Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Phelps County, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Phelps County, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and get maximum compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run accident? Call the Phelps County, 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 Phelps County, MO hit and run accident.

When a dangerous driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a loved one, it is normal to feel shocked and angry. It is particularly perturbing when the negligent party will not take responsibility for their actions and drives away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be pondering who is going to reimburse you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The committed, experienced and talented Phelps County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold careless and purposefully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your recovery and put you on the road to recovery. Call us straight away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case review.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people died in hit and run crashes, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those who died, nearly 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five pedestrian deaths take place in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from an auto crash can be traumatizing and create life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases amplify your wounds as you may not receive medical treatment right away, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to seek fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of experienced and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people injured in hit and run accidents in the Phelps County, MO area get full recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case right away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your claim.

If you have been harmed 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 Phelps County, MO

If a motorist drives 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 against the law. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law dictates that they must:

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

Furthermore, an accident report must 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 misdemeanor offense and carries a maximum penalty of one year in county 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the crash becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the compensation you deserve. They may be found culpable in front of the Phelps County, MO criminal court, but you need expert and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will insist that you get the best possible recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we get started on your case straight away 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 certain the negligent party bears complete responsibility for their dangerous 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 vulnerable, it can be especially nerve wracking if the liable party does not respect the rules of the road and leaves the scene. The rules exist for a reason, and it is disheartening and alarming when someone breaks those rules and drives thoughtlessly and recklessly. The committed and skilled Phelps County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers accountable and win 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 may think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be afraid that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much harder for you to collect compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. The health and safety of everybody there should be your number-one thought. If you or somebody else is hurt, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Phelps County, MO emergency services to come and provide aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or leads to bodily injury or death. Even if you are unsure of the degree of the damages or injuries are immediately, having a police report will go a long way in proving your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. When you are 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 they are. That is Phelps County, MO law enforcement’s job. Chasing after the other driver not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get necessary information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely note what you are able to about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you are not badly injured and can get hold of your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photos as you can. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, just part of the license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in finding the driver. It also helps to take photos of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the accident site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to verify your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Phelps County, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to reach out to them later.
  • Write down everything you can. If you did not have time or the ability to take pictures, anything you could observe about the other car or driver will be easier to remember immediately after the accident, and those details will still be very useful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Phelps County, 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 skilled and veteran hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including acquiring nearby surveillance footage and contacting witnesses for complete depositions. We work with a network of Phelps County, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the crash and show 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 track down the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their reckless actions. In those cases, the tenacious and talented Phelps County, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you recover 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 cannot 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 make a claim against your own insurance company. In Phelps County, MO, there are four specifications that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. You sustained the injuries due to an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you cannot 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 Phelps County, 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 any insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best opportunity to receive the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and knowledgeable Phelps County, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been challenging insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not give up the fight 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 deserve. When you are harmed because another driver broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to the best possible recovery for all of damages you have received owing to the accident, for example: 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 family member in Phelps County, MO has been hurt 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 ethical obligation to remain at a crash site. When someone leaves the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they care more about the consequences for themselves than any damage or harm their dangerous behavior caused. There are a wide array reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Phelps County, MO, not having the right 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 Phelps County, 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 discovered without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver otherwise impaired by drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also carry 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 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 paying full attention to 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 repercussions. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to occur between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Phelps County, 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 safety measures as both drivers and pedestrians. Try to avoid walking in poorly lit areas at night, and when you are driving, stay alert at all times and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best decision.

No matter the reason a driver decides to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the pros of running outweighed the cons. The Phelps County, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them accountable and make sure they see they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Phelps County, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying circumstances. We insist on maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not let up until you get the money you are owed to put you on the journey to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Phelps County, 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 Phelps County, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related expenses can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you recover. When you hire our team of Phelps County, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side right away. We insist that the responsible parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you great 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.