Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Peculiar, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Peculiar, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and get maximum compensation for your damages when you have been injured in a hit and run crash? Call the Peculiar, 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 the best possible recovery for your Peculiar, MO hit and run accident.

When a negligent driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or someone you care about, it is common to feel appalled and furious. It is especially upsetting when the at-fault party refuses to take responsibility for their behavior and leaves 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 loved one’s injuries. The dedicated, experienced and talented Peculiar, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your compensation and get you on the path to healing. Call us immediately 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 crashes, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those killed, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five 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 wreck can be traumatizing and cause life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases aggravate your wounds as you may not find medical care immediately, and you may not be certain who to trust or how to collect equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of experienced and talented hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families injured in hit and run accidents in the Peculiar, MO area get great recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case immediately, and you do not owe us any payment until we win your claim.

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

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

If somebody drives 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, fleeing the scene of an accident is a crime. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

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

Additionally, an accident report needs to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident leads to 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 listed 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 was previously found guilty of leaving the scene of a hit and run accident.

A hit and run becomes a Class D Felony if the accident becomes fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the recovery you deserve. They may be found responsible in the Peculiar, MO criminal court, but you need expert and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will demand that you get the maximum recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we get started on your case at once and are relentless until we win. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to ensure the at-fault party bears complete responsibility for their harmful actions.

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

While being in any crash is frightening and can leave you feeling helpless, it can be particularly stressful if the at fault party breaks the law and leaves the scene. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disheartening and alarming when someone disregards those rules and acts selfishly and dangerously. The devoted and knowledgeable Peculiar, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish 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 could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be anxious that you are partly at fault. Leaving the location of an accident will make it much more difficult for you to get compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical treatment. The health and safety of everybody there should be your first thought. If you or somebody else is hurt, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Peculiar, MO emergency services to arrive and render aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any crash that leads to over $500 worth of damages or causes physical harm or death. Even if you do not know the degree of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will go a long way 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 tempted to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is Peculiar, MO law enforcement’s job. Chasing after the other driver not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get necessary information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely learn what you are able to about the at-fault driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can use your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many pictures as you can. 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 finding the driver. It also helps to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the scene might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to verify your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Peculiar, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to get in touch with them at a later date.
  • Write down everything you can. 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 following the crash, and those details will still be incredibly useful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Peculiar, 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 savvy and veteran hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including acquiring nearby surveillance footage and contacting witnesses for full depositions. We work with a network of Peculiar, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the scene and show exactly how the at-fault 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

In the best case scenarios, police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to discover the at-fault driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their irresponsible behavior. In those cases, the determined and expert Peculiar, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you get the best possible 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 cannot locate the aat-fault 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 pursue a recovery from your own insurance company. In Peculiar, MO, there are four standards that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. The injuries happened as a result of 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 Peculiar, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the responsible party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like other insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best chance at receiving maximum compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and talented Peculiar, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been standing up to 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 probably been paying into their policies for years.

Whether the at fault driver is located or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make sure you get the maximum amount of money that you are owed. When you get injured because another driver did not respect the rules of the road, you are entitled to a full compensation for all of damages you have received owing to the accident, such as: your medical costs, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced ability to enjoy life. No matter how severe your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for all the money you are entitled to. If you or a family member in Peculiar, 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 ethical responsibility to stay at a crash site. When someone flees the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they care more about the repercussions for themselves than any damage or harm their thoughtless behavior caused. There are a lot of reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Peculiar, MO, not having the 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 are also never removed from a Peculiar, MO driver’s record.

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

  This also carries severe 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 otherwise under the influence of drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also carry fines, jail time, and revocation of a license.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It likely is not surprising that people who have already committed a crime would risk breaking the law again to run away from a crash site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is reckless 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 flee the scene of an accident simply because they think they can do so without any consequences. 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 Peculiar, 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 behind the wheel, we can take some precautions 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 choice.

No matter the reason a driver chooses to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the pros of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Peculiar, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and ensure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Peculiar, 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 give up until you receive the money you deserve to put you on the path to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free consultation and so we can begin working on your case right away.

The Peculiar, 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 Peculiar, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and anxious. Injuries and their related bills can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you recover. When you hire our team of Peculiar, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side straight away. We demand the negligent parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you maximum compensation to aid you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review to take the first step in getting your life back on track.