Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Eldon, MO

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

When a careless driver consciously breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or someone you care about, it is normal to feel dismayed and furious. It is particularly unsettling 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 puzzled about who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The committed, seasoned and skilled Eldon, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold careless and intentionally irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend the situation and will fight for you to maximize your recovery and get you on the journey to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people died in hit and run accidents, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those who died, 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 caused by an auto accident can be traumatizing and bring about life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases exacerbate that trauma as you may not receive medical care immediately, and you may not know who to trust or how to collect equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of accomplished and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people injured in hit and run accidents in the Eldon, MO area get maximum recoveries and know 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 fees until we win your suit.

If you have been injured in a hit and run accident, check out our personal injury calculator to see how much you may be able to collect in compensation.

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

If a motorist drives carelessly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only to blame for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, driving away from the scene of an accident is a crime. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

• Stay at the scene
• Move their car if it dangerous to other drivers, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Eldon, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in bad weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with others involved
• Stay at the scene until a police officer tells them differently

Additionally, an accident report needs 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 county 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 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 accident becomes 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 money you are owed. They may be found guilty in front of the Eldon, MO criminal court, but you need expert and committed hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will demand that you get the best possible recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we start working on your case at once and do not let up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to ensure the negligent party accepts complete responsibility for their thoughtless 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 vulnerable, it can be particularly worrisome if the responsible party breaks the law and leaves the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is discouraging and frightening when someone does not respect those rules and behaves thoughtlessly and irresponsibly. The devoted and talented Eldon, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers responsible and secure you the compensation you are owed. 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 crash site yourself. You might think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be afraid that you are partly responsible. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much harder for you to get compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everyone present should be your foremost thought. If you or somebody else is injured, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Eldon, MO emergency services to arrive and give 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 results in bodily injury or death. Even if you are unsure of 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 go after the driver. When you are hit by another vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Eldon, MO law enforcement’s obligation. Chasing after the other motorist not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at further risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get important information and may even cause the police to not believe you.
• DO safely note what you can about the at-fault driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you are not seriously injured and can use your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photographs as you can. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, a partial license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in locating the driver. It also helps to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the accident.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the crash site may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to verify your story. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Eldon, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to contact them later.
  • 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 easier to remember 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 Eldon, 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 straight away. Our skilled and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including acquiring nearby surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for complete depositions. We work alongside a network of Eldon, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the crash and prove exactly how the liable party caused your injuries.

Listed here are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for hit and runs and other types 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 find the at-fault driver that caused your injuries and hold them accountable for their irresponsible behavior. In those cases, the tenacious and expert Eldon, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you collect the best possible compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, motorists must have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to find the aat-fault 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 Eldon, MO, there are four criteria that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. The injuries happened as a result of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you cannot 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 Eldon, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the liable 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 odds at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need accomplished and talented Eldon, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been standing up to 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 years.

Whether the at fault driver is found or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will ensure you get the maximum amount of compensation that you are owed. When you get hurt because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have sustained because of the accident, including: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how grave your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every dollar you are owed. If you or a family member in Eldon, 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 responsibility to stay at the scene of a crash. When someone leaves the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they care more about the consequences for themselves than any damage or harm their irresponsible actions 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 Eldon, MO, not having proper 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 also remain on a Eldon, 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, 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 carry fines, jail time, and getting your license revoked.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It likely is not surprising that people who have already committed a crime would risk breaking the law again to flee the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not giving full attention to the road is thoughtless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, dozing off or are just thinking about something else.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may leave the scene of an accident simply because they think they will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more probable between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Eldon, 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 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 driving, never lose focus and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

Regardless of the reason a driver decides to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the benefits of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Eldon, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make certain they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Eldon, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying circumstances. We demand great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you are awarded the money you deserve to put you on the road to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Eldon, 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 Eldon, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and anxious. Injuries and their related expenses can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Eldon, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you right away. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you collect great 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.