Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Smithville, MO

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

When a dangerous driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a family member, it is common to feel appalled and outraged. It is particularly distressing when the at-fault party declines to take responsibility for their behavior and leaves the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The dedicated, accomplished and talented Smithville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and purposefully irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your recovery and get you on the road to recovery. Call us immediately 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, about 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 resulting from an auto wreck can be traumatizing and produce life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases compound your wounds as you may not get medical care immediately, and you may not know who to trust or how to collect just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of seasoned and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those harmed in hit and run accidents in the Smithville, MO area get great recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case straight away, and we do not collect any payment until we win your claim.

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

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

If someone else drives negligently and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only culpable for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, leaving 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 accident site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for directions from police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Smithville, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in bad weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with other people involved
• Remain at the scene until a police officer tells them they can leave

Additionally, an accident report must 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 county jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene becomes 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 becomes a Class D Felony if the crash becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the at-fault driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found guilty in the Smithville, MO criminal court, but you need talented and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will demand that you get the full recovery you need to recover. 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 represent you aggressively to make sure the negligent party bears full 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 helpless, it can be particularly worrisome if the at fault driver does not respect the rules of the road and flees the accident site. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is disheartening and frightening when someone breaks those rules and acts thoughtlessly and recklessly. The devoted and knowledgeable Smithville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold negligent drivers accountable and get 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 scene yourself. You may think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the inconvenience, or you may worry that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more complicated for you to receive compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everybody involved should be your foremost concern. If you or somebody else is hurt, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Smithville, 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 crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or results in physical injury or a fatality. Even if you are unsure of the scope of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help a lot 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 natural reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is Smithville, MO law enforcement’s obligation. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened 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 reckless driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you are not badly injured and can use your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many photos as possible. Even if you cannot get an entire license plate number, a partial number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be incredibly useful in discovering who the driver was. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the crash site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to validate your version of events. Make sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Smithville, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to reach out to them at a later date.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take photographs, any knowledge you have of the other car or driver will be easier to remember immediately after the crash, and those details will still be of great help to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Smithville, 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 savvy and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including getting access to adjacent surveillance footage and reaching out to witnesses for complete statements. We work alongside a network of Smithville, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the accident and show exactly how the negligible party caused your injuries.

Listed here are some helpful links and frequently asked questions for hit and runs and other types 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 injuries and hold them responsible for their reckless driving. In those cases, the aggressive and knowledgeable Smithville, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you are awarded 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 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 Smithville, MO, there are four standards that need to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You sustained bodily injuries
2. You sustained the injuries as a result 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 Smithville, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like many insurance companies, they may still have to be persuaded to pay. To have the best chance at receiving the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and knowledgeable Smithville, 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 over 20 years, and will not give up the fight until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have likely been paying into their policies for years.

Whether the at fault driver is found 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 are injured because another driver broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have received owing to the accident, including: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how grave your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every penny you are owed. If you or a loved one in Smithville, 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 moral responsibility to remain at an accident site. When someone drives away from the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more worried about the repercussions for themselves than any damage or harm their dangerous actions caused. There are a variety of reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Smithville, MO, not having appropriate 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 Smithville, 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, depending 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 likely is not surprising that people who have already committed a crime would risk breaking the law again to flee a crash site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not paying full attention to the road is careless 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 leave the scene of an accident simply because they think they can do so without any consequences. 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 Smithville, 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. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in after they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do on the road, 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, never lose focus and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

Whatever the reason a driver decides to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the pros of fleeing outweighed the cons. The Smithville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make certain they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Smithville, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing scenarios. We demand the best possible compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you receive the money you deserve to put you on the journey 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 Smithville, 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 loved one experienced injuries in a Smithville, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related bills can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help make you whole again. When you hire our team of Smithville, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side immediately. We insist that the liable parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you full 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.