Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Buffalo, MO

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

When a reckless driver knowingly breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a loved one, it is typical to feel shocked and outraged. It is particularly unnerving when the reckless 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 wondering who is going to reimburse you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The committed, accomplished and talented Buffalo, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and intentionally irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight by your side to maximize your compensation and put you on the road to recovery. Call us today 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, almost 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 occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from an auto wreck can be traumatizing and bring about life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases magnify your wounds as you may not get medical treatment right away, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to pursue just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of experienced and talented hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Buffalo, MO area get the best possible recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin work on your case straight away, and you do not owe us 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 Buffalo, MO

If a motorist behaves negligently and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, leaving the scene of an accident is against the law. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

• Remain at the crash site
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait for directions from police
• Help anyone who is hurt
• Call the Buffalo, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with others involved
• Stay at the scene until a police officer tells them they can leave

Furthermore, an accident report needs 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 type of misdemeanor 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 has previously left the scene of a hit and run accident.

A hit and run turns into a Class D Felony if the crash is fatal and leads to somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the recovery you are entitled to. They may be found responsible in front of the Buffalo, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will fight by your side until you get the full recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we start working on your case right away and work tenaciously until we win. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to make sure the at-fault party accepts complete responsibility for their careless actions.

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

While being in any accident is terrifying and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be especially stressful if the at fault person disregards the law and leaves the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disheartening and startling when someone breaks those rules and acts thoughtlessly and recklessly. The dedicated and accomplished Buffalo, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold careless drivers responsible and recover for 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 leave the accident site yourself. You could think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be anxious that you are partly at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more complicated for you to get compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. Your primary worry should be your health and safety and the health and safety of everybody else in your car or involved in the accident. If you or somebody else is injured, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Buffalo, MO emergency services to get there and render aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any accident that leads to over $500 worth of damages or causes physical injury or death. Even if you are not sure what the extent of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help a lot in proving your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. After being hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is Buffalo, MO law enforcement’s task. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get necessary information and may even cause the police to not believe you.
• DO safely discern what you can about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can take out your phone before the car is completely gone, take as many photos as you can. Even if you cannot get complete 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 photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the area of the accident.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the crash site might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to verify your version of events. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Buffalo, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to reach out to them later.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take photographs, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be easier to recall immediately after the collision, and those details will still be of great help to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Buffalo, 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 immediately. Our savvy and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including acquiring close by surveillance footage and contacting witnesses for full statements. We work with a network of Buffalo, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct 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 discover the liable driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their thoughtless driving. In those cases, the tenacious and talented Buffalo, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you collect full 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 cannot locate 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 make a claim against your own insurance company. In Buffalo, MO, there are four standards that are required to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. The injuries happened 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 Buffalo, MO insurance company takes the place of the responsible 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 opportunity to receive the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and knowledgeable Buffalo, 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 pays you back 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 certain you get the full compensation that you are entitled to. When you get hurt because somebody else disregarded the rules of the road, you deserve the best possible compensation for all of damages you have experienced as a result of the accident, including: 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 insist that you are compensated for all the money you are owed. If you or a loved one in Buffalo, 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 every driver’s legal and ethical duty to remain at an accident site. When someone drives away from 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 reckless actions caused. There are a wide array reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Buffalo, MO, not having the 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 are also never removed from a Buffalo, 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 otherwise under the influence of drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also lead to fines, jail time, and getting 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 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, fatigued or are just daydreaming.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee a crash site simply because they think they can do so without any consequences. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more frequent between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Buffalo, 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 after they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do on the road, 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 take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

Whatever the reason a driver opts to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the pros of running were greater than the cons. The Buffalo, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make certain they see they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Buffalo, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying situations. We demand great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you collect the money you are owed to put you on the path to being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary consultation and so we can start working on your case right away.

The Buffalo, 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 someone you care about experienced injuries in a Buffalo, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and anxious. Injuries and their related bills can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Buffalo, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you straight away. We insist that the negligent 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 free consultation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.