Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Mehlville, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Mehlville, 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 Mehlville, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law straight away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin fighting for you and winning you the best possible recovery for your Mehlville, MO hit and run accident.

When a dangerous driver purposefully breaks the rules of the road and harms you or a loved one, it is typical to feel appalled and indignant. It is particularly unnerving when the negligent party declines to take responsibility for their behavior and leaves 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 loved one’s injuries. The committed, experienced and talented Mehlville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and purposefully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend the situation and will fight for you to maximize your recovery and get you on the road to recovery. Call us today 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 accidents, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those killed, nearly 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths occur in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident takes place every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from an auto wreck can be traumatizing and produce life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify your wounds as you may not receive medical attention right away, and you may be unsure of who to trust or how to secure equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of experienced and talented hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those injured in hit and run accidents in the Mehlville, MO area get great recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we start work on your case at once, and we do not charge any payment until we win your suit.

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

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

If a driver behaves irresponsibly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only liable for your injuries, they are guilty of a criminal act. In Missouri, fleeing the scene of an accident is a crime. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

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

Additionally, an accident report has to 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 a local jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene becomes 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the accident is fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the compensation you deserve. They may be found responsible in the Mehlville, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and committed hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will insist that you get the best possible recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we start working on your case immediately and work tenaciously until we win. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to make sure the negligent party accepts complete responsibility for their reckless behavior.

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

While being in any crash is terrifying and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be particularly nerve wracking if the at fault driver does not respect the rules of the road and leaves the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disappointing and startling when someone disregards those rules and drives thoughtlessly and dangerously. The devoted and talented Mehlville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers responsible and secure you the compensation you deserve. 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 crash site yourself. You could think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may worry that you are partially at fault. Leaving the location of an accident will make it much more difficult for you to recover compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical treatment. The health and safety of everyone there should be your principal thought. If you or somebody else is hurt, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Mehlville, MO emergency services to come and give aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or causes bodily injury or death. Even if you do not know the degree of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help a lot in proving your case.
• DO NOT pursue the driver. When you are hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are normal reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Mehlville, 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 hold you back from being able to get valuable information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely discern what you are able to about the irresponsible 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 possible. Even if you cannot get an entire license plate number, a partial number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly helpful in locating the driver. It is also useful to take pictures of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people in the area may have had a better view than you, or will be able to validate your story. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Mehlville, MO hit and run accident lawyer 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 noticed about the other car or driver will be easier to remember 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 Mehlville, 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 immediately. Our skilled and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will help you gather evidence, including acquiring close by surveillance footage and contacting witnesses for complete statements. We work with a network of Mehlville, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident and demonstrate exactly how the liable 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 accountable for their careless behavior. In those cases, the tenacious and knowledgeable Mehlville, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you win the best possible compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, motorists need 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 use this part of your policy to make a claim against your own insurance company. In Mehlville, MO, there are four standards that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. The injuries happened due to 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 Mehlville, 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 many insurance companies, they may still have to be persuaded to pay. To have the best opportunity to receive great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need accomplished and skilled Mehlville, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not relent 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 identified or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make certain you get the full recovery that you deserve. When you are injured because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you deserve maximum compensation for all of damages you have received owing to the accident, for instance: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how grave your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every dime you are entitled to. If you or a someone you care about in Mehlville, 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 moral obligation to remain 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 repercussions for themselves than any damage or harm their thoughtless behavior 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 Mehlville, MO, not having the right insurance can lead to 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 Mehlville, 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, depending on whether you have been pulled over 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 might not be surprising that people who have already committed a crime would risk breaking the law again to run away from 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, fatigued or are just thinking about something else.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may leave the scene of an accident simply because they think they will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to occur between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Mehlville, 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 after 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 areas with bad lighting at night, and when you are driving, stay alert at all times and never presume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best decision.

Whatever the reason a driver chooses to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the pros of running were greater than the cons. The Mehlville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make sure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Mehlville, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different situations. We insist on maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you collect the money you are owed to put you on the path to being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case evaluation and so we can start working on your case right away.

The Mehlville, 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.

• Survival Action Lawyer in Missouri
• Truck Crash Lawyers in Missouri
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Missouri

If you or a family member experienced injuries in a Mehlville, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related costs can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Mehlville, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf immediately. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you the best possible 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.