Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Trenton, MO

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

When a careless driver willfully breaks the rules of the road and injured you or a family member, it is typical to feel shocked and outraged. It is especially upsetting when the at-fault party will not take responsibility for their behavior and flees 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, seasoned and talented Trenton, 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 for you to maximize your recovery and get you on the path to healing. Call us immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people died in hit and run accidents, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of the fatalities, about 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 takes place every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury caused by an auto crash can be traumatizing and create life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases magnify that trauma as you may not get medical care immediately, and you may not be certain who to trust or how to seek equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of experienced and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped individuals and families harmed in hit and run accidents in the Trenton, MO area get great recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin work on your case immediately, and you do not owe us any payment until we win your claim.

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

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

If a driver drives carelessly and harms 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 motorist causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

• Stay at the scene
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Supply aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Trenton, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Trade contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Stay at the accident site until a police officer tells them differently

Additionally, an accident report has to 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 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 accident becomes fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is comforting that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the money you are owed. They may be found guilty before the Trenton, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like those at Burger Law who will insist that you get the maximum recovery you need to make you whole again. When you hire us, we start working on your case right away and do not give up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to ensure the negligent party bears full responsibility for their harmful actions.

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 at fault party does not respect the law and leaves the scene. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disheartening and alarming when someone disregards those rules and behaves selfishly and irresponsibly. The dedicated and skilled Trenton, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold negligent drivers responsible 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 flee the scene yourself. You may think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may worry that you are partially at fault. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much harder for you to get compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical treatment. The health and safety of everyone there should be your foremost concern. If you or somebody else is injured, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Trenton, MO emergency services to come and provide aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any crash that causes over $500 worth of damages or results in bodily harm or death. Even if you are unsure of the scope of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help a lot in making your case.
• DO NOT go after the driver. When you are hit by another auto 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 Trenton, MO law enforcement’s task. Chasing after the other person not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get valuable information and may even cause the police to not believe you.
• DO safely find out what you are able to about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photos. If you are not badly injured and can get hold of your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many photos as you can. Even if you cannot get complete license plate number, just part of the number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in determining who the driver was. It also helps to take pictures of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the accident site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to corroborate your story. Make sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, police officer or Trenton, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to contact them later.
  • 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 easier to recall immediately after the collision, and those details will still be very helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Trenton, 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 assist in collecting evidence, including getting access to adjacent surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for full statements. We work alongside a network of Trenton, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the accident and show exactly how the negligible party caused your injuries.

Below 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 find the liable driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their irresponsible behavior. In those cases, the determined and knowledgeable Trenton, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you are awarded full 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 cannot track down 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 seek damages from your own insurance company. In Trenton, MO, there are four standards that are required to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You sustained bodily injuries
2. The injuries happened 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 Trenton, MO insurance company acts as a stand in for the negligent party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like any insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best chance at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and expert Trenton, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not back down until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have likely been paying into their policies for a long time.

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 get hurt because another driver broke the rules of the road, you deserve a full recovery for all of damages you have received as a result of the accident, such as: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced ability to enjoy life. No matter how serious your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every nickel you are owed. If you or a someone you care about in Trenton, 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 every driver’s legal and moral duty to stay at an accident site. 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 careless actions caused. There are a lot of reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Trenton, 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 are also never removed from a Trenton, 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, depending on whether you have been discovered 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 getting your license revoked.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It probably is not surprising that people who have already committed a crime would risk breaking the law again to run away from a crash site.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not paying full attention to the road is reckless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, drowsy or are just thinking about something else.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may flee the scene of an accident simply because they think they will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more likely to occur between 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Trenton, 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 once they have calmed down.

While we cannot control what other drivers do behind the wheel, 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, stay alert at all times and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

No matter the reason a driver decides to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the benefits of running were greater than the cons. The Trenton, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them accountable and make sure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Trenton, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying scenarios. We insist on the best possible compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you receive the money you deserve to put you on the journey to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary consultation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Trenton, 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 Trenton, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and anxious. Injuries and their related bills can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you recover. When you hire our team of Trenton, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf at once. We demand the responsible parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you the best possible 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.