Hit and Run Accident Attorneys St. Charles, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in St. Charles, MO. How do you hold a driver to blame and collect maximum compensation for your damages when you have been injured in a hit and run accident? Call the St. Charles, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law right away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can start working for you and getting you a great recovery for your St. Charles, MO hit and run accident.

When a careless driver knowingly breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a loved one, it is common to feel dismayed and outraged. It is particularly upsetting when the at-fault party will not take responsibility for their negligent driving and runs away from the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be pondering who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The devoted, accomplished and skilled St. Charles, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight for you to maximize your recovery and put you on the journey to recovery. Call us right away 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 is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those who died, almost 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately one in five pedestrian deaths transpire in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury arising from a car accident can be traumatizing and create life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify that trauma as you may not receive medical attention right away, and you may not be certain who to trust or how to seek just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of veteran and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the St. Charles, MO area get great recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case at once, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your suit.

If you have been harmed in a hit and run accident, take a loot at our personal injury calculator to see how much you may be able to be awarded in compensation.

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys: Understanding the Laws in St. Charles, MO

If somebody drives recklessly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only culpable for your injuries, they are guilty of a criminal act. In Missouri, fleeing 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:

• Remain at the scene
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Help anyone who is hurt
• Call the St. Charles, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with other people involved
• Stay at the scene until a police officer tells them they can leave

Furthermore, an accident report must 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 a local 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 has previously left the scene of a hit and run accident.

A hit and run turns into a Class D Felony if the crash is fatal and leads to somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws deterring hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the negligent driver will not get you the money you are entitled to. They may be found culpable in front of the St. Charles, MO criminal court, but you need talented and committed hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will demand that you get the best possible recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we get started on your case straight 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 sure the at-fault party accepts complete responsibility for their careless 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 vulnerable, it can be particularly worrisome if the at fault party breaks the rules of the road and flees the scene. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disappointing and frightening when someone does not respect those rules and behaves selfishly and irresponsibly. The dedicated and knowledgeable St. Charles, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers accountable 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 hassle, or you may be afraid that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much harder for you to recover 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 principal worry. If you or somebody else is hurt, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for St. Charles, MO emergency services to get there and render aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any crash that causes over $500 worth of damages or results in bodily injury or death. Even if you do not know the degree of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help a lot in winning your case.
• DO NOT pursue the driver. After being hit by another auto in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are normal reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is St. Charles, MO law enforcement’s job. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at further risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get necessary information and may even cause the police to not believe you.
• DO safely discern what you are able to about the irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you are not seriously injured and can use your phone before the car disappears from view, take as many photographs 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 determining who the driver was. It also helps to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the area of the crash.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the scene may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to validate your story. Make sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or St. Charles, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to get in touch with them at a later date.
  • Write down everything you can. If you did not have time or the ability to take pictures, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be fresher in your memory 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 St. Charles, 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 talented and expert hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including obtaining adjacent surveillance video and contacting witnesses for complete statements. We work alongside a network of St. Charles, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident and demonstrate exactly how the at-fault 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 negligent driver that caused your injuries and hold them accountable for their reckless driving. In those cases, the tenacious and talented St. Charles, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you recover maximum 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 cannot track down 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 compensation from your own insurance company. In St. Charles, MO, there are four standards that need to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. You incurred the injuries 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 St. Charles, MO insurance company takes the place of the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like many 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 knowledgeable St. Charles, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been pushing back against insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not relent until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have certainly been paying into their policies for a long time.

Whether the at fault driver is located 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 are harmed because another driver broke the rules of the road, you deserve a full recovery for all of damages you have received owing to the accident, such as: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life. No matter how serious your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every dime you deserve. If you or a someone you care about in St. Charles, 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 social obligation to stay at a crash site. When someone drives 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 careless behavior 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 St. Charles, MO, not having proper 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 St. Charles, 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 caught 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 lead to 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 already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to run away from the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on 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 the scene of an accident 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 St. Charles, 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. Occasionally, these drivers turn themselves in once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do on the road, 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 presume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

No matter the reason a driver decides to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the pros of running outweighed the cons. The St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing scenarios. We insist on full compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not let up until you collect the money you are owed to put you on the path to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free consultation and so we can start working on your case right away.

The St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related expenses can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of St. Charles, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf straight away. We insist that the responsible parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you collect the best possible compensation to aid you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a complimentary case review to take the first step in getting your life back on track.