Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Platte City, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Platte City, MO. How do you hold a driver accountable and recover the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run accident? Call the Platte City, 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 winning you a full recovery for your Platte City, MO hit and run accident.

When a thoughtless driver consciously breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a loved one, it is typical to feel dismayed and outraged. It is especially distressing when the negligent party will not take responsibility for their actions and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be asking yourself who is going to reimburse you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The devoted, accomplished and skilled Platte City, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold careless and intentionally irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your recovery and get you on the path to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people died in hit and run accidents, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those killed, about 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 occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from a car accident can be traumatizing and cause life-long changes or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases magnify that trauma as you may not receive medical attention at once, and you may not know who to trust or how to seek 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 Platte City, MO area get great recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case right away, and we do not collect 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 your damages may be worth.

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

If a motorist drives negligently and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, driving away from the scene of an accident is a crime. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, the law dictates that they must:

• Remain at the scene
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until instructed by police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Platte City, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Stay at the scene until a police officer tells them differently

Furthermore, an accident report has to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident causes injury or a fatality.

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 a local 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 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 comforting that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the irresponsible driver will not get you the money you are entitled to. They may be found responsible before the Platte City, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like the ones 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 immediately and work tenaciously until we win. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to ensure the negligent party bears full responsibility for their reckless behavior.

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

While being in any accident is scary and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be particularly stressful if the at fault individual breaks the rules and leaves the scene. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disappointing and frightening when someone breaks those rules and acts carelessly and recklessly. The devoted and accomplished Platte City, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold negligent drivers accountable and win 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 might think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be nervous that you are in some measure responsible. Leaving the location of an accident will make it much harder for you to get compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everyone present should be your number-one worry. If you or somebody else is injured, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Platte City, MO emergency services to get there and give aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any accident that causes over $500 worth of damages or leads to bodily injury or death. Even if you do not know the degree of the damages or injuries are right away, 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 normal reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Platte City, MO law enforcement’s job. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will impede you from being able to get necessary information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely note what you can about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can take out your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many pictures as possible. Even if you cannot get a full 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 discovering who the driver was. It also helps to take photos of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the crash site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to confirm your story. Be sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Platte City, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to reach out to them at a later date.
  • 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 remember immediately after the accident, and those details will still be incredibly useful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Platte City, MO insurance company. If the driver is never located, you will need to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT at once. Our savvy and accomplished hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including getting access to close by surveillance footage and contacting witnesses for complete depositions. We work alongside a network of Platte City, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the crash and prove exactly how the liable 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 track down the at-fault driver that caused your injuries and hold them accountable for their careless behavior. In those cases, the aggressive and skilled Platte City, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you receive maximum 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 locate the aliable 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 pursue a recovery from your own insurance company. In Platte City, MO, there are four criteria that are required to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You sustained bodily injuries
2. You sustained the injuries because 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 Platte City, MO insurance company takes the place of the responsible party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like any insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best chance at receiving full compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need accomplished and knowledgeable Platte City, MO hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not back down 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 identified or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make sure you get the full recovery that you are entitled to. When you get hurt because another driver broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have sustained owing to the accident, including: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how grave your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every dollar you are owed. If you or a family member in Platte City, 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 duty to remain at the scene of an accident. When someone flees 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 reckless behavior caused. There are a wide array reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Platte City, MO, not having adequate 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 also remain on a Platte City, MO driver’s record.

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

  This also carries stiff penalties and can be either a Class A misdemeanor or a Class E felony, based 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 lead to fines, jail time, and getting 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 flee the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is careless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, fatigued or are just daydreaming.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may leave an accident site simply because they think they can do so without any repercussions. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to occur between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Platte City, 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 know what to do. Occasionally, 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 behind the wheel, stay alert at all times and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

Whatever the reason a driver chooses to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the pros of running were greater than the cons. The Platte City, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make certain they see they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Platte City, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying situations. We demand full compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not let up until you get the money you deserve to put you on the path to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case evaluation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Platte City, 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 someone you care about sustained injuries in a Platte City, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and anxious. Injuries and their related expenses can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Platte City, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf straight away. We insist that the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you recover full compensation to aid you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.