Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Versailles, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Versailles, MO. How do you hold a driver responsible and get the best possible compensation for your damages when you have been injured in a hit and run crash? Call the Versailles, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law straight 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 Versailles, MO hit and run accident.

When a reckless driver purposefully breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a loved one, it is typical to feel shocked and angry. It is particularly unnerving when the negligent party will not take responsibility for their negligent driving and flees the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be asking yourself who is going to pay for the damages to your property and you or your family member's injuries. The dedicated, accomplished and skilled Versailles, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and intentionally irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight on your behalf to maximize your compensation and get you on the path to recovery. Call us today 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 is 62 percent more than 2009. Of the fatalities, almost 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 happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury stemming from an auto crash can be traumatizing and bring about life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify that trauma as you may not get medical care immediately, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to pursue equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our team of veteran and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people hurt in hit and run accidents in the Versailles, MO area get the best possible recoveries and know 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 fees until we win your suit.

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

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

If somebody behaves carelessly and injures you in a hit and run accident, they are not only to blame for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, fleeing the scene of an accident is a crime. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

• Stay at the accident site
• Move their car if it dangerous to other drivers, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Help anyone who is hurt
• Call the Versailles, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in bad weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with everybody involved
• Remain at the scene until a police officer tells them differently

Furthermore, an accident report has to 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 county jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene becomes a Class E Felony if any of the following 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 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 crash is fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the reckless driver will not get you the compensation you are owed. They may be found responsible in the Versailles, MO criminal court, but you need accomplished and committed hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will insist that you get the full recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we start working on your case straight away and do not give up. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to make sure the at-fault party bears full responsibility for their harmful actions.

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

While being in any accident is frightening and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be especially stressful if the negligent driver does not respect the law and leaves the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is discouraging and startling when someone does not respect those rules and acts thoughtlessly and irresponsibly. The devoted and knowledgeable Versailles, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers responsible and get 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 accident site yourself. You could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the hassle, or you may worry that you are partly responsible. Leaving the location of an accident 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 treatment. Your chief worry 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 hurt, try to keep them in a stable condition and wait for Versailles, MO emergency services to come 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 injury or a fatality. Even if you are not sure what the scope of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will go a long way in making 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 caused your accident. That is Versailles, MO law enforcement’s obligation. Chasing after the other driver not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at further risk, but it will impede you from being able to get important information and may even cause the police to suspect you.
• DO safely find out what you are able to about the reckless driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can take out your phone before the car disappears from view, take as many photographs as you can. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, just part of the license plate 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 pictures of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people in the area might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to validate your story. Be sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Versailles, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to reach out to them later.
  • Write it all down. If you did not have time or the ability to take pictures, 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 incredibly helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Versailles, MO insurance company. If the driver is never located, you will have to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.
• DO call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT straight away. Our skilled and veteran hit and run accident attorneys will help you gather evidence, including acquiring nearby surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for complete statements. We work alongside a network of Versailles, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the crash 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

In the best case scenarios, police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to track down the at-fault driver that caused your injuries and hold them accountable for their thoughtless behavior. In those cases, the determined and expert Versailles, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you are awarded the best possible compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, motorists must have uninsured motorist insurance. If you are unable to find the aat-fault 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 Versailles, MO, there are four standards that must be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained bodily injuries
2. You incurred the injuries as a result of an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you cannot 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 Versailles, 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 great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need veteran and savvy Versailles, MO hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law to fight for you. We have been standing up to insurance companies and other bullies for decades, and will not back down until your own insurance company pays you back the money you have certainly 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 maximum amount of compensation that you are owed. When you are harmed because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have received 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 severe your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every nickel you deserve. If you or a family member in Versailles, 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 duty to remain at the scene of a crash. When someone flees the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more worried about the consequences for themselves than any damage or injury their reckless 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 Versailles, 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 are also never removed from a Versailles, 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, based on whether you have been discovered without a valid license before.

• A drunk driver or a driver that was impaired by 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 might not be surprising that people who already fear an interaction with law enforcement would risk breaking the law again to flee the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not paying full attention to the road is thoughtless 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 leave the scene of an accident simply because they think they will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more frequent between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Versailles, 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 after 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 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 decision.

Whatever the reason a driver decides to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presupposed the benefits of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Versailles, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make sure they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Versailles, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many different situations. We insist on maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not stop fighting for you until you are awarded the money you deserve to put you on the path to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case evaluation and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Versailles, 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 family member experienced injuries in a Versailles, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and anxious. Injuries and their related expenses can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Versailles, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side immediately. We insist that the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we demand that you receive the best possible compensation to help 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.