Hit and Run Accident Attorneys El Dorado Springs, MO

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

When a dangerous driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a family member, it is typical to feel dismayed and indignant. It is particularly unsettling when the reckless party declines 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 pay for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The devoted, veteran and skilled El Dorado Springs, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend 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 crashes, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of the fatalities, almost 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths transpire in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from an auto accident can be traumatizing and cause life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases magnify your wounds as you may not get medical care right away, and you may not know who to trust or how to secure just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of accomplished and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those hurt in hit and run accidents in the El Dorado Springs, 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 begin work on your case straight away, and we do not collect any payment until we win your case.

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

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys: Understanding the Laws in El Dorado Springs, MO

If a motorist acts carelessly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only culpable for your injuries, they are guilty of a criminal act. In Missouri, fleeing the scene of an accident is a crime. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law dictates that they must:

• Stay at the accident site
• Move their car if it dangerous to other drivers, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Render aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the El Dorado Springs, 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

Furthermore, an accident report must be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident leads to 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 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 becomes a Class D Felony if the crash is fatal and leads to somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the recovery you deserve. They may be found responsible in front of the El Dorado Springs, MO criminal court, but you need knowledgeable and committed hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will demand that you get the best possible recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we get started on your case straight away and work tenaciously until we win. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to make certain the at-fault party bears complete responsibility for their thoughtless 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 vulnerable, it can be particularly nerve wracking if the responsible party breaks the law and flees the crash site. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is discouraging and frightening when someone does not respect those rules and behaves thoughtlessly and irresponsibly. The committed and talented El Dorado Springs, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold negligent drivers responsible 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 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 partly at fault. Leaving the location of an accident will make it much harder 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 involved should be your principal worry. If you or somebody else is hurt, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for El Dorado Springs, MO emergency services to arrive and render 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 injury or death. Even if you are not sure what the degree 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. When you are hit by another car in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are normal reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is El Dorado Springs, 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 note what you can about the irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can get hold of your phone before the car is completely gone, take as many photos as you are able to. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, a partial number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly useful in locating the driver. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the accident site might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to validate your story. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or El Dorado Springs, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to reach out to them at a later date.
  • 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 following the crash, and those details will still be incredibly useful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your El Dorado Springs, 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 immediately. Our savvy and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including obtaining nearby surveillance footage and reaching out to witnesses for full depositions. We work alongside a network of El Dorado Springs, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the accident and prove exactly how the at-fault party caused your injuries.

Below 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 negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their dangerous driving. In those cases, the aggressive and expert El Dorado Springs, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you recover the best possible 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 cannot 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 pursue compensation from your own insurance company. In El Dorado Springs, MO, there are four specifications that are required to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. You received the injuries as a result of 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 El Dorado Springs, MO insurance company takes the place of the responsible party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like other insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best opportunity to receive maximum compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and expert El Dorado Springs, 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 over 20 years, and will not back down until your own insurance company pays you back the money you have certainly been paying into their policies for a long time.

Whether the at fault driver is tracked down or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make certain you get the full compensation that you are entitled to. When you are hurt because somebody else did not respect the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have sustained because of the accident, including: your medical costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how severe your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every dime you are owed. If you or a family member in El Dorado Springs, 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 ethical duty to remain 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 many reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In El Dorado Springs, MO, not having the right 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 El Dorado Springs, MO driver’s record.

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

  This also carries stiff penalties and can be either a Class A misdemeanor or a Class E felony, depending on whether you have been caught 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 might not be surprising that people who already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to leave a crash site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is careless 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 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 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the El Dorado Springs, 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 safety measures as both drivers and pedestrians. Try to avoid walking in poorly lit areas at night, and when you are behind the wheel, never lose focus and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

Whatever the reason a driver decides to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the pros of fleeing were greater than the cons. The El Dorado Springs, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make sure they see they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in El Dorado Springs, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different scenarios. We demand maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you recover the money you are owed to put you on the road to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case evaluation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The El Dorado Springs, 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 experienced injuries in a El Dorado Springs, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and anxious. Injuries and their related bills can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of El Dorado Springs, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you at once. We demand the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you are awarded the best possible 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.