Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Lake Ozark, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Lake Ozark, MO. How do you hold a driver to blame and receive the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run accident? Call the Lake Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can start working for you and winning you a full recovery for your Lake Ozark, MO hit and run accident.

When a negligent driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a loved one, it is typical to feel appalled and indignant. It is especially distressing when the negligent party will not take responsibility for their actions and leaves the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be puzzled about who is going to reimburse you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The devoted, veteran and knowledgeable Lake Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and consciously irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight for you to maximize your recovery and get you on the journey to recovery. Call us right away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people died in hit and run crashes, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those who died, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths transpire in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident takes place every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury caused by an auto wreck 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 care right away, and you may not know who to trust or how to pursue fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of seasoned and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families injured in hit and run accidents in the Lake Ozark, MO area get maximum recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case right away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your case.

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 Lake Ozark, MO

If somebody behaves irresponsibly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only to blame 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:

• Stay at the crash site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Render aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Lake Ozark, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Remain at the crash site until a police officer tells them differently

Furthermore, an accident report has to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident leads to 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 misdemeanor offense 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 leads to somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the compensation you are entitled to. They may be found responsible in the Lake Ozark, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will fight on your behalf until you get the full recovery you need to make you whole again. When you hire us, we start working on your case straight away and work tenaciously until we win. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to make certain the at-fault 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 nerve wracking if the negligent party does not respect the rules and flees the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disappointing and alarming when someone breaks those rules and acts thoughtlessly and recklessly. The committed and accomplished Lake Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers responsible and recover for you the compensation 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 accident site yourself. You may think the damages are too small to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be afraid that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the scene of a crash will make it much harder for you to be awarded compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. Your number-one thought should be your health and safety and the health and safety of everybody else in your car or involved in the accident. If you or somebody else is hurt, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Lake Ozark, MO emergency services to arrive and render aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or leads to bodily injury or a fatality. Even if you are unsure of the scope of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help a lot in proving your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. After being hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Lake Ozark, MO law enforcement’s obligation. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get necessary information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely discern what you can about the reckless driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photos. 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 photos as possible. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, just part of the license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in discovering who the driver was. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the scene may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to verify your version of events. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Lake Ozark, 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 photos, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be easier to recall immediately following the collision, and those details will still be very useful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Lake Ozark, 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 expert hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including obtaining adjacent surveillance footage and contacting witnesses for full statements. We work with a network of Lake Ozark, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident and prove exactly how the at-fault 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 discover the liable driver that caused your injuries and hold them accountable for their reckless behavior. In those cases, the determined and knowledgeable Lake Ozark, 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, motorists need to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to track down the aat-fault 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 Lake Ozark, 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 incurred 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 Lake Ozark, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like any insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best odds at receiving maximum compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and talented Lake Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been standing up to insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not give in 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 tracked down or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make certain you get the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to. When you get injured because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have received owing to the accident, such as: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how grave your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every penny you are owed. If you or a family member in Lake Ozark, 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 duty to stay at the scene of an accident. When someone drives 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 harm their dangerous actions caused. There are a lot of reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Lake Ozark, 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 are also never removed from a Lake Ozark, MO driver’s record.

• The driver does not have a driver’s license, or has a suspended license

  This also carries severe penalties and can be either a Class A misdemeanor or a Class E felony, based on whether you have been caught 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 paying full attention to the road is careless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, fatigued or are just thinking about something else.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee 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 frequent between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Lake Ozark, 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 know what to do. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control how other people drive, we can take some safety measures 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 presume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

No matter the reason a driver chooses to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the pros of running were greater than the cons. The Lake Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make sure they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Lake Ozark, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying scenarios. We demand great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not stop fighting for you until you recover the money you deserve to put you on the road to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Lake Ozark, 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 family member sustained injuries in a Lake Ozark, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related costs can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Lake Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side right away. We demand the negligent parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you full compensation to help 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.