Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Knob Noster, MO

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

When a negligent driver knowingly breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a loved one, it is common to feel dismayed and furious. It is especially unnerving when the reckless party declines to take responsibility for their negligent driving and flees 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 loved one’s injuries. The dedicated, seasoned and skilled Knob Noster, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and consciously irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight by your side to maximize your compensation and put you on the road 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 were killed 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 20 percent of pedestrian deaths happen in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury arising from an auto wreck can be traumatizing and cause life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases magnify your wounds as you may not get medical attention immediately, and you may not be certain who to turn to or how to seek just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of seasoned and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Knob Noster, MO area get maximum recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin work on your case straight away, and we do not charge any payment until we win your suit.

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

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

If somebody drives carelessly 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, they are required by law to:

• Stay at the crash site
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait until instructed by police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Knob Noster, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with other people involved
• Stay at the accident site until a police officer tells them differently

Additionally, an accident report must be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident causes injury or a fatality.

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 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the crash is fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the money you deserve. They may be found culpable before the Knob Noster, MO criminal court, but you need talented and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will demand that you get the best possible recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we get started on your case right away and work tenaciously until we win. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to make certain the negligent party accepts complete responsibility for their thoughtless actions.

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

While being in any crash is terrifying and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be especially worrisome if the negligent driver disregards the law and leaves the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disappointing and frightening when someone disregards those rules and behaves carelessly and recklessly. The committed and accomplished Knob Noster, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers accountable and recover for you the compensation 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 flee the crash site yourself. You could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be afraid that you are partly at fault. Leaving the location of an accident will make it much more complicated 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 everyone present should be your principal concern. If you or somebody else is injured, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Knob Noster, MO emergency services to arrive and provide aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any crash that leads to over $500 worth of damages or causes physical harm or a fatality. Even if you do not know the scope of the damages or injuries are immediately, having a police report will go a long way 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 normal reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Knob Noster, MO law enforcement’s job. Chasing after the other motorist not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get necessary information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely find out what you are able to about the at-fault driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you are not badly injured and can take out your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photographs as you are able to. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, a partial license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly helpful in locating the driver. It is also useful to take photos of any tire marks or other damage to the area of the accident.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the accident site might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to verify your version of events. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Knob Noster, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to reach out to them at a later date.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take pictures, anything you could observe about the other car or driver will be fresher in your memory immediately following the crash, and those details will still be very helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Knob Noster, 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 skilled and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will help you gather evidence, including acquiring close by surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for complete statements. We work alongside a network of Knob Noster, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident and prove exactly how the liable 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

In the best case scenarios, police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to find the liable driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their irresponsible behavior. In those cases, the determined and skilled Knob Noster, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you get maximum 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 anegligent 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 Knob Noster, MO, there are four criteria that need to be met in order for you to 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 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 Knob Noster, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the at-fault 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 opportunity to receive great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and knowledgeable Knob Noster, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not give up the fight 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 identified or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make certain you get the maximum amount of money that you deserve. When you are hurt because another driver did not respect the rules of the road, you deserve a full compensation for all of damages you have received because of the accident, such as: your medical expenses, 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 every nickel you deserve. If you or a loved one in Knob Noster, 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 moral responsibility to stay at an accident site. When someone flees the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more concerned about the repercussions for themselves than any damage or injury their dangerous actions caused. There are many reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Knob Noster, 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 also remain on a Knob Noster, 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, based on whether you have been discovered without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver that was impaired by 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 likely is not surprising that people who have already committed a crime would risk breaking the law again to flee a crash site.

• 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, 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 will not be caught. 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 Knob Noster, 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. Occasionally, these drivers turn themselves in after they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do behind the wheel, 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 driving, stay alert at all times and never assume 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 assumed the benefits of fleeing outweighed the cons. The Knob Noster, 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 Knob Noster, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing circumstances. We insist on great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you get the money you are owed to put you on the journey to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can begin working on your case right away.

The Knob Noster, 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 Knob Noster, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and anxious. Injuries and their related costs can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Knob Noster, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf immediately. We demand the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you are awarded the best possible 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.