Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Riverside, MO

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

When a reckless driver consciously breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or someone you care about, it is common to feel shocked and angry. It is especially perturbing when the negligent party refuses to take responsibility for their behavior and drives away from 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, experienced and knowledgeable Riverside, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and purposefully 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 road to healing. Call us immediately 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, 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 occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from a car wreck can be traumatizing and bring about life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify that trauma as you may not find medical care at once, and you may not know who to trust or how to pursue fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of experienced and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those hurt in hit and run accidents in the Riverside, MO area get full recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case straight away, and we do not collect any payment until we win your claim.

If you have been hurt in a hit and run accident, take a loot at 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 Riverside, MO

If a motorist drives recklessly and hurts you in a hit and run accident, they are not only culpable 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 requires them to:

• Stay at the scene
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until instructed by police
• Render aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Riverside, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with everybody involved
• Remain at the crash site until a police officer tells them they can leave

Additionally, an accident report must be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident results in injury or death.

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 county jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene turns into a Class E Felony if any of the following 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 discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the recovery you deserve. They may be found guilty before the Riverside, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will fight by your side until you get the best possible recovery you need to make you whole again. When you hire us, we get started on your case at once and do not let up. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to ensure the at-fault party bears complete responsibility for their careless actions.

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

While being in any crash is terrifying and can leave you feeling helpless, it can be especially nerve wracking if the responsible individual breaks the rules of the road and leaves the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disheartening and frightening when someone disregards those rules and acts thoughtlessly and irresponsibly. The dedicated and talented Riverside, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers responsible and recover for you the compensation you are entitled to. 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 flee the accident site yourself. You might think the damages are too small to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be afraid that you are partially responsible. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more difficult for you to recover compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. The health and safety of everyone involved should be your primary concern. If you or somebody else is injured, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Riverside, MO emergency services to arrive and provide aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any accident that causes over $500 worth of damages or leads to physical harm or a fatality. Even if you are not certain what the extent of the damages or injuries are immediately, having a police report will help immeasurably in winning your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. When you are hit by another auto in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Riverside, MO law enforcement’s task. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened 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 can about the irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you are not seriously injured and can get hold of your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many photos as you are able to. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, a partial number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly helpful in discovering who the driver was. It also helps to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the area of the accident.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people in the area may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to confirm your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Riverside, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to contact them later.
  • Write down everything you can. If you did not have time or the ability to take pictures, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be easier to recall immediately following the crash, and those details will still be very helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Riverside, 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 immediately. Our skilled and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including getting access to nearby surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for complete statements. We work alongside a network of Riverside, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the accident 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 categories 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 liable driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their careless driving. In those cases, the indefatigable and talented Riverside, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you receive the best possible compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers must have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to 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 Riverside, MO, there are four specifications that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. You sustained the injuries as a result of 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 Riverside, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for the liable party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like other 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 savvy Riverside, 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 decades, and will not give in until your own insurance company pays you back the money you have likely been paying into their policies for a long time.

Whether the at fault driver is identified 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 get injured because somebody else disregarded the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have experienced as a result of the accident, including: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how severe your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every dollar you are entitled to. If you or a loved one in Riverside, 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 ethical obligation to remain at an accident site. When someone drives away from the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they care more about the repercussions for themselves than any damage or injury their thoughtless behavior caused. There are many reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Riverside, MO, not having proper 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 are also never removed from a Riverside, 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, based on whether you have been pulled over without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver that was under the influence of drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also result in 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 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 careless 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 leave a crash site simply because they think they will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more frequent between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Riverside, 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. 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 areas with bad lighting 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 chooses to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the benefits of running were greater than the cons. The Riverside, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make certain they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Riverside, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying circumstances. We insist on full compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you get the money you are owed to put you on the road to being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Riverside, 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 Riverside, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and anxious. Injuries and their related expenses can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Riverside, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side straight away. We demand the responsible parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you are awarded great compensation to help 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.