Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Harrisonville, MO

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

When a thoughtless driver purposefully breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or someone you care about, it is common to feel shocked and furious. It is particularly upsetting when the liable party refuses to take responsibility for their actions and drives away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The dedicated, accomplished and knowledgeable Harrisonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your recovery and put you on the journey to healing. Call us now 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 is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those who died, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five pedestrian deaths occur in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident transpires every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury caused by an auto wreck can be traumatizing and cause life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases amplify your wounds as you may not receive medical care immediately, and you may not know who to trust or how to pursue fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of veteran and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those harmed in hit and run accidents in the Harrisonville, 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 straight away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

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 Harrisonville, MO

If someone else acts carelessly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible for your injuries, they are guilty of a criminal act. 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:

• Stay at the crash site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Render aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Harrisonville, 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 accident site until a police officer tells them differently

Furthermore, an accident report needs to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident results in injury or death.

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 becomes 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 becomes a Class D Felony if the crash is fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws deterring hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the irresponsible driver will not get you the recovery you are entitled to. They may be found culpable in front of the Harrisonville, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and committed hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will demand that you get the full recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we start working on your case right away and are relentless until we win. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to make sure the at-fault party bears full responsibility for their harmful 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 helpless, it can be particularly worrisome if the at fault party breaks the rules and flees the scene. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disheartening and startling when someone disregards those rules and acts carelessly and dangerously. The dedicated and accomplished Harrisonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers accountable and secure 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 might think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the hassle, or you may worry that you are partly at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more complicated for you to get compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everyone there should be your number-one worry. If you or somebody else is injured, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Harrisonville, MO emergency services to get there and render aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any crash that causes over $500 worth of damages or results in physical harm 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 immeasurably in making your case.
• DO NOT pursue the driver. When you are hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Harrisonville, MO law enforcement’s obligation. Chasing after the other driver not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at more risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get valuable information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely discern what you can about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can take out your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many pictures as you can. 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 helpful in finding the driver. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the area of the accident.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people in the area might have had a better view than you, or will be able to confirm your version of events. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Harrisonville, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to contact them later.
  • Write it all down. 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 following the accident, and those details will still be incredibly useful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Harrisonville, 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 immediately. Our savvy and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including obtaining close by surveillance video and reaching out to witnesses for full statements. We work alongside a network of Harrisonville, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the accident 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 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 locate the at-fault driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their reckless behavior. In those cases, the indefatigable and expert Harrisonville, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you receive full 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 cannot find the aat-fault 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 Harrisonville, MO, there are four standards that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. You received the injuries because of 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 Harrisonville, MO insurance company takes the place of the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like many insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best odds at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and expert Harrisonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. 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 likely been paying into their policies for a long time.

Whether the at fault driver is located or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will ensure you get the full recovery that you are entitled to. When you get hurt because another driver disregarded the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have sustained because of the accident, for example: your medical costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced ability 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 loved one in Harrisonville, 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 an accident site. When someone runs 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 injury their reckless behavior caused. There are a wide array reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Harrisonville, 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 Harrisonville, 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, 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 result in fines, jail time, and getting your license revoked.

• 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 an accident site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not giving full attention to the road is reckless 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 flee 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 Harrisonville, 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 once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control how other people drive, we can take some precautions as both drivers and pedestrians. Try to avoid walking in poorly lit areas at night, and when you are behind the wheel, never get distracted and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

Whatever the reason a driver decides to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the pros of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Harrisonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them accountable and ensure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Harrisonville, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different scenarios. We demand great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you get the money you deserve to put you on the journey 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 Harrisonville, 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 Harrisonville, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and vulnerable. 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 Harrisonville, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side at once. We insist that the responsible parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you the best possible compensation to aid you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.