Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Manchester, MO

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

When a dangerous driver purposefully breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a family member, it is normal to feel appalled and indignant. It is particularly upsetting when the negligent party refuses to take responsibility for their reckless driving and drives away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be puzzled about who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The committed, experienced and knowledgeable Manchester, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold careless and purposefully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your recovery and get you on the road to healing. Call us now 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 crashes, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those killed, about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five pedestrian deaths transpire in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury caused by an auto crash can be traumatizing and produce life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases exacerbate that trauma as you may not get medical care right away, and you may not be certain who to turn to or how to collect equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of accomplished and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Manchester, MO area get the best possible 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 we do not collect any payment until we win your case.

If you have been hurt in a hit and run accident, check out 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 Manchester, MO

If someone else drives carelessly and hurts you in a hit and run accident, they are not only culpable for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, fleeing the scene of an accident is against the law. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

• Stay at the accident site
• Move their car if it dangerous to other drivers, otherwise, wait until instructed by police
• Help anyone who is hurt
• Call the Manchester, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in bad weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with everybody involved
• Stay at the scene until a police officer tells them differently

Additionally, an accident report needs to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident leads to injury or a fatality.

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 becomes 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the accident becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the money you deserve. They may be found culpable before the Manchester, MO criminal court, but you need knowledgeable and committed hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will demand that you get the best possible recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we start working on your case immediately and are relentless until we win. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to make certain the negligent party accepts complete responsibility for their harmful actions.

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

While being in any crash is frightening and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be particularly stressful if the liable driver breaks the rules of the road and leaves the crash site. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is discouraging and startling when someone disregards those rules and behaves thoughtlessly and irresponsibly. The devoted and accomplished Manchester, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold negligent drivers responsible and win you the compensation you are owed. 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 leave the scene yourself. You might think the damages are too small to want to deal with the hassle, or you may worry that you are in some measure responsible. Leaving the location of an accident will make it much more complicated for you to be awarded compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. The health and safety of everybody there should be your chief concern. If you or somebody else is injured, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Manchester, MO emergency services to get there and render aid.
• DO NOT wait 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 death. Even if you are unsure of the degree 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. When you are hit by another car in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Manchester, MO law enforcement’s task. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get important 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 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 pictures as you are able to. Even if you cannot get an entire license plate number, a partial license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in locating the driver. It also helps to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the accident site may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to confirm your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Manchester, 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 photographs, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be fresher in your memory immediately following the accident, and those details will still be of great help to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Manchester, 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 at once. Our skilled and expert hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including getting access to nearby surveillance video and contacting witnesses for full depositions. We work with a network of Manchester, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the scene and demonstrate exactly how the negligible party caused your injuries.

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 find the negligent driver that caused your injuries and hold them responsible for their irresponsible driving. In those cases, the indefatigable and skilled Manchester, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you win the best possible 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 are unable to locate 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 pursue a recovery from your own insurance company. In Manchester, MO, there are four standards that must be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained bodily injuries
2. You sustained 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 Manchester, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the negligent 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 opportunity to receive the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and skilled Manchester, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been challenging 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 probably 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 ensure you get the maximum amount of money that you deserve. When you get hurt because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you deserve the best possible compensation for all of damages you have received because of the accident, for instance: your medical costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced ability to enjoy life. No matter how severe your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every nickel you are entitled to. If you or a loved one in Manchester, 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 every driver’s legal and social duty to remain at a crash site. When someone flees the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more worried about the repercussions for themselves than any damage or harm their careless 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 Manchester, MO, 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 are also never removed from a Manchester, 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 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 lead to fines, jail time, and having your license revoked.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It likely is not 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 focusing on the road is thoughtless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, tired or are just daydreaming.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee 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 Manchester, 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. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in after they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do on the road, 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 lose focus and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

Whatever the reason a driver opts to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the benefits of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Manchester, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and ensure they see they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Manchester, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying situations. We demand maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you receive the money you deserve to put you on the path to being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary consultation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Manchester, 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 experienced injuries in a Manchester, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related bills can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Manchester, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf right away. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you are awarded maximum compensation to help you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review to take the first step in getting your life back on track.