Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Carthage, MO

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

When a dangerous driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a family member, it is normal to feel dismayed and angry. It is particularly unsettling when the liable party will not take responsibility for their actions and flees 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 dedicated, experienced and talented Carthage, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and intentionally irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight for you to maximize your compensation and get you on the road to healing. Call us now 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 was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those killed, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths happen in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident transpires every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from an auto wreck can be traumatizing and bring about life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases aggravate that trauma as you may not get medical treatment right away, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to seek equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of accomplished and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people hurt in hit and run accidents in the Carthage, 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 you do not owe us any payment until we win your claim.

If you have been injured 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 Carthage, MO

If somebody acts recklessly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only to blame for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, leaving 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 dangerous to other drivers, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Render aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Carthage, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with other people involved
• Remain at the crash site until a police officer tells them they can leave

Additionally, an accident report must be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident results in injury or death.

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 accident is fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws deterring hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found culpable in front of the Carthage, MO criminal court, but you need talented and committed hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will insist that you get the full recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we start working on your case straight 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 bears complete responsibility for their dangerous actions.

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

While being in any crash is frightening and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be especially stressful if the negligent individual disregards the law and leaves the scene. The rules exist for a reason, and it is discouraging and frightening when someone does not respect those rules and behaves carelessly and irresponsibly. The devoted and talented Carthage, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers responsible and recover for you the compensation 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 crash site yourself. You may think the damages are too small to want to deal with the hassle, or you may worry that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much more difficult 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 everybody there should be your number-one thought. If you or somebody else is harmed, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Carthage, MO emergency services to arrive and render aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any accident that results in over $500 worth of damages or results in physical injury or death. Even if you are not certain what the extent of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will go a long way 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 typical reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Carthage, MO law enforcement’s task. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased 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 note what you can about the at-fault driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you are not seriously injured and can use your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photographs as you are able to. Even if you cannot get an entire license plate number, a partial number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly helpful in determining who the driver was. It is also useful to take photos of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the accident.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the scene may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to verify your version of events. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, police officer or Carthage, MO hit and run accident attorney 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 pictures, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be fresher in your memory 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 Carthage, 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 at once. Our savvy and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including obtaining close by surveillance video and contacting witnesses for complete depositions. We work with a network of Carthage, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident and demonstrate exactly how the negligible 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 liable driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their dangerous behavior. In those cases, the indefatigable and talented Carthage, 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, motorists are required to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to locate the aat-fault 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 Carthage, MO, there are four criteria that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. The injuries occurred as a result of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you are unable to 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 Carthage, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like many insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best chance at receiving the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and knowledgeable Carthage, 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 over 20 years, and will not give up the fight until your own insurance company pays you back 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 certain you get the full compensation that you deserve. When you are harmed because another driver disregarded the rules of the road, you deserve a full compensation for all of damages you have experienced because of the accident, such as: your medical costs, 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 every dime you are entitled to. If you or a someone you care about in Carthage, 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 every driver’s legal and ethical duty to remain at an accident site. 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 injury their negligent 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 Carthage, MO, not having proper insurance can result in you having 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 Carthage, 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, depending 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 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 run away from an accident site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not giving full attention to the road is careless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, tired or are just thinking about something else.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee a crash site simply because they think they can do so without any repercussions. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more frequent between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Carthage, 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. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control how other people drive, 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.

Regardless of the reason a driver chooses to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the pros of running outweighed the cons. The Carthage, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make certain they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Carthage, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying situations. We demand full compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you collect the money you deserve to put you on the journey to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can start working on your case right away.

The Carthage, 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 Carthage, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related costs can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Carthage, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf at once. We demand the at-fault 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 complimentary case review to take the first step in getting your life back on track.