Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Chillicothe, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Chillicothe, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and get the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run accident? Call the Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can start working for you and getting you a full recovery for your Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident.

When a reckless driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a loved one, it is typical to feel shocked and angry. It is particularly perturbing when the at-fault party declines to take responsibility for their behavior and flees the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be pondering who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The dedicated, accomplished and skilled Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and purposefully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your compensation and get you on the path to recovery. Call us immediately 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 the fatalities, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five pedestrian deaths transpire in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from a car accident can be traumatizing and bring about life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify your wounds as you may not receive medical treatment immediately, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to seek fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of accomplished and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those hurt in hit and run accidents in the Chillicothe, MO area get maximum recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case at once, and we do not charge any payment until we win your case.

If you have been hurt in a hit and run accident, take a loot at 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 Chillicothe, MO

If somebody drives carelessly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, fleeing the scene of an accident is against the law. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

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

Additionally, an accident report has to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident results in 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 type of misdemeanor 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 following 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the crash becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found culpable in the Chillicothe, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will insist that you get the best possible recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we get started on your case immediately and do not give up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to ensure the at-fault party accepts full responsibility for their thoughtless behavior.

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

While being in any crash is frightening and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be particularly nerve wracking if the responsible individual does not respect the rules of the road and leaves the accident site. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disheartening and frightening when someone disregards those rules and acts carelessly and dangerously. The devoted and accomplished Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold negligent drivers accountable and recover for you the compensation 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 could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the inconvenience, or you may worry that you are partly responsible. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much harder for you to receive compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. Your foremost 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 injured, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Chillicothe, MO emergency services to get there and provide aid.
• DO NOT wait 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 harm or a fatality. Even if you are unsure of the degree of the damages or injuries are immediately, having a police report will help immeasurably in winning your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. After being hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Chillicothe, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Chasing after the other driver not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at more risk, but it will impede you from being able to get important information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely note what you are able to about the irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you are not badly injured and can get hold of your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photographs as possible. 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 also helps to take photos of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the crash site may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to validate your version of events. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to get in touch with them at a later date.
  • Write down everything you can. If you did not have time or the ability to take pictures, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be easier to remember immediately following the crash, and those details will still be of great help to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Chillicothe, 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 gather evidence, including acquiring adjacent surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for full statements. We work with a network of Chillicothe, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the crash and show 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 locate the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their careless driving. In those cases, the indefatigable and skilled Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you win maximum compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, motorists need to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to locate the aliable 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 pursue a recovery from your own insurance company. In Chillicothe, MO, there are four specifications that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. You incurred 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 Chillicothe, MO insurance company takes the place of the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like any insurance companies, they may still have to be persuaded to pay. To have the best opportunity to receive full compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and expert Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been challenging insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not give in until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have probably 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 recovery that you deserve. When you get hurt because somebody else did not respect the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have received as a result of the accident, including: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced ability to enjoy life. No matter how severe your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every nickel you are owed. If you or a someone you care about in Chillicothe, MO has been injured 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 responsibility to stay at the scene of an accident. When someone runs away from 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 thoughtless actions caused. There are a variety of reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Chillicothe, MO, not having the appropriate insurance can lead to 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 Chillicothe, MO driver’s record.

• The driver does not have a driver’s license, or has a suspended license

  This also carries severe penalties and can be either a Class A misdemeanor or a Class E felony, based on whether you have been discovered 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 already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to flee the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is reckless 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 the scene of an accident simply because they think they can do so without any consequences. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to happen between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Chillicothe, 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 want to get in trouble. Occasionally, these drivers turn themselves in after 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 areas with bad lighting at night, and when you are behind the wheel, stay alert at all times and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

No matter the reason a driver decides to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the pros of running were greater than the cons. The Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and ensure they see they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Chillicothe, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying circumstances. We insist on great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you get the money you deserve to put you on the road to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case evaluation and so we can start working on your case right away.

The Chillicothe, 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 Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related costs can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Chillicothe, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf straight away. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you recover the best possible 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.