Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Holden, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Holden, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and receive full compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run accident? Call the Holden, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law straight away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin fighting for you and getting you the best possible recovery for your Holden, MO hit and run accident.

When a reckless driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and harms you or someone you care about, it is typical to feel appalled and outraged. It is particularly distressing when the liable party will not take responsibility for their behavior and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to reimburse you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The devoted, experienced and talented Holden, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and willfully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your compensation and put you on the path to recovery. Call us immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people were killed in hit and run crashes, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those killed, about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths happen in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident takes place every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury caused by a car accident can be traumatizing and produce life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases amplify that trauma as you may not find medical attention right away, and you may be unsure of who to trust or how to secure equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of accomplished and talented hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people hurt in hit and run accidents in the Holden, MO area get maximum recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you contact 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 claim.

If you have been injured in a hit and run accident, take a loot at 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 Holden, MO

If someone else behaves irresponsibly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible 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 dictates that they must:

• Remain at the scene
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Help anyone who is hurt
• Call the Holden, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Remain at the accident site until a police officer tells them they can leave

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 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 county jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene becomes 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 is fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws deterring hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the compensation you are entitled to. They may be found culpable before the Holden, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and devoted 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 get started on your case immediately and are relentless until we win. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to ensure the negligent party bears complete responsibility for their careless actions.

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

While being in any accident is frightening and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be particularly worrisome if the liable party disregards the rules and leaves the crash site. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disheartening and startling when someone breaks those rules and behaves selfishly and irresponsibly. The devoted and accomplished Holden, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers responsible and recover for 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 may think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be afraid that you are in some measure responsible. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much more difficult for you to recover compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everybody present should be your number-one thought. If you or somebody else is harmed, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Holden, MO emergency services to come and render aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any crash that causes over $500 worth of damages or causes bodily harm or a fatality. Even if you are not sure what the degree of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help immeasurably in making your case.
• DO NOT follow 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 caused your accident. That is Holden, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will impede you from being able to get valuable information and may even cause the police to not believe you.
• DO safely learn what you are able to about the reckless driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you are not seriously injured and can take out your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many pictures as possible. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, just part of the number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in determining who the driver was. It also helps to take photos of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the accident.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the crash site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to validate your version of events. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, police officer or Holden, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to contact them at a later date.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take photos, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be easier to remember immediately following the crash, and those details will still be of great help to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Holden, 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 immediately. Our savvy and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will help you gather evidence, including getting access to adjacent surveillance video and contacting witnesses for full statements. We work alongside a network of Holden, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the scene and demonstrate exactly how the negligible party caused your injuries.

Listed here are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for hit and runs and other categories 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 track down the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their reckless behavior. In those cases, the tenacious and knowledgeable Holden, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you collect full compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, motorists are required 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 use this part of your policy to make a claim against your own insurance company. In Holden, MO, there are four standards that are required to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. The injuries happened due to 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 Holden, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for the responsible party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like other insurance companies, they may still have to be persuaded to pay. To have the best odds at receiving maximum compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and talented Holden, MO hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been standing up to insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not back down until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have probably 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 make certain you get the maximum amount of compensation that you deserve. When you sustain injuries because another driver did not respect the rules of the road, you deserve a full compensation for all of damages you have received owing to the accident, for example: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how severe your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for all the money you are entitled to. If you or a someone you care about in Holden, 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 ethical obligation to remain at the scene of an accident. When someone drives away from the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more worried about the repercussions for themselves than any damage or injury their reckless behavior caused. There are a variety of reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Holden, MO, not having the appropriate 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 Holden, 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, depending on whether you have been discovered 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 revocation of a license.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

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

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not paying 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 leave an accident site 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 Holden, 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. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do behind the wheel, 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 assume 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 presupposed the benefits of running were greater than the cons. The Holden, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make sure they see they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Holden, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing situations. We insist on great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you get the money you are owed to put you on the path to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case review and so we can start working on your case right away.

The Holden, 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 Holden, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related costs can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Holden, 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 insist on getting you full compensation to aid you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.