Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Madison County, IL

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Madison County, IL. How do you hold a driver accountable and get the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run accident? Call the Madison County, IL hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin working for you and getting you the best possible recovery for your Madison County, IL hit and run accident.

When a thoughtless driver knowingly breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a family member, it is common to feel dismayed and outraged. It is particularly distressing when the reckless party declines to take responsibility for their reckless driving and flees 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 committed, seasoned and knowledgeable Madison County, IL hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and intentionally irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight by your side to maximize your compensation and put you on the road to healing. 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 is 62 percent more than 2009. Of the fatalities, nearly 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths take place in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury arising from an auto accident can be traumatizing and produce life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases aggravate that trauma as you may not get medical care right away, and you may be unsure of who to trust or how to pursue fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of accomplished and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people hurt in hit and run accidents in the Madison County, IL area get full recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact 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 injured in a hit and run accident, use our personal injury calculator to see how much you may be able to receive in compensation.

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys: Understanding the Laws in Madison County, IL

If somebody behaves negligently and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only culpable for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, leaving the scene of an accident is a crime. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

• Remain at the crash site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for directions from police
• Help anyone who is hurt
• Call the Madison County, IL police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Stay at the crash 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 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 three conditions below 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 becomes fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the irresponsible driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found guilty in the Madison County, IL criminal court, but you need accomplished and committed hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will insist that you get the maximum recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we get started on your case right away and work tenaciously until we win. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to ensure the at-fault party bears full responsibility for their careless behavior.

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

While being in any accident is terrifying and can leave you feeling helpless, it can be especially nerve wracking if the negligent party breaks the rules and leaves the crash site. The rules exist for a reason, and it is disheartening and startling when someone disregards those rules and behaves selfishly and dangerously. The dedicated and talented Madison County, IL hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers accountable and secure 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 scene yourself. You may think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be nervous that you are partially responsible. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much more complicated for you to collect compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical treatment. Your chief 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 Madison County, IL emergency services to come and provide aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any crash that causes over $500 worth of damages or results in bodily injury or death. Even if you are not certain what the degree of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will go a long way in winning your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. When you are hit by another auto in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are natural reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Madison County, IL law enforcement’s job. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get important information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely note what you can about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can use your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many photographs as you can. Even if you cannot get an entire license plate number, just part of the number 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 photos of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the scene might 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 Madison County, IL 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 crash, and those details will still be of great help to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Madison County, IL 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 straight away. Our talented and veteran hit and run accident attorneys will help you gather evidence, including acquiring adjacent surveillance footage and getting in touch with witnesses for full depositions. We work alongside a network of Madison County, IL car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the crash and show exactly how the negligible 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 locate the liable driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their careless actions. In those cases, the tenacious and skilled Madison County, IL hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you are awarded full compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, motorists are required to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you cannot locate 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 seek damages from your own insurance company. In Madison County, IL, there are four standards that need to be met so that you can 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 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 Madison County, IL insurance company takes the place of the responsible party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like any insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best chance at receiving maximum compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and expert Madison County, IL hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been pushing back against insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not relent until your own insurance company pays you back the money you have certainly been paying into their policies for years.

Whether the at fault driver is located 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 are hurt because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to the best possible compensation for all of damages you have sustained because of 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 severe your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every nickel you are entitled to. If you or a family member in Madison County, IL 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 social duty to remain at a crash 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 a variety of reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Madison County, IL, not having the appropriate 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 also remain on a Madison County, IL 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, depending 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 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 already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to leave a crash site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not paying full attention to 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 flee the scene of an accident simply because they think they can do so without any consequences. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to happen between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Madison County, IL 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. often, these drivers turn themselves in once 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 take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best decision.

Whatever the reason a driver chooses to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the pros of running were greater than the cons. The Madison County, IL 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 Madison County, IL we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying scenarios. We demand the best possible compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not let up until you are awarded the money you are owed to put you on the road to being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Madison County, IL 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 Illinois
• Wrongful Death Lawyers in Illinois
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Illinois
• Car Accident Attorney in Illinois

If you or someone you care about sustained injuries in a Madison County, IL hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related expenses can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Madison County, IL hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf at once. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you the best possible compensation to help you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.