Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Sedalia, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Sedalia, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and recover great compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run crash? Call the Sedalia, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin fighting for you and securing for you a great recovery for your Sedalia, MO hit and run accident.

When a thoughtless driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and harms you or someone you care about, it is common to feel shocked and indignant. It is particularly upsetting when the liable party refuses to take responsibility for their actions and drives away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The dedicated, accomplished and skilled Sedalia, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold careless and purposefully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your compensation and get you on the path to healing. Call us today 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 was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those who died, almost 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths happen in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury arising from an auto crash 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 immediately, and you may not know who to turn to or how to seek fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of veteran and talented hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those hurt in hit and run accidents in the Sedalia, MO area get full recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you call us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case right away, and you do not owe us any payment until we win your suit.

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

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

If someone else acts irresponsibly 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, driving away from 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 accident site
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Help anyone who is hurt
• Call the Sedalia, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Remain 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 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 misdemeanor offense 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 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the accident becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the money you are entitled to. They may be found guilty in front of the Sedalia, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and dedicated 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 right away 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 make certain the at-fault party bears complete responsibility for their thoughtless behavior.

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

While being in any crash is scary and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be especially nerve wracking if the negligent individual does not respect the law and leaves the scene. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is discouraging and startling when someone does not respect those rules and acts carelessly and irresponsibly. The dedicated and accomplished Sedalia, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers responsible and get you the money 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 scene yourself. You could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the inconvenience, or you may be anxious that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much more complicated for you to collect compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. Your foremost worry should be your health and safety and the health and safety of everybody else in your car or involved in the accident. If you or somebody else is injured, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Sedalia, MO emergency services to come and provide aid.
• DO NOT wait to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any accident that leads to over $500 worth of damages or causes bodily injury or death. Even if you are not sure what the degree of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help a lot in winning your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. After being hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are normal reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Sedalia, MO law enforcement’s job. Chasing after the other driver not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at more risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get important information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely note what you can about the reckless driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can use your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many pictures as possible. Even if you cannot get an entire license plate number, a partial license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in discovering who the driver was. It is also useful to take pictures of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the accident.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the accident site might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to verify your story. Make sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Sedalia, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to reach out to them later.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take pictures, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be easier to remember immediately following the crash, and those details will still be of great help to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Sedalia, 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 talented and veteran hit and run accident attorneys will help you gather evidence, including obtaining close by surveillance footage and getting in touch with witnesses for complete depositions. We work with a network of Sedalia, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the accident and demonstrate exactly how the negligible 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 liable driver that caused your injuries and hold them responsible for their careless driving. In those cases, the tenacious and knowledgeable Sedalia, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you win maximum compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers need to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you cannot track down 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 Sedalia, MO, there are four criteria that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. You received the injuries 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 Sedalia, MO insurance company takes the place of the responsible 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 opportunity to receive the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and talented Sedalia, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not back down until your own insurance company pays you back the money you have certainly 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 ensure you get the full compensation that you are entitled to. When you sustain injuries because another driver disregarded the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have sustained as a result of the accident, such as: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how serious your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for all the money you are entitled to. If you or a loved one in Sedalia, 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 any driver’s legal and social responsibility to remain at the scene of a crash. 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 harm their reckless actions 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 Sedalia, MO, not having proper 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 Sedalia, 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, based 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 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 flee the scene of an accident.

• 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, drowsy or just have their head in the clouds.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee a crash site simply because they think they can do so without any consequences. 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 Sedalia, 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 want to get in trouble. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in after 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, never lose focus and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best decision.

Regardless of the reason a driver chooses to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the benefits of fleeing outweighed the cons. The Sedalia, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them accountable and make certain they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Sedalia, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different scenarios. We demand full compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you are awarded the money you deserve to put you on the road to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Sedalia, 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 family member sustained injuries in a Sedalia, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related costs can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Sedalia, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf at once. We insist that the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you recover full compensation to help you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case evaluation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.