Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Sikeston, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Sikeston, MO. How do you hold a driver accountable and receive maximum compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run accident? Call the Sikeston, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin working for you and getting you a full recovery for your Sikeston, MO hit and run accident.

When a dangerous driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and harms you or someone you care about, it is typical to feel appalled and outraged. It is particularly unsettling when the negligent party will not take responsibility for their behavior and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to reimburse you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The committed, experienced and skilled Sikeston, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and purposefully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you understand the situation and will fight by your side to maximize your recovery and get you on the path to recovery. Call us immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people died in hit and run accidents, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of the fatalities, 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 caused by an auto wreck can be traumatizing and create life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases amplify your wounds as you may not find medical attention immediately, and you may not be certain who to trust or how to secure equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of veteran and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Sikeston, MO area get the best possible recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we start work on your case right away, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

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 Sikeston, MO

If a driver drives carelessly and harms you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible 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:

• Stay at the accident site
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Sikeston, 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 they can leave

Additionally, 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 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 turns into 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 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 compensation you deserve. They may be found guilty before the Sikeston, MO criminal court, but you need expert and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law who will fight for you until you get the best possible recovery you need to heal. When you hire us, we get started on your case right away and do not let up. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to make sure the negligent party bears complete responsibility for their harmful 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 unprotected, it can be particularly stressful if the responsible driver disregards the rules and leaves the crash site. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disappointing and alarming when someone breaks those rules and behaves selfishly and dangerously. The committed and talented Sikeston, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers accountable and win you the compensation 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 flee the scene yourself. You might think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be nervous that you are partially responsible. Leaving the scene 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 attention. Your foremost thought 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 harmed, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Sikeston, MO emergency services to come and render 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 physical harm or a fatality. Even if you do not know the scope of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help a lot in winning your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. When you are hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are normal reactions. You may want to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is Sikeston, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at more risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get important information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely learn what you are able to about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can use your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photos as possible. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, a partial license plate and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in finding the driver. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the crash.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the accident site might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to corroborate your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Sikeston, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to contact them at a later date.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take photographs, anything you could observe about the other car or driver will be easier to remember 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 Sikeston, 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 immediately. Our skilled and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including obtaining close by surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for full depositions. We work alongside a network of Sikeston, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the crash and prove exactly how the liable party caused your injuries.

Below 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 discover the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their careless behavior. In those cases, the tenacious and knowledgeable Sikeston, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you receive maximum compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, motorists are required to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to find the aliable 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 Sikeston, MO, there are four standards that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. The injuries occurred 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 Sikeston, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for 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 great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and knowledgeable Sikeston, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been challenging insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not relent until your own insurance company pays you back the money you have likely been paying into their policies for years.

Whether the at fault driver is tracked down or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make sure you get the maximum amount of money that you are entitled to. When you get hurt because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to the best possible compensation for all of damages you have sustained because of the accident, including: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced ability to enjoy life. No matter how severe your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every nickel you are owed. If you or a someone you care about in Sikeston, 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 every driver’s legal and ethical obligation to remain at a crash site. When someone runs away from the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they care more about the consequences for themselves than any damage or injury their negligent actions 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 Sikeston, 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 Sikeston, 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 discovered 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 result in fines, jail time, and revocation of a license.

• 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 giving full attention to the road is reckless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, tired or are just daydreaming.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee an accident site simply because they think they will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more probable between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Sikeston, 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 know what to do. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control how other people drive, 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 assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

Regardless of the reason a driver chooses to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the benefits of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Sikeston, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make sure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Sikeston, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying scenarios. We demand the best possible compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not stop fighting for you until you get the money you are owed to put you on the road to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can start working on your case right away.

The Sikeston, 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 someone you care about sustained injuries in a Sikeston, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related costs can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Sikeston, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side straight away. We demand the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you maximum 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.