Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Grain Valley, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Grain Valley, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and recover the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run crash? Call the Grain Valley, 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 Grain Valley, MO hit and run accident.

When a thoughtless driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a loved one, it is normal to feel dismayed and indignant. It is particularly unnerving when the reckless party will not take responsibility for their actions and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be pondering who is going to reimburse you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The committed, veteran and skilled Grain Valley, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and purposefully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your recovery and put you on the path to healing. Call us now 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 accidents, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those who died, almost 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five pedestrian deaths happen in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury caused by a car crash can be traumatizing and bring about life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases exacerbate 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 skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those harmed in hit and run accidents in the Grain Valley, MO area get full recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case at once, and we do not collect any payment until we win your suit.

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

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

If a driver behaves negligently and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. 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:

• Stay at the accident site
• Move their car if it dangerous to other drivers, otherwise, wait until instructed by police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Grain Valley, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with other people involved
• Stay at the scene until a police officer tells them they can leave

Furthermore, an accident report needs 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 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 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 encouraging that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the irresponsible driver will not get you the money you are owed. They may be found culpable in the Grain Valley, MO criminal court, but you need talented and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like the ones 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 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 accepts full responsibility for their careless behavior.

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

While being in any accident is scary and can leave you feeling helpless, it can be especially stressful if the negligent party disregards the rules and flees the accident site. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disheartening and alarming when someone breaks those rules and behaves selfishly and recklessly. The dedicated and skilled Grain Valley, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers accountable and secure you the money 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 scene yourself. You may think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be nervous 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 damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. Your first concern 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 harmed, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Grain Valley, MO emergency services to get there and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any accident that leads to over $500 worth of damages or leads to bodily harm or a fatality. Even if you are unsure of 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 vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Grain Valley, MO law enforcement’s task. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased risk, but it will impede you from being able to get necessary information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely discern what you can about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you are not seriously injured and can use your phone before the car is completely gone, take as many pictures as possible. Even if you cannot get an entire license plate number, just part of the license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly helpful in determining who the driver was. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the crash site might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to validate your version of events. Make sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, police officer or Grain Valley, MO hit and run accident lawyer 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, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be fresher in your memory immediately after the collision, and those details will still be incredibly helpful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Grain Valley, MO insurance company. In the event that the driver cannot be located, you will need to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT straight away. Our savvy and expert hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including getting access to nearby surveillance video and contacting witnesses for complete statements. We work with a network of Grain Valley, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the crash and prove exactly how the at-fault party caused your injuries.

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

The ideal scenario is that police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to track down the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their dangerous actions. In those cases, the tenacious and skilled Grain Valley, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you collect maximum 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 are unable to find the aliable 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 Grain Valley, MO, there are four specifications that must be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. The injuries occurred because of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you are unable to 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 Grain Valley, MO insurance company takes the place of the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like any insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best odds at receiving the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and savvy Grain Valley, MO hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law to fight for you. We have been challenging insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not relent 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 located or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make certain you get the full recovery that you are owed. When you get hurt because somebody else disregarded the rules of the road, you deserve 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 loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how serious your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every dollar you deserve. If you or a family member in Grain Valley, 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 every driver’s legal and ethical duty to remain at a crash site. When someone leaves the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more worried about the consequences for themselves than any damage or harm their careless 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 Grain Valley, 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 Grain Valley, 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 discovered without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver otherwise impaired by drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also lead to 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 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 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 the scene of an accident simply because they think they will not be caught. 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 Grain Valley, 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. 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 areas with bad lighting at night, and when you are driving, never get distracted and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best decision.

Regardless of the reason a driver opts to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the benefits of fleeing outweighed the cons. The Grain Valley, 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 Grain Valley, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing circumstances. We insist on the best possible compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not stop fighting for you until you recover the money you are owed to put you on the path to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can start working on your case right away.

The Grain Valley, 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 family member sustained injuries in a Grain Valley, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and anxious. Injuries and their related bills can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Grain Valley, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf right away. We demand the negligent parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you recover maximum compensation to help you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review to take the first step in getting your life back on track.