Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Ozark, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Ozark, MO. How do you hold a driver to blame and receive great compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run accident? Call the Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can start fighting for you and getting you the best possible recovery for your Ozark, 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 typical to feel appalled and furious. It is especially unnerving when the reckless party refuses to take responsibility for their behavior and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be pondering who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The devoted, accomplished and skilled Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and willfully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight for you to maximize your recovery and put you on the journey to healing. Call us straight away 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 accidents, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those killed, almost 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 happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury arising from a car crash can be traumatizing and cause life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases compound your wounds as you may not receive medical care at once, and you may not know who to turn to or how to secure just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of veteran and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families hurt in hit and run accidents in the Ozark, 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 right away, 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 you may be able to get in compensation.

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

If a motorist drives carelessly and hurts you in a hit and run accident, they are not only to blame for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, leaving the scene of an accident is against the law. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

• Stay at the accident site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for directions from police
• Render aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Ozark, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in bad weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with other people involved
• Remain at the scene until a police officer tells them differently

Furthermore, an accident report needs 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 a local jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene turns into a Class E Felony if any of these 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 accident becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found guilty in the Ozark, MO criminal court, but you need talented and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will insist that you get the full recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we get started on your case right away and do not let 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 careless behavior.

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

While being in any accident is frightening and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be particularly stressful if the responsible party breaks the rules and leaves the crash site. The rules exist for a reason, and it is disheartening and alarming when someone disregards those rules and drives carelessly and irresponsibly. The committed and skilled Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold negligent drivers responsible and get you the money 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 may think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the inconvenience, or you may be afraid that you are partially responsible. Leaving the location of an accident will make it much harder for you to recover compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. Your principal concern 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 injured, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Ozark, MO emergency services to come and render 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 harm or death. Even if you do not know the extent of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help immeasurably in making your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. When you are hit by another vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are natural reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Ozark, MO law enforcement’s task. 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 valuable information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely note what you can about the irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can get hold of your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photos as you are able to. 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 a great help in discovering who the driver was. It also helps to take photos of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the accident.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people in the area may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to confirm your version of events. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, police officer or Ozark, MO hit and run accident lawyer 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 easier to recall 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 Ozark, MO insurance company. In the event that the driver cannot be located, you will need to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT immediately. Our talented and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including getting access to adjacent surveillance footage and contacting witnesses for full depositions. We work with a network of Ozark, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the scene and demonstrate exactly how the at-fault party caused your injuries.

Listed 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 at-fault driver that caused your injuries and hold them accountable for their thoughtless actions. In those cases, the tenacious and knowledgeable Ozark, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you receive full 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 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 Ozark, MO, there are four criteria that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained physical 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 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 Ozark, MO insurance company takes the place of the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like any insurance companies, they may still have to be persuaded to pay. To have the best chance at receiving full compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and expert Ozark, MO 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 over 20 years, and will not give in until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have certainly been paying into their policies for years.

Whether the at fault driver is tracked down or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make certain you get the maximum amount of compensation that you are owed. When you are injured because somebody else did not respect the rules of the road, you deserve a full compensation for all of damages you have received because of the accident, including: 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 insist that you are compensated for all the money you deserve. If you or a someone you care about in Ozark, 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 responsibility to remain at the scene of a crash. 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 irresponsible behavior caused. There are a variety of reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Ozark, MO, not having adequate 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 Ozark, 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 revocation of a license.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It might not be surprising that people who already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to flee a crash site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not paying full attention to the road is reckless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, dozing off or are just daydreaming.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may leave a crash site simply because they think they will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to happen between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Ozark, 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. 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, never get distracted and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best decision.

Regardless of the reason a driver opts to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the benefits of fleeing outweighed the cons. The Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make certain they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Ozark, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different situations. We demand maximum 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 journey 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 Ozark, 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 Ozark, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, angry, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related expenses can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Ozark, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you at once. We demand the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you are awarded the best possible compensation to help you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary consultation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.