Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Chesterfield, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Chesterfield, MO. How do you hold a driver accountable and recover maximum compensation for your damages when you have been injured in a hit and run crash? Call the Chesterfield, 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 a full recovery for your Chesterfield, MO hit and run accident.

When a careless driver knowingly breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a family member, it is common to feel appalled and angry. It is especially unnerving when the at-fault party will not take responsibility for their reckless driving and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The devoted, veteran and knowledgeable Chesterfield, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold careless and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight by your side to maximize your recovery 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 died in hit and run accidents, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those who died, almost 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 takes place every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury resulting from an auto crash can be traumatizing and cause life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases exacerbate your wounds as you may not receive medical attention right away, and you may not know who to turn to or how to collect fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of seasoned and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families injured in hit and run accidents in the Chesterfield, MO area get great recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case straight away, and you do not owe us any payment until we win your case.

If you have been harmed in a hit and run accident, use our personal injury calculator to see how much you may be able to recover in compensation.

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

If somebody behaves carelessly and hurts you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, leaving 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 may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Supply aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Chesterfield, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with other people involved
• Remain at the scene until a police officer tells them they can leave

Additionally, an accident report has to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident causes 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 a local 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 becomes a Class D Felony if the crash becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the recovery you deserve. They may be found culpable before the Chesterfield, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will demand that you get the maximum recovery you need to make you whole again. 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 fight tirelessly to make certain 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 accident is scary and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be particularly worrisome if the negligent party does not respect the rules and leaves the crash site. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disappointing and startling when someone does not respect those rules and drives selfishly and recklessly. The committed and accomplished Chesterfield, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold careless drivers accountable and recover for you the money you deserve. 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 nervous that you are partly responsible. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more complicated for you to get compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical treatment. The health and safety of everyone there should be your first concern. If you or somebody else is harmed, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Chesterfield, MO emergency services to get there and give aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any crash that causes over $500 worth of damages or leads to bodily injury or a fatality. Even if you are not sure what the scope of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help a lot in winning your case.
• DO NOT pursue the driver. After being hit by another car in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are natural reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Chesterfield, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. 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 important information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely discern what you can about the reckless driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can get hold of your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many photos as you are able to. 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 determining who the driver was. It also helps to take photos of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the crash.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the crash site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to corroborate your version of events. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Chesterfield, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to get in touch with them at a later date.
  • 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 remember 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 Chesterfield, MO insurance company. In the event that the driver cannot be 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 skilled and veteran hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including acquiring close by surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for complete depositions. We work alongside a network of Chesterfield, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident 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

In the best case scenarios, police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to discover the at-fault driver that caused your injuries and hold them responsible for their irresponsible actions. In those cases, the tenacious and talented Chesterfield, 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, motorists are required to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you cannot track down the aliable 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 seek damages from your own insurance company. In Chesterfield, MO, there are four specifications that are required to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. The injuries happened because of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you cannot 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 Chesterfield, MO insurance company takes the place of the negligent party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like any insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best odds at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need accomplished and expert Chesterfield, MO hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been pushing back against insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not back down until your own insurance company pays you back the money you have likely 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 make certain you get the full compensation that you deserve. When you are hurt because somebody else did not respect the rules of the road, you are entitled to a full compensation for all of damages you have sustained as a result of the accident, for example: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how severe your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every dollar you are owed. If you or a someone you care about in Chesterfield, 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 duty to remain 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 injury their careless actions 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 Chesterfield, MO, not having appropriate 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 Chesterfield, 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 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 result in 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 already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to flee a crash site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is thoughtless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, fatigued or are just thinking about something else.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee the scene of an accident simply because they think they will not be caught. 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 Chesterfield, 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. 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 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 option.

Whatever the reason a driver opts to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the pros of running outweighed the cons. The Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield, 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 deserve to put you on the path to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Chesterfield, 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.

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

If you or a loved one experienced injuries in a Chesterfield, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related costs can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help you recover. When you hire our team of Chesterfield, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf at once. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you full compensation to help 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.