Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Caldwell County, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Caldwell County, MO. How do you hold a driver accountable and recover maximum compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run crash? Call the Caldwell 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 fighting for you and getting you a great recovery for your Caldwell County, MO hit and run accident.

When a careless driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and harms you or a loved one, it is common to feel shocked and furious. It is especially upsetting when the negligent party will not take responsibility for their actions and flees the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be asking yourself who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The devoted, seasoned and skilled Caldwell County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold careless and willfully 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 path 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 crashes, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those killed, 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 occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury arising from a car wreck can be traumatizing and cause life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases amplify your wounds as you may not find medical treatment at once, and you may be unsure of who to trust or how to collect just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of veteran and talented hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families hurt in hit and run accidents in the Caldwell County, MO area get great recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we start work on your case immediately, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your suit.

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 Caldwell County, MO

If a motorist drives irresponsibly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only to blame for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, fleeing the scene of an accident is a crime. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

• Stay at the scene
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Caldwell County, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with other people involved
• Stay at the crash site 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 a fatality.

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 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 accident becomes fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the negligent driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found responsible before the Caldwell County, MO criminal court, but you need expert and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will fight for you until you get the maximum recovery you need to make you whole again. When you hire us, we get started on your case right away and do not give up. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to ensure the at-fault party accepts complete responsibility for their reckless actions.

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

While being in any accident is frightening and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be particularly nerve wracking if the liable driver disregards the rules and leaves the accident site. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disheartening and alarming when someone does not respect those rules and behaves thoughtlessly and irresponsibly. The dedicated and accomplished Caldwell County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers responsible and secure 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 leave the crash site yourself. You might think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may worry that you are partly at fault. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much harder for you to get compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everyone involved should be your principal concern. If you or somebody else is hurt, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Caldwell County, MO emergency services to get there and render aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any crash that causes over $500 worth of damages or causes bodily injury or a fatality. Even if you do not know the scope of the damages or injuries are immediately, having a police report will go a long way in winning your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. When you are 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 hit you. That is Caldwell County, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at further risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get valuable information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely note 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 use your phone before the car is completely gone, take as many pictures as you are able to. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, a partial license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly helpful in locating the driver. It also helps to take pictures of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the accident.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the crash site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to validate your version of events. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Caldwell County, MO hit and run accident attorney 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 fresher in your memory immediately after the accident, and those details will still be very useful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Caldwell 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 at once. Our talented and veteran hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including getting access to nearby surveillance video and contacting witnesses for full depositions. We work with a network of Caldwell County, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the scene and demonstrate exactly how the liable party caused your injuries.

Below are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for hit and runs and other categories 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 find the at-fault driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their reckless actions. In those cases, the tenacious and talented Caldwell County, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you receive the best possible compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers must have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to find 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 Caldwell County, MO, there are four criteria that are required to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. You received the injuries due to 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 Caldwell County, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the responsible party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like other insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best chance at receiving maximum compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and skilled Caldwell County, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not give up the fight 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 found or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will ensure you get the full compensation that you are entitled to. When you get injured because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have received because of the accident, for instance: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how severe your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for all the money you deserve. If you or a family member in Caldwell County, 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 leaves the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more worried about the consequences for themselves than any damage or injury their irresponsible behavior caused. There are a lot of reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Caldwell County, 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 are also never removed from a Caldwell 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 otherwise 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 a crash site.

• 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, dozing off or just have their head in the clouds.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may leave a crash site simply because they think they can do so without any consequences. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more probable between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Caldwell County, 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 know what to do. Occasionally, these drivers turn themselves in once 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 areas with bad lighting 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 choice.

No matter the reason a driver opts to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the benefits of running were greater than the cons. The Caldwell County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them accountable and make certain they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Caldwell County, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing scenarios. We insist on the best possible compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you get the money you are owed to put you on the road to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Caldwell 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 someone you care about sustained injuries in a Caldwell County, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related costs can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Caldwell County, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you immediately. We demand the negligent parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you great compensation to aid you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.