Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Pacific, MO

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

When a reckless driver consciously breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a family member, it is common to feel dismayed and furious. It is especially unnerving when the reckless party refuses to take responsibility for their reckless driving and leaves 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 family member's injuries. The devoted, accomplished and skilled Pacific, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold careless and willfully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight for you to maximize your recovery and put you on the journey to recovery. 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 accidents, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those who died, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths transpire in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury resulting from an auto crash can be traumatizing and cause life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases aggravate that trauma as you may not receive medical treatment right away, and you may be unsure of who to trust or how to seek just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of experienced and talented hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those harmed in hit and run accidents in the Pacific, MO area get the best possible recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case straight away, and you do not owe us any payment until we win your claim.

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

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

If somebody behaves negligently and hurts 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 motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

• Remain at the crash site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Help anyone who is hurt
• Call the Pacific, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with others involved
• Remain at the accident site until a police officer tells them they can leave

Additionally, an accident report must 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 county jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene becomes 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the crash becomes fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the irresponsible driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found guilty before the Pacific, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will fight on your behalf until you get the full recovery you need to recover. 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 bears complete responsibility for their reckless actions.

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 especially stressful if the liable person does not respect the law and leaves the scene. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is discouraging and alarming when someone breaks those rules and behaves thoughtlessly and recklessly. The dedicated and knowledgeable Pacific, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers responsible and secure 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 accident site yourself. You could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may worry that you are partly at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more difficult for you to get compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical treatment. Your principal thought 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 hurt, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Pacific, MO emergency services to come and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any accident that causes over $500 worth of damages or leads to physical injury or death. Even if you are not sure what the degree of the damages or injuries are immediately, having a police report will help immeasurably in making your case.
• DO NOT pursue the driver. When you are hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is Pacific, MO law enforcement’s task. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at further risk, but it will impede you from being able to get important information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely discern what you are able to about the at-fault driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you are not badly injured and can use your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photos as possible. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, just part of the number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly useful in determining who the driver was. It is also useful to take pictures of any tire marks or other damage to the crash 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 validate your story. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, police officer or Pacific, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to get in touch with them later.
  • Write down everything you can. If you did not have time or the ability to take photos, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be easier to recall immediately following the collision, and those details will still be of great help to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Pacific, MO insurance company. If the driver is never 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 skilled and accomplished hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including acquiring nearby surveillance video and contacting witnesses for complete statements. We work alongside a network of Pacific, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the crash 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 categories 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 thoughtless behavior. In those cases, the determined and expert Pacific, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you win 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 cannot find 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 Pacific, MO, there are four specifications that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You received physical injuries
2. You incurred the injuries as a result 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 Pacific, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like any insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best chance at receiving the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and expert Pacific, 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 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 found or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will ensure you get the maximum amount of compensation that you deserve. When you are harmed because another driver did not respect the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have received because of the accident, such as: 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 every nickel you are entitled to. If you or a loved one in Pacific, 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 moral duty to remain at a crash site. When someone runs away from the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more concerned about the consequences for themselves than any damage or harm their thoughtless 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 Pacific, MO, not having appropriate insurance can result in you 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 are also never removed from a Pacific, 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 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 run away from an accident site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not giving full attention to the road is reckless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, dozing off or just have their head in the clouds.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee the scene of an accident simply because they think they can do so without any repercussions. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more probable between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Pacific, 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 want to get in trouble. Sometimes, 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 precautions 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 take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

Regardless of the reason a driver opts to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the pros of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Pacific, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them accountable and make certain they see they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Pacific, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different situations. We demand full compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you collect the money you deserve to put you on the journey to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Pacific, 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 loved one experienced injuries in a Pacific, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and anxious. Injuries and their related bills can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Pacific, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side immediately. We demand the responsible 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 case evaluation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.