Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Dexter, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Dexter, MO. How do you hold a driver accountable and receive great compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run accident? Call the Dexter, 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 getting you a full recovery for your Dexter, MO hit and run accident.

When a reckless driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or someone you care about, it is common to feel shocked and outraged. It is especially distressing when the liable party refuses to take responsibility for their reckless driving and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be asking yourself who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The devoted, seasoned and talented Dexter, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and willfully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight by your side to maximize your compensation and put you on the journey to recovery. Call us straight away 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 transpire in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident transpires every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury resulting from a car crash can be traumatizing and produce life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases aggravate that trauma as you may not receive medical care immediately, and you may not be certain who to trust or how to secure fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of experienced and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Dexter, MO area get maximum recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin work on your case immediately, and we do not collect any payment until we win your claim.

If you have been hurt 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 Dexter, MO

If someone else behaves irresponsibly and hurts 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 against the law. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

• Remain at the scene
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for directions from police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Dexter, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with everybody involved
• Stay at the scene until a police officer tells them differently

Furthermore, an accident report has to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident causes 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 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 accident becomes fatal and leads to somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found guilty before the Dexter, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will insist that you get the full recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we get started on your case immediately and are relentless until we win. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to make certain the negligent party bears full responsibility for their harmful behavior.

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

While being in any accident is frightening and can leave you feeling helpless, it can be particularly worrisome if the responsible party disregards the law and flees the scene. The rules exist for a reason, and it is disheartening and frightening when someone breaks those rules and acts carelessly and dangerously. The committed and skilled Dexter, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers accountable and win you the money you are entitled to. 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 scene yourself. You could think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be anxious that you are partially at fault. Leaving the location of an accident will make it much harder for you to collect compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everybody there should be your foremost worry. If you or somebody else is hurt, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Dexter, MO emergency services to arrive and render aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any accident that leads to over $500 worth of damages or leads to bodily harm or death. Even if you are unsure of the extent of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help a lot in making your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. After being hit by another vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are normal reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Dexter, MO law enforcement’s job. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will impede you from being able to get important information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely note what you are able to about the at-fault driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you are not seriously injured and can take out your phone before the car disappears from view, take as many photographs as you are able to. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, just part of the number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in finding the driver. It also helps to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the scene might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to confirm your story. Make sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Dexter, MO hit and run accident lawyer 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 fresher in your memory immediately after the accident, and those details will still be of great help to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Dexter, 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 savvy and veteran hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including acquiring nearby surveillance footage and reaching out to witnesses for full depositions. We work alongside a network of Dexter, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the scene and demonstrate exactly how the liable party caused your injuries.

Here 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 at-fault driver that caused your injuries and hold them responsible for their careless driving. In those cases, the tenacious and talented Dexter, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you recover maximum compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers are required to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to find the anegligent 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 a recovery from your own insurance company. In Dexter, MO, there are four standards that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. You received the injuries 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 Dexter, MO insurance company takes the place of the negligent party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like other insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best chance at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and talented Dexter, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been standing up to insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not back down until your own insurance company pays you back the money you have probably 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 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 the best possible recovery for all of damages you have sustained owing to the accident, for example: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how grave your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every dollar you are entitled to. If you or a someone you care about in Dexter, 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 any driver’s legal and social responsibility to stay at the scene of an accident. 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 behavior 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 Dexter, 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 Dexter, 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 pulled over without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver that was impaired by drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also result in fines, jail time, and getting your license revoked.

• 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 run away from the scene of an accident.

• 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, fatigued 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 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 Dexter, 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 once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control how other people drive, we can take some safety measures as both drivers and pedestrians. Try to avoid walking in areas with bad lighting at night, and when you are behind the wheel, never lose focus and never presume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best decision.

Regardless of the reason a driver decides to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the benefits of running were greater than the cons. The Dexter, 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 Dexter, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing scenarios. We demand maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you receive the money you deserve to put you on the path to being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary consultation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Dexter, 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 family member sustained injuries in a Dexter, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related costs can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you recover. When you hire our team of Dexter, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you immediately. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you great compensation to help you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review to take the first step in getting your life back on track.