Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Garden City, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Garden City, MO. How do you hold a driver to blame and recover maximum compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run crash? Call the Garden City, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law straight away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can start fighting for you and getting you a great recovery for your Garden City, MO hit and run accident.

When a negligent driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or someone you care about, it is common to feel dismayed and angry. It is particularly distressing when the negligent party will not take responsibility for their negligent driving and leaves the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The committed, experienced and talented Garden City, 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 for you to maximize your compensation and get you on the journey to healing. Call us immediately 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 is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those who died, almost 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 takes place every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury resulting 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 compound that trauma as you may not find medical attention right away, and you may not know who to turn to or how to seek equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of accomplished and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families hurt in hit and run accidents in the Garden City, 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 start work on your case immediately, and we do not collect any fees until we win your claim.

If you have been hurt 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 Garden City, MO

If somebody behaves recklessly and hurts you in a hit and run accident, they are not only culpable for your injuries, they are guilty of a criminal act. In Missouri, leaving the scene of an accident is against the law. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

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

Furthermore, an accident report needs to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident causes 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 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the crash is fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the irresponsible driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found responsible in the Garden City, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will fight for you until you get the best possible recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we start working 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 make certain the negligent party bears full responsibility for their reckless behavior.

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

While being in any crash is terrifying and can leave you feeling helpless, it can be especially nerve wracking if the negligent individual breaks the rules and flees the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disappointing and frightening when someone breaks those rules and acts carelessly and recklessly. The committed and skilled Garden City, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers accountable and get you the money 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 may think the damages are too small to want to deal with the inconvenience, or you may be afraid that you are partially at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much harder for you to collect compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical treatment. The health and safety of everyone there should be your principal worry. If you or somebody else is harmed, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Garden City, 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 accident that results in over $500 worth of damages or results in physical injury or death. Even if you are unsure of the extent of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help a lot in proving your case.
• DO NOT pursue the driver. When you are hit by another vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are natural reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Garden City, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at more risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get necessary information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely discern what you can about the at-fault driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can take out your phone before the car disappears from view, take as many photos as you are able to. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, just part of the license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly helpful in locating the driver. It also helps to take pictures of any tire marks or other damage to the area of the accident.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people in the area may have had a better view than you, or will be able to corroborate your story. Make sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, police officer or Garden City, 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 photographs, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be easier to remember immediately after the crash, and those details will still be of great help to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Garden City, 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 talented and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including obtaining nearby surveillance video and contacting witnesses for full depositions. We work alongside a network of Garden City, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the scene and demonstrate exactly how the negligible 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 discover the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their reckless driving. In those cases, the determined and skilled Garden City, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you win full 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 cannot locate 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 make a claim against your own insurance company. In Garden City, MO, there are four specifications that must be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. The injuries happened because 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 Garden City, 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 have to be persuaded to pay. To have the best opportunity to receive the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and skilled Garden City, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been challenging insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not back down until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have likely been paying into their policies for years.

Whether the at fault driver is located 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 sustain injuries because somebody else did not respect the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have received as a result of the accident, for example: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how severe your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every dime you deserve. If you or a someone you care about in Garden City, 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 every driver’s legal and ethical duty to stay at an accident site. When someone drives 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 harm their thoughtless behavior caused. There are a variety of reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Garden City, 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 Garden City, 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 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 lead to fines, jail time, and revocation of a license.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It likely is not 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 paying full attention to the road is careless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, tired 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 repercussions. 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 Garden City, 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. Sometimes, 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, stay alert at all times and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

Whatever the reason a driver decides to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the benefits of running outweighed the cons. The Garden City, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them accountable and make sure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Garden City, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing situations. We insist on maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not let up until you receive the money you are owed 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 start working on your case right away.

The Garden City, 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 sustained injuries in a Garden City, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and anxious. Injuries and their related expenses can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Garden City, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you right away. We insist that the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you recover maximum 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.