville, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and overwhelmed. 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 Boonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf right away. We insist that 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 free case review to take the first step in getting your life back on track.