Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Columbia, MO

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

When a careless driver consciously breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a loved one, it is common to feel dismayed and outraged. It is particularly distressing when the reckless 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 pay for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The committed, accomplished and talented Columbia, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight for you to maximize your recovery and get you on the road to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people died 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 occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury arising from a car accident can be traumatizing and produce life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify that trauma as you may not receive medical treatment at once, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to secure equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of veteran and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people injured in hit and run accidents in the Columbia, MO area get full recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we start work on your case straight away, and we do not charge any fees until we win your suit.

If you have been injured in a hit and run accident, take a loot at our personal injury calculator to see how much your damages may be worth.

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

If a driver drives irresponsibly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible 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, they are required by law to:

• Remain at the crash site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Render aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Columbia, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with everybody involved
• Remain at the accident site until a police officer tells them differently

Furthermore, an accident report needs to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident results in injury or a fatality.

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 a local jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene becomes a Class E Felony if any of the three conditions below 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 crash is fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws deterring hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the negligent driver will not get you the money you are owed. They may be found guilty in front of the Columbia, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and committed hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will demand that you get the full recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we get started on your case straight away and do not give up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to make sure the at-fault party accepts full responsibility for their reckless 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 helpless, it can be particularly stressful if the negligent person breaks the rules and leaves the scene. The rules exist for a reason, and it is discouraging and startling when someone breaks those rules and acts selfishly and dangerously. The committed and skilled Columbia, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers accountable and win 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 accident site yourself. You could think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be afraid that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more difficult for you to receive compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. Your chief thought 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, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Columbia, MO emergency services to come and give aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or results in physical injury or death. Even if you do not know the extent of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help immeasurably in winning your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. After being hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are natural reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Columbia, MO law enforcement’s job. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at more risk, but it will impede you from being able to get valuable information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely find out what you can about the reckless driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you are not badly injured and can get hold of your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many photos as possible. Even if you cannot get a full 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 is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the crash site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to verify your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Columbia, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to contact them at a later date.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take photographs, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be easier to recall immediately after the accident, and those details will still be very helpful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Columbia, 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 straight away. Our talented and expert hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including acquiring close by surveillance footage and reaching out to witnesses for full statements. We work alongside a network of Columbia, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the accident and demonstrate exactly how the negligible 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

The ideal scenario is that police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to locate the at-fault driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their thoughtless actions. In those cases, the determined and skilled Columbia, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you receive full 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 cannot find the anegligent 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 Columbia, MO, there are four criteria that are required to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained bodily injuries
2. The injuries happened due to 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 Columbia, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like many insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best opportunity to receive full compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and skilled Columbia, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight for you. We have been pushing back against insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not back down until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have certainly 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 sure you get the full recovery that you are entitled to. 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 costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced ability to enjoy life. No matter how serious your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every nickel you are entitled to. If you or a loved one in Columbia, 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 any driver’s legal and social duty to stay at a crash site. When someone runs away from 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 negligent actions caused. There are many reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Columbia, MO, not having adequate 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 also remain on a Columbia, 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, based on whether you have been pulled over without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver otherwise impaired by drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also carry 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 reckless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, drowsy or just have their head in the clouds.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee the scene of an accident 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 Columbia, 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. often, 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 poorly lit areas at night, and when you are driving, never lose focus and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

No matter the reason a driver opts to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the benefits of running outweighed the cons. The Columbia, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them accountable and make certain they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Columbia, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different situations. We insist on the best possible compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not let up until you recover the money you deserve to put you on the journey to being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Columbia, 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 sustained injuries in a Columbia, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and anxious. Injuries and their related costs can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Columbia, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side immediately. We demand the responsible parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you full compensation to aid you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.