Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Johnson County, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Johnson County, MO. How do you hold a driver to blame and recover the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run crash? Call the Johnson County, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin working for you and getting you a great recovery for your Johnson County, MO hit and run accident.

When a negligent driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a loved one, it is typical to feel dismayed and angry. It is particularly unnerving when the reckless party will not take responsibility for their reckless driving and flees the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be asking yourself who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The committed, veteran and talented Johnson County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and purposefully 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 road to recovery. Call us immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people were killed in hit and run accidents, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of the fatalities, about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five pedestrian deaths take place in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident transpires every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury arising from an auto wreck can be traumatizing and cause life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify that trauma as you may not find medical treatment right away, and you may not know who to trust or how to secure fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of seasoned and talented hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those injured in hit and run accidents in the Johnson County, MO area get the best possible recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin work on your case straight away, and you do not owe us any payment until we win your case.

If you have been harmed in a hit and run accident, take a loot at our personal injury calculator to see how much you may be able to get in compensation.

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

If a driver behaves recklessly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only liable for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, leaving the scene of an accident is a crime. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

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

Additionally, an accident report has 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 misdemeanor offense 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 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 against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the money you deserve. They may be found culpable in the Johnson County, MO criminal court, but you need talented and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will fight by your side until you get the maximum recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we get started on your case at once and do not give up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to make certain the negligent party accepts full responsibility for their thoughtless behavior.

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 nerve wracking if the at fault person does not respect the law and leaves the crash site. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is discouraging and frightening when someone does not respect those rules and drives thoughtlessly and irresponsibly. The committed and accomplished Johnson County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold negligent drivers accountable and recover for 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 could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be nervous that you are partially responsible. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much more complicated for you to be awarded compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everybody there should be your chief concern. If you or somebody else is harmed, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Johnson County, MO emergency services to get there and render aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or results in bodily injury or death. Even if you do not know the degree of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help a lot in proving your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. When you are hit by another auto in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Johnson County, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Going on a wild goose chase 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 cause the police to not believe you.
• DO safely discern what you are able to about the reckless driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you are not seriously injured and can get hold of your phone before the car is completely gone, take as many photographs as possible. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, a partial 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 to the area of the crash.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people in the area may have had a better view than you, or will be able to validate your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Johnson County, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to get in touch with them later.
  • Write it all down. 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 useful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Johnson County, MO insurance company. If the driver is never located, you will have to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT right away. Our savvy and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including obtaining nearby surveillance video and contacting witnesses for complete statements. We work with a network of Johnson County, 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 track down the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their thoughtless actions. In those cases, the tenacious and talented Johnson County, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure 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 track down the anegligent 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 seek a recovery from your own insurance company. In Johnson County, MO, there are four standards that must be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. You received the injuries as a result 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 Johnson County, MO insurance company takes the place of the liable 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 full compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and talented Johnson County, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not back down until your own insurance company pays you back 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 make sure you get the maximum amount of money that you deserve. When you are hurt because another driver disregarded the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have received as a result of the accident, for example: 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 insist that you are compensated for all the money you are owed. If you or a family member in Johnson County, MO has been harmed 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 obligation to remain at the scene of a crash. When someone drives away from the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they care more about the consequences 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 Johnson County, MO, not having proper 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 are also never removed from a Johnson County, 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 caught 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 result in fines, jail time, and having your license revoked.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It might not be 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 paying full attention to the road is careless 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 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 midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Johnson County, 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. Occasionally, 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 areas with bad lighting at night, and when you are behind the wheel, never get distracted and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

No matter the reason a driver decides to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the benefits of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Johnson County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and ensure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Johnson County, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing scenarios. We insist on the best possible 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 journey to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case review and so we can begin working on your case right away.

The Johnson County, 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 Johnson County, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related costs can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Johnson County, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you straight away. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you recover the best possible 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.