Hit and Run Accident Attorneys St. Peters, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in St. Peters, MO. How do you hold a driver accountable and receive the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been harmed in a hit and run accident? Call the St. Peters, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law right away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can start fighting for you and winning you a full recovery for your St. Peters, MO hit and run accident.

When a reckless driver knowingly breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a family member, it is normal to feel dismayed and indignant. It is especially perturbing when the at-fault party declines to take responsibility for their reckless driving and leaves the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be puzzled about who is going to reimburse you for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The devoted, seasoned and knowledgeable St. Peters, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your compensation and get you on the road to healing. Call us now 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 accidents, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those killed, just about 65 percent of them were pedestrians or bicyclists, and approximately 20 percent of pedestrian deaths take place in hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident transpires every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury caused by a car crash can be traumatizing and bring about life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify that trauma as you may not get medical treatment right away, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to collect fair compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of experienced and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people harmed in hit and run accidents in the St. Peters, MO area get the best possible recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case right away, and you do not owe us any payment until we win your case.

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 collect in compensation.

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

If a driver acts irresponsibly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible for your injuries, they are a lawbreaker. In Missouri, fleeing the scene of an accident is a crime. When a motorist causes or is involved in an accident, the law requires them to:

• Stay at the crash site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until instructed by police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the St. Peters, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Trade 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 results in injury or a fatality.

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 a local jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene turns into 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the crash is fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the negligent driver will not get you the money you deserve. They may be found responsible in front of the St. Peters, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and committed hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will fight on your behalf until you get the maximum recovery you need to make you whole again. When you hire us, we start working on your case at once and do not let up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to make certain the negligent party bears complete responsibility for their thoughtless actions.

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

While being in any crash is frightening and can leave you feeling unprotected, it can be especially nerve wracking if the at fault driver breaks the law and flees the accident site. The rules exist for a reason, and it is discouraging and alarming when someone breaks those rules and behaves carelessly and recklessly. The committed and skilled St. Peters, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold careless drivers responsible and win 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 flee the crash site yourself. You might 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 recover compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everyone involved should be your foremost worry. If you or somebody else is injured, do your best to keep them in a stable condition and wait for St. Peters, MO emergency services to arrive and provide aid.
• DO NOT hesitate 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 bodily harm or death. Even if you do not know the extent of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will go a long way in making your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. When you are hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is St. Peters, 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 valuable 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 this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can get hold of your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many pictures as you can. 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 a great help in determining who the driver was. It is also useful to take photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the crash site.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the accident site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to verify your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or St. Peters, MO hit and run accident lawyer 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 photos, 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 very helpful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your St. Peters, MO insurance company. In the event that the driver cannot be located, you will need to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT right away. Our skilled and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will assist in collecting evidence, including obtaining adjacent surveillance footage and contacting witnesses for complete statements. We work alongside a network of St. Peters, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the accident and show exactly how the at-fault 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 find the at-fault driver that caused your injuries and hold them accountable for their reckless behavior. In those cases, the indefatigable and talented St. Peters, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you collect 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 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 St. Peters, MO, there are four specifications that are required to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received 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 St. Peters, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the negligent 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 odds at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and savvy St. Peters, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been challenging insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not back down until your own insurance company reimburses you for 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 make certain you get the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to. When you are injured because another driver did not respect the rules of the road, you deserve a full compensation for all of damages you have sustained because of the accident, such as: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced ability to enjoy life. No matter how grave your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for all the money you are owed. If you or a family member in St. Peters, 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 moral duty to stay at the scene of an accident. When someone leaves 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 irresponsible actions caused. There are many reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In St. Peters, 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. Peters, 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 otherwise under the influence of drugs

  A DWI is a criminal charge that can also carry 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 leave an accident site.

• 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, dozing off or are just daydreaming.

• 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 happen between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the St. Peters, 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. often, 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 driving, never get distracted and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best decision.

Whatever the reason a driver opts to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the pros of running were greater than the cons. The St. Peters, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make sure they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in St. Peters, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing circumstances. We demand full 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 path to recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case review and so we can start working on your case right away.

The St. Peters, 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 a family member sustained injuries in a St. Peters, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, outraged, and overwhelmed. Injuries and their related expenses can uproot your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of St. Peters, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting for you right away. We demand the negligent parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you get the best possible compensation to help you in your recovery. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation to take the first step in getting your life back on track.