Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Waynesville, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Waynesville, 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 crash? Call the Waynesville, MO hit and run accident attorneys of Burger Law immediately at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online so that we can begin fighting for you and winning you a great recovery for your Waynesville, MO hit and run accident.

When a thoughtless driver purposefully breaks the rules of the road and harms you or a family member, it is typical to feel appalled and furious. It is particularly upsetting when the liable party will not take responsibility for their actions and leaves the scene of the in a hit and run accident. You may be wondering who is going to compensate you for the damages to your property and you or your loved one’s injuries. The dedicated, accomplished and skilled Waynesville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold thoughtless and intentionally irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend the situation and will fight by your side to maximize your recovery and get you on the path to healing. 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 died in hit and run crashes, which was a 62 percent increase from 2009. Of the fatalities, nearly 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 arising from an auto accident can be traumatizing and bring about life-long repercussions or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases exacerbate that trauma as you may not get medical attention right away, and you may not know who to turn to or how to pursue equitable compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of experienced and skilled hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people injured in hit and run accidents in the Waynesville, MO area get full recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we start working on your case straight away, and we do not charge any fees until we win your case.

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 get in compensation.

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

If somebody drives recklessly and hurts you in a hit and run accident, they are not only to blame for your injuries, they are guilty of a criminal act. In Missouri, driving away from 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 crash site
• Move their car if it dangerous to other drivers, otherwise, wait for directions from police
• Provide aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Waynesville, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in bad weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with anybody involved
• Stay at the scene until a police officer tells them they can leave

Additionally, an accident report has to be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident causes 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 a local jail and a fine of $2,000. However, leaving the scene becomes 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 turns into a Class D Felony if the accident becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws against hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the negligent driver will not get you the recovery you are owed. They may be found responsible in the Waynesville, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will fight for you until you get the maximum recovery you need to make you whole again. When you hire us, we get started on your case right away and do not give up. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to ensure the at-fault party bears complete responsibility for their reckless behavior.

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 particularly nerve wracking if the negligent person does not respect the law and leaves the accident site. The rules were enacted for a reason, and it is discouraging and startling when someone disregards those rules and drives carelessly and recklessly. The committed and skilled Waynesville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold reckless drivers responsible and get you the money 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 leave the scene yourself. You might think the damages are too insignificant to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be afraid that you are in some measure responsible. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much more complicated for you to be awarded compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical care. Your first worry should be your health and safety and the health and safety of anyone 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 Waynesville, MO emergency services to arrive and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law requires you to call the police in any crash that results in over $500 worth of damages or causes bodily injury or death. Even if you are not certain what the degree of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will help immeasurably in winning your case.
• DO NOT follow the driver. After being hit by another driver in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who they are. That is Waynesville, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Chasing after the other driver not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at heightened risk, but it will hamper you from being able to get important information and may even cause the police to not believe you.
• DO safely learn what you can about the irresponsible driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photographs. If you did not sustain a serious injury and can use your phone before the car disappears from view, take as many pictures 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 is also useful to take photos of any tire marks or other damage at the scene of the crash.
  • Talk to witnesses. Other people at the accident site may have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to corroborate your story. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, law enforcement officer or Waynesville, 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 photographs, anything you could observe about the other car or driver will be fresher in your memory immediately following the crash, and those details will still be incredibly helpful to law enforcement and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Waynesville, 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 knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys will assist in gathering evidence, including getting access to close by surveillance footage and getting in touch with witnesses for full statements. We work alongside a network of Waynesville, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the scene and prove exactly how the liable 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

The ideal scenario is that police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to locate the at-fault driver that caused your damages and hold them accountable for their reckless actions. In those cases, the determined and expert Waynesville, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make certain you are awarded 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 are unable to 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 make a claim against your own insurance company. In Waynesville, MO, there are four criteria that are required to be met so that you can make this claim:

1. You received bodily injuries
2. You received the injuries because 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 Waynesville, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your damages. However, like many insurance companies, they may still have to be persuaded to pay. To have the best chance at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and savvy Waynesville, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight on your behalf. We have been resisting 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 years.

Whether the at fault driver is located or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make sure you get the full compensation that you deserve. When you sustain injuries because another driver disregarded the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of damages you have received as a result of 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 severe your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every nickel you are entitled to. If you or a someone you care about in Waynesville, 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 obligation to remain at the scene of an accident. When someone leaves the scene of a hit and run accident, it is because they are more worried about the repercussions for themselves than any damage or injury their careless behavior caused. There are many reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Waynesville, MO, not having proper insurance can lead to having 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 Waynesville, 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 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 carry fines, jail time, and revocation of a license.

• The driver may have a warrant out for their arrest

  It probably 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 paying full attention to the road is thoughtless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, tired 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 will not be caught. 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 Waynesville, 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 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, never lose focus and never take for granted that leaving the scene of an accident is the best option.

No matter the reason a driver chooses to flee the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the pros of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Waynesville, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them accountable and make certain they know they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Waynesville, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying scenarios. We demand full compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not give up until you collect the money you are owed to put you on the road to healing. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary case review and so we can get started on your case right away.

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