Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Lamar, MO

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

When a negligent driver consciously breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or someone you care about, it is common to feel shocked and outraged. It is particularly distressing when the at-fault party refuses to take responsibility for their actions and flees 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 committed, veteran and skilled Lamar, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and willfully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight for you to maximize your recovery and put you on the road to recovery. Call us right away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

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, nearly 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 happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from an auto accident can be traumatizing and bring about life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify that trauma as you may not find medical care right away, and you may not know who to trust or how to secure equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of experienced and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people hurt in hit and run accidents in the Lamar, MO area get great recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case at once, and you do not owe us any fees 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 Lamar, MO

If somebody drives carelessly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only liable for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, fleeing 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 scene
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for directions from police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Lamar, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with other people involved
• Stay at the accident site until a police officer tells them differently

Furthermore, 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 a local 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 accident becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws deterring hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the recovery you deserve. They may be found guilty in front of the Lamar, MO criminal court, but you need talented and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will insist that you get the maximum recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we get started on your case at once and do not let up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to make certain the at-fault party accepts full 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 helpless, it can be especially stressful if the negligent driver does not respect the rules of the road and leaves the scene. The rules exist for a reason, and it is disappointing and frightening when someone breaks those rules and acts thoughtlessly and dangerously. The committed and knowledgeable Lamar, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold negligent drivers accountable and get you the money 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 scene yourself. You might think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the inconvenience, or you may be anxious that you are partly responsible. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more difficult for you to be awarded compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. Your foremost thought should be your health and safety and the health and safety of anyone else in your car or involved in the accident. If you or somebody else is hurt, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Lamar, MO emergency services to arrive and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any accident that results in over $500 worth of damages or causes physical injury or a fatality. Even if you do not know the extent 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 vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Lamar, 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 valuable information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely discern what you are able to about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can get hold of your phone before the car disappears from view, take as many photos as you are able to. 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 determining who the driver was. It also helps to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the scene might have had a better view than you, or will be able to validate your story. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Lamar, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to contact them later.
  • 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 fresher in your memory immediately after the collision, and those details will still be very helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Lamar, MO insurance company. If the driver is never located, you will need to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT straight away. Our savvy and expert hit and run accident attorneys will help you gather evidence, including acquiring close by surveillance footage and reaching out to witnesses for complete statements. We work alongside a network of Lamar, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the crash and demonstrate exactly how the liable party caused your injuries.

Listed here are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for hit and runs and other kinds 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 liable driver that caused your injuries and hold them accountable for their reckless driving. In those cases, the aggressive and knowledgeable Lamar, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you win full 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 locate 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 Lamar, MO, there are four criteria that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You received physical injuries
2. You received the injuries because 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 Lamar, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like any insurance companies, they may still have to be persuaded to pay. To have the best odds at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and talented Lamar, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight for you. We have been standing up to insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not give up the fight until your own insurance company reimburses you for 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 certain you get the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to. When you get injured because another driver broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to a full recovery for all of damages you have received owing to the accident, for instance: your medical costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how serious your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every penny you are owed. If you or a loved one in Lamar, 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 duty to remain at an accident site. When someone leaves 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 irresponsible actions caused. There are many reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Lamar, MO, not having proper 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 Lamar, 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 pulled over 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 leave the scene of an accident.

• 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, tired 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 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 Lamar, 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 safety measures as both drivers and pedestrians. Try to avoid walking in poorly lit areas at night, and when you are behind the wheel, never get distracted and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

Regardless of the reason a driver opts to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the benefits of fleeing outweighed the cons. The Lamar, 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 Lamar, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different situations. We demand great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you receive the money you are owed to put you on the path to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can begin working on your case right away.

The Lamar, 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 Lamar, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related expenses can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Lamar, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you right away. 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 complimentary consultation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.