Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Joplin, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Joplin, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and get great compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run crash? Call the Joplin, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law right away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can start working for you and winning you the best possible recovery for your Joplin, MO hit and run accident.

When a careless driver knowingly breaks the rules of the road and harms you or a loved one, it is typical to feel appalled and furious. It is particularly unnerving when the liable party declines to take responsibility for their reckless driving and drives away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be asking yourself who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable Joplin, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your recovery and get you on the path 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 was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of the fatalities, just 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 resulting from an auto crash can be traumatizing and cause life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases aggravate your wounds as you may not get medical attention immediately, and you may not know who to turn to or how to seek fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of accomplished and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Joplin, MO area get full recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we start work on your case at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your claim.

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

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

If somebody drives recklessly and hurts you in a hit and run accident, they are not only to blame for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, driving away from the scene of an accident is a crime. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law dictates that they must:

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

Furthermore, an accident report must be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident leads to 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 county jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene becomes a Class E Felony if any of these three conditions 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 leads to somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the negligent driver will not get you the recovery you are entitled to. They may be found culpable in front of the Joplin, MO criminal court, but you need expert and committed hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will demand that you get the maximum recovery you need to recover. 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 at-fault party bears complete responsibility for their harmful actions.

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

While being in any accident is scary and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be especially stressful if the at fault individual disregards the rules and flees the scene. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disheartening and startling when someone does not respect those rules and drives thoughtlessly and recklessly. The dedicated and accomplished Joplin, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers accountable and recover for 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 flee the crash site yourself. You could think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be nervous that you are partially at fault. Leaving the scene of a crash will make it much harder for you to recover compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. The health and safety of everybody involved should be your principal worry. If you or somebody else is injured, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Joplin, MO emergency services to arrive and provide 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 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 follow the driver. After being hit by another vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is Joplin, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. 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 not believe you.
• DO safely note what you are able to about the reckless driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you are not badly injured and can use your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many photographs as you are able to. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, a partial number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in discovering who the driver was. It also helps to take pictures of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the scene might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to confirm your story. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Joplin, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to get in touch with them at a later date.
  • Write down everything you can. 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 accident, and those details will still be incredibly helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Joplin, 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 immediately. Our savvy and accomplished hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including getting access to nearby surveillance footage and reaching out to witnesses for complete depositions. We work with a network of Joplin, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the scene and prove exactly how the liable party caused your injuries.

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

The ideal scenario is that police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to find the liable driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their dangerous behavior. In those cases, the determined and skilled Joplin, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you collect the best possible compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers 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 make a claim against your own insurance company. In Joplin, MO, there are four standards that must be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You sustained bodily injuries
2. You sustained the injuries as a result 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 Joplin, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the negligent party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like any insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best chance at receiving full compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need accomplished and talented Joplin, MO hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law to fight for you. We have been pushing back against 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 probably been paying into their policies for a long time.

Whether the at fault driver is found or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will ensure you get the maximum amount of money that you deserve. When you get injured because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to the best possible recovery for all of damages you have experienced owing to the accident, for instance: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how serious your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every penny you are entitled to. If you or a someone you care about in Joplin, 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 stay at the scene of an accident. When someone leaves 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 dangerous 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 Joplin, MO, not having appropriate 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 Joplin, 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 revocation of a license.

• 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 flee a crash site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is thoughtless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, fatigued or are just daydreaming.

• 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 likely to occur between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Joplin, 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 what other drivers do on the road, 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, stay alert at all times and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

No matter the reason a driver decides to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the pros of running outweighed the cons. The Joplin, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make certain they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Joplin, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing circumstances. We demand the best possible compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not let up until you collect the money you are owed to put you on the path to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary consultation and so we can begin working on your case right away.

The Joplin, 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 Joplin, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related bills can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Joplin, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side right away. We insist that the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you great 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.