Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Mount Vernon, MO

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

When a thoughtless driver purposefully breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a family member, it is common to feel appalled and outraged. It is especially perturbing when the at-fault party refuses to take responsibility for their actions and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be puzzled about who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The devoted, experienced and skilled Mount Vernon, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and consciously 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 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, 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 transpires every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury caused by an auto accident can be traumatizing and produce life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases magnify your wounds as you may not get medical attention at once, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to pursue fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of accomplished and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people injured in hit and run accidents in the Mount Vernon, MO area get great recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case immediately, and we do not collect any payment until we win your case.

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

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

If a motorist behaves carelessly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only culpable for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, driving away from 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 crash site
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait for directions from police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Mount Vernon, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Remain at the scene until a police officer tells them differently

Additionally, an accident report has to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident leads to 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 misdemeanor offense 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 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 crash is fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws discouraging 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 Mount Vernon, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will insist that you get the best possible recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we start working 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 dangerous actions.

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

While being in any crash is terrifying and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be particularly nerve wracking if the negligent party disregards the rules and flees the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disheartening and alarming when someone breaks those rules and acts selfishly and recklessly. The dedicated and skilled Mount Vernon, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold careless drivers responsible and secure you the money 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 flee the accident site yourself. You could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be nervous that you are partially at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more complicated for you to recover compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. The health and safety of everybody involved should be your primary worry. If you or somebody else is injured, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Mount Vernon, MO emergency services to come and render aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any crash that causes over $500 worth of damages or causes bodily harm or a fatality. Even if you do not know the extent 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. After being hit by another auto in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are normal reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Mount Vernon, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Chasing after the other motorist not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get valuable 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 photographs. 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 a full license plate number, a partial number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in determining who the driver was. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the scene 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 Mount Vernon, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to reach out to 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 easier to remember immediately following the accident, and those details will still be of great help to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Mount Vernon, 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 talented and expert hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including obtaining adjacent surveillance footage and getting in touch with witnesses for complete statements. We work with a network of Mount Vernon, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the crash and demonstrate exactly how the negligible 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 negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their reckless actions. In those cases, the tenacious and knowledgeable Mount Vernon, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you get maximum compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers must have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to find 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 seek damages from your own insurance company. In Mount Vernon, MO, there are four criteria that are required to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. The injuries occurred due to 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 Mount Vernon, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the negligent party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like other 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 experienced and savvy Mount Vernon, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight for you. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not back down 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 located or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will ensure you get the maximum amount of money that you are entitled to. When you sustain injuries because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to a full compensation for all of damages you have experienced because of the accident, for example: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how serious your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for all the money you are owed. If you or a loved one in Mount Vernon, 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 social responsibility to remain at the scene of an accident. When someone leaves 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 irresponsible behavior caused. There are a lot of reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Mount Vernon, MO, not having proper 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 Mount Vernon, 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, based on whether you have been caught without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver otherwise impaired by drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also result in 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 flee 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, drowsy or just have their head in the clouds.

• 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 frequent between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Mount Vernon, 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. often, these drivers turn themselves in once 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 areas with bad lighting at night, and when you are driving, stay alert at all times and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

No matter the reason a driver decides to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the pros of running were greater than the cons. The Mount Vernon, MO 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 Mount Vernon, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying scenarios. We demand great compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you receive the money you deserve to put you on the road to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can start working on your case right away.

The Mount Vernon, 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 experienced injuries in a Mount Vernon, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related costs can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you recover. When you hire our team of Mount Vernon, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you right away. We insist that the responsible parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you receive 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.