Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Lexington, MO

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

When a dangerous driver consciously breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a loved one, it is common to feel dismayed and indignant. It is especially unsettling when the liable party will not take responsibility for their behavior and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The devoted, accomplished and knowledgeable Lexington, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and willfully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight for you to maximize your compensation and get you on the path to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people were killed in hit and run crashes, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those killed, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five 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 a car accident can be traumatizing and create life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases amplify that trauma as you may not receive medical treatment at once, and you may not be certain who to turn to or how to pursue fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of accomplished and talented hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Lexington, MO area get great recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case straight away, and we do not collect any fees until we win your case.

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

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

If someone else acts recklessly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only culpable for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, fleeing the scene of an accident is against the law. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

• Remain at the accident site
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Supply aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Lexington, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in bad weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with everybody involved
• Remain at the accident site until a police officer tells them they can leave

Furthermore, an accident report has to 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 turns into a Class E Felony if any of the following 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 becomes a Class D Felony if the crash becomes fatal and causes 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 recovery you are entitled to. They may be found culpable before the Lexington, MO criminal court, but you need talented and committed hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will insist that you get the full recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we start working on your case immediately and do not let up. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to ensure the negligent party bears full responsibility for their reckless behavior.

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

While being in any crash is frightening and can leave you feeling helpless, it can be particularly stressful if the liable party breaks the law and flees the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disappointing and frightening when someone breaks those rules and acts selfishly and dangerously. The dedicated and skilled Lexington, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers responsible 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 accident site yourself. You may think the damages are too small to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be afraid that you are partially 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 treatment. Your first concern 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 injured, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Lexington, 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 causes over $500 worth of damages or leads to bodily harm or a fatality. Even if you are not sure what the scope of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help a lot in winning your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. When you are hit by another vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Lexington, MO law enforcement’s obligation. 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 suspect you.
• DO safely note what you are able to about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can take out your phone before the car disappears from view, take as many pictures as you can. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, just part of the number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in finding the driver. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the accident.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the accident site may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to corroborate your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Lexington, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to reach out to them at a later date.
  • Write down everything you can. If you did not have time or the ability to take photos, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be easier to recall immediately following the crash, and those details will still be incredibly useful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Lexington, 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 at once. Our savvy and accomplished hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including acquiring adjacent surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for complete depositions. We work with a network of Lexington, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident and demonstrate exactly how the negligible 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

In the best case scenarios, police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to track down the at-fault driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their careless behavior. In those cases, the aggressive and talented Lexington, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you are awarded maximum compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers need to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you cannot 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 make a claim against your own insurance company. In Lexington, MO, there are four standards that must be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received physical injuries
2. You received the injuries as a result of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you are unable to identify
3. You are legally owed compensation from the at-fault driver
4. All other limits of applicable policies have been exhausted by payment or settlement

In these cases, your own Lexington, MO insurance company takes the place of 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 convinced to pay. To have the best chance at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and expert Lexington, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been pushing back against insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not give in 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 identified or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make certain you get the full recovery that you are entitled to. When you get injured because another driver broke the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have sustained owing to the accident, such as: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how grave your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every dime you are entitled to. If you or a someone you care about in Lexington, 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 any driver’s legal and moral duty to stay at the scene of an accident. When someone runs 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 reckless behavior caused. There are a lot of reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Lexington, MO, not having the appropriate 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 also remain on a Lexington, 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 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 already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to leave the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not giving full attention to the road is careless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, tired 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 likely to occur between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Lexington, 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. often, these drivers turn themselves in after 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 poorly lit areas at night, and when you are behind the wheel, 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 opts to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the benefits of running were greater than the cons. The Lexington, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make certain they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Lexington, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different situations. We demand the best possible 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 recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can begin working on your case right away.

The Lexington, 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 Lexington, 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 Lexington, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf straight away. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you collect maximum compensation to aid you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review to take the first step in getting your life back on track.