Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Buchanan County, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Buchanan County, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and recover the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run accident? Call the Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law right away 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 Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident.

When a negligent driver purposefully breaks the rules of the road and harms you or a family member, it is typical to feel dismayed and furious. It is especially unsettling when the reckless party will not take responsibility for their negligent driving and runs 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 dedicated, veteran and skilled Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and willfully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend the situation and will fight for you to maximize your compensation and get you on the journey to recovery. Call us straight away 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, about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths take place in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident transpires every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from a car accident can be traumatizing and cause life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases magnify that trauma as you may not get medical care right away, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to collect fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of accomplished and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people harmed in hit and run accidents in the Buchanan County, MO area get the best possible recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case right away, and we do not charge any payment until we win your claim.

If you have been hurt 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 Buchanan County, MO

If a driver 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 a crime. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, the law dictates that they must:

• Remain at the scene
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Buchanan County, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Swap 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 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 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 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 against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the money you are owed. They may be found guilty in front of the Buchanan County, MO criminal court, but you need expert and committed hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will insist that you get the maximum recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we start working on your case straight away and are relentless until we win. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to ensure the at-fault party bears complete responsibility for their harmful 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 stressful if the responsible individual disregards the rules of the road and flees the scene. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disappointing and alarming when someone breaks those rules and behaves selfishly and recklessly. The devoted and accomplished Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold careless drivers accountable 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 scene yourself. You might think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the inconvenience, or you may be anxious that you are in some measure responsible. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much harder for you to receive compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. 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 harmed, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Buchanan County, MO emergency services to get there and provide aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any crash that causes over $500 worth of damages or causes physical injury or death. Even if you are not sure what the degree of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help a lot in winning your case.
• DO NOT pursue the driver. After being hit by another auto in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are natural reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Buchanan County, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Chasing after the other motorist not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at more 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 so, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can use your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many pictures 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 discovering who the driver was. It is also useful to take pictures of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the accident.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the accident site may 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, law enforcement officer or Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to get in touch with them later.
  • Write down everything you can. 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 the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Buchanan 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 straight away. Our talented and accomplished hit and run accident attorneys will help you gather evidence, including acquiring nearby surveillance video and contacting witnesses for complete depositions. We work with a network of Buchanan County, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident and demonstrate 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 track down the at-fault driver that caused your injuries and hold them accountable for their thoughtless driving. In those cases, the indefatigable and expert Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you collect 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 cannot locate the anegligent 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 Buchanan County, MO, there are four specifications that are required to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. The injuries happened as a result of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you are unable to 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 Buchanan County, MO insurance company takes the place of the responsible party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like other insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best odds at receiving the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and savvy Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been standing up to 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 located or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will ensure you get the full recovery that you deserve. When you are harmed because another driver did not respect the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have sustained because of the accident, including: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how grave your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for all the money you deserve. If you or a family member in Buchanan County, 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 flees the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they care more about the repercussions for themselves than any damage or harm their careless behavior caused. There are a variety of reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Buchanan County, MO, not having appropriate 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 Buchanan County, 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, depending on whether you have been pulled over 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 carry fines, jail time, and revocation of a license.

• 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 leave 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 are just daydreaming.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee a crash 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 Buchanan 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 behind the wheel, 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, stay alert at all times and never presume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

No matter the reason a driver opts to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the benefits of running outweighed the cons. The Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make sure they see they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Buchanan County, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different situations. We demand full compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not let up until you are awarded the money you deserve to put you on the journey to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can start working on your case right away.

The Buchanan 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.

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

If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related costs can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you recover. When you hire our team of Buchanan County, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf at once. We demand the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you are awarded full compensation to help you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.