Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Marceline, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Marceline, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and receive full compensation for your damages when you have been injured in a hit and run crash? Call the Marceline, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law right away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can start working for you and winning you a great recovery for your Marceline, MO hit and run accident.

When a careless driver consciously breaks the rules of the road and harms you or a family member, it is typical to feel appalled and outraged. It is particularly unnerving when the negligent party will not take responsibility for their negligent driving and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable Marceline, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and willfully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your compensation and put you on the journey to healing. Call us immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people were killed in hit and run accidents, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those who died, 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 occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from a car crash can be traumatizing and cause life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify your wounds as you may not receive medical care immediately, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to pursue equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of experienced and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Marceline, MO area get full recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case immediately, and you do not owe us any payment until we win your case.

If you have been injured in a hit and run accident, check out our personal injury calculator to see how much your damages may be worth.

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

If somebody drives irresponsibly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only liable 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, they are required by law to:

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

Furthermore, an accident report must be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident results in 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 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 has previously left 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 irresponsible driver will not get you the money you are owed. They may be found guilty in the Marceline, MO criminal court, but you need talented and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will demand that you get the maximum recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we start working on your case at once and do not give up. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to make sure the negligent party accepts full responsibility for their thoughtless behavior.

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

While being in any crash is scary and can leave you feeling helpless, it can be especially stressful if the at fault individual disregards the rules and leaves the accident 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 committed and knowledgeable Marceline, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold careless drivers accountable and secure 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 may think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the inconvenience, or you may be anxious that you are partially at fault. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much harder for you to receive compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. The health and safety of everybody present should be your chief thought. If you or somebody else is injured, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Marceline, MO emergency services to arrive and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any accident that leads to over $500 worth of damages or leads to bodily harm or death. Even if you are not sure what the degree of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help a lot in winning your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. After being hit by another vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Marceline, MO law enforcement’s task. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at more risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get necessary information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely find out what you can about the at-fault driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can get hold of your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photographs as possible. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, a partial license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly useful in locating the driver. It also helps to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the area of the accident.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people in the area might have had a better view than you, or will be able to verify your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Marceline, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to reach out to them at a later date.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take photos, anything you could observe about the other car or driver will be fresher in your memory immediately following the crash, and those details will still be incredibly helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Marceline, 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 straight away. Our talented and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including acquiring close by surveillance video and contacting witnesses for complete depositions. We work with a network of Marceline, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the crash and demonstrate exactly how the liable 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 locate the at-fault driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their irresponsible driving. In those cases, the determined and knowledgeable Marceline, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you collect full compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers are required to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to track down the anegligent driver after a hit and run accident, you and your hit and run accident attorneys will need to utilize this part of your policy to make a claim against your own insurance company. In Marceline, MO, there are four specifications that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. You sustained the injuries due to an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you are unable to 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 Marceline, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like many insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best odds at receiving full compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and expert Marceline, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight by your side. 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 certainly been paying into their policies for a long time.

Whether the at fault driver is found or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make certain you get the full compensation that you are entitled to. When you are harmed because another driver disregarded the rules of the road, you deserve a full recovery for all of damages you have experienced because of the accident, for instance: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced ability to enjoy life. No matter how serious your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for all the money you deserve. If you or a someone you care about in Marceline, MO has been injured 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 stay at the scene of an accident. When someone flees the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more concerned about the consequences for themselves than any damage or injury their careless actions caused. There are many reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Marceline, MO, not having 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 Marceline, MO driver’s record.

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

  This also carries crushing penalties and can be either a Class A misdemeanor or a Class E felony, depending 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 getting your license revoked.

• 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 the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is careless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, drowsy 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 consequences. 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 Marceline, 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. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do behind the wheel, 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, stay alert at all times and never presume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

Regardless of the reason a driver chooses to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the benefits of running were greater than the cons. The Marceline, 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 Marceline, 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 rest until you receive the money you are owed to put you on the road to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case review and so we can start working on your case right away.

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