Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Warrensburg, MO

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

When a careless driver purposefully breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or someone you care about, it is normal to feel shocked and angry. It is particularly unnerving when the reckless party refuses 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 compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The dedicated, veteran and skilled Warrensburg, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold dangerous and intentionally irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you make sense of the situation and will fight by your side to maximize your recovery and get you on the journey 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 was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of those killed, nearly 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 arising from a car accident can be traumatizing and bring about life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases aggravate your wounds as you may not receive medical treatment immediately, and you may not be certain who to turn to or how to collect equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of accomplished and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people harmed in hit and run accidents in the Warrensburg, 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 we do not collect any payment until we win your case.

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 Warrensburg, MO

If somebody acts 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 driver causes or is involved in an accident, they are required by law to:

• Stay at the accident site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait for instructions from police
• Provide aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Warrensburg, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Remain at the crash site until a police officer tells them they can leave

Additionally, an accident report has to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident leads to 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 type of misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of one year in county 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 was previously found guilty of leaving the scene of a hit and run accident.

A hit and run becomes a Class D Felony if the accident 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 reckless driver will not get you the recovery you deserve. They may be found culpable before the Warrensburg, MO criminal court, but you need expert and devoted hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will insist that you get the full recovery you need to make you whole again. When you hire us, we start working on your case right 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 certain the negligent party accepts complete responsibility for their thoughtless behavior.

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

While being in any accident is terrifying and can leave you feeling helpless, it can be particularly stressful if the responsible driver disregards the rules of the road and flees the scene. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is discouraging and startling when someone breaks those rules and behaves carelessly and irresponsibly. The dedicated and accomplished Warrensburg, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish drivers accountable 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 scene yourself. You could think the damages are too minor to want to deal with the hassle, or you may worry that you are in some measure responsible. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much more complicated for you to get compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. Your first thought 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 injured, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Warrensburg, MO emergency services to get there and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or leads to physical harm or a fatality. Even if you are unsure of the extent of the damages or injuries are right away, having a police report will help immeasurably in winning your case.
• DO NOT pursue the driver. When you are hit by another vehicle in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are normal reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who is responsible. That is Warrensburg, MO law enforcement’s task. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at more risk, but it will hamper 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 irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take photos. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can use your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many photographs as you can. Even if you cannot get a full license plate number, just part of the number and/or the make, model and color of the car will be a great help in finding the driver. It also helps to take photos of any tire marks or other damage to the area of the crash.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people in the area might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to confirm your story. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Warrensburg, MO hit and run accident lawyer will be able to reach out to them at a later date.
  • Write down everything you can. If you did not have time or the ability to take photos, anything you noticed about the other car or driver will be easier to recall immediately following the crash, and those details will still be incredibly useful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Warrensburg, 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 skilled and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including obtaining nearby surveillance video and reaching out to witnesses for full statements. We work with a network of Warrensburg, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the scene and prove exactly how the liable party caused your injuries.

Below 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 find the liable driver that caused your injuries and hold them responsible for their thoughtless actions. In those cases, the determined and skilled Warrensburg, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you get 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 cannot locate the aliable 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 pursue compensation from your own insurance company. In Warrensburg, MO, there are four specifications that are required to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You sustained physical injuries
2. The injuries happened as a result of 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 Warrensburg, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the responsible party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like many insurance companies, they may still need convincing before they pay you. To have the best odds at receiving maximum compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need accomplished and talented Warrensburg, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight for you. We have been resisting insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, and will not relent until your own insurance company pays you back 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 make certain you get the maximum amount of compensation that you are owed. When you are harmed because another driver did not respect the rules of the road, you are entitled to the best possible recovery for all of damages you have sustained because of the accident, such as: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how grave your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every nickel you are owed. If you or a family member in Warrensburg, 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 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 consequences for themselves than any damage or harm their dangerous actions caused. There are a wide array reasons the at-fault party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Warrensburg, MO, not having appropriate 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 Warrensburg, 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 caught 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 likely is not 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 giving full attention to the road is thoughtless 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 a crash site simply because they think they will not be caught. Hit and run accidents are 4.5 times more probable between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Warrensburg, 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. often, these drivers turn themselves in after they have calmed down.

While we cannot control how other people drive, 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 behind the wheel, never get distracted and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best decision.

Whatever the reason a driver decides to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have thought that the pros of fleeing outweighed the cons. The Warrensburg, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and ensure they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Warrensburg, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing situations. We insist on full 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 road to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

The Warrensburg, 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 sustained injuries in a Warrensburg, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related bills can disrupt your life. Burger Law is here to help you recover. When you hire our team of Warrensburg, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting by your side at once. We demand the at-fault parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you great 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.