Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Wildwood, MO

Hit and Run Accident Attorneys in Wildwood, MO. How do you hold a driver accountable and receive great compensation for your damages when you have been hurt in a hit and run crash? Call the Wildwood, 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 winning you a full recovery for your Wildwood, MO hit and run accident.

When a negligent driver knowingly breaks the rules of the road and hurts you or a family member, it is typical to feel dismayed and furious. It is particularly upsetting when the reckless party refuses to take responsibility for their behavior and drives away from 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 loved one’s injuries. The dedicated, experienced and skilled Wildwood, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and intentionally irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you grasp the situation and will fight by your side to maximize your compensation and put you on the journey to healing. Call us today 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 crashes, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of those killed, nearly 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 happens every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury resulting 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 amplify your wounds as you may not receive medical attention at once, and you may be unsure of who to turn to or how to pursue just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of experienced and adept hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped people injured in hit and run accidents in the Wildwood, MO area get maximum recoveries and understand how to maximize your compensation. When you reach out to us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin work on your case at once, and we do not charge any fees 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 be awarded in compensation.

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

If a motorist drives irresponsibly and harms 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, leaving the scene of an accident is a crime. When a driver causes or is involved in an accident, the law dictates that they must:

• Stay at the accident site
• Move their car if it may cause other drivers to crash, otherwise, wait until directed by police
• Render aid to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Wildwood, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in inclement weather
• Exchange contact info and insurance information with everybody involved
• Remain at the scene until a police officer tells them they can leave

Additionally, an accident report must be filed if damages exceed $500 or the accident results in 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 misdemeanor offense 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 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 crash becomes fatal and results in somebody’s death. While it is encouraging that we have laws discouraging hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the negligent driver will not get you the money you are owed. They may be found culpable before the Wildwood, MO criminal court, but you need expert and dedicated hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will demand that you get the maximum recovery you need to recover. When you hire us, we get started on your case at once and are relentless until we win. We do not charge any fees until we win your case and we will represent you aggressively to ensure the negligent party accepts complete 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 helpless, it can be especially worrisome if the negligent driver does not respect the rules and leaves the accident site. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is disappointing and frightening when someone does not respect those rules and acts carelessly and irresponsibly. The committed and talented Wildwood, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold selfish 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 accident site yourself. You could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the hassle, or you may be afraid that you are partially at fault. Leaving the scene of an accident will make it much harder for you to recover compensation for your injuries, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. Your chief concern 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 harmed, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Wildwood, MO emergency services to come and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law says that you have to call the police in any accident that leads to 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 follow the driver. When you are hit by another auto in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are typical reactions. You may be tempted to follow the driver and find out who caused your accident. That is Wildwood, MO law enforcement’s responsibility. Chasing after the other motorist 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 make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely find out what you can about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do so, you can:
  • Take photos. If you are not badly injured and can take out your phone before the car you cannot see the car anymore, take as many pictures as possible. Even if you cannot get an entire 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 photographs of any tire marks or other damage to the accident site.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the crash site might have been able to see more than you did, or will be able to validate your story. Make sure to get their contact information so a claims adjuster, law enforcement officer or Wildwood, 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 collision, and those details will still be very useful to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Wildwood, 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 immediately. Our skilled and experienced hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including acquiring adjacent surveillance video and getting in touch with witnesses for complete depositions. We work with a network of Wildwood, MO car accident experts who will be able to reconstruct the accident and prove exactly how the at-fault 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

In the best case scenarios, police and/or your hit and run accident attorneys will be able to locate the negligent driver that caused your damages and hold them responsible for their thoughtless driving. In those cases, the tenacious and expert Wildwood, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will ensure you collect full compensation from the driver and their insurance company.

Uninsured Motorist Claims in Hit and Run Accidents

In Missouri, drivers are required to have uninsured motorist insurance. If you cannot locate 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 Wildwood, MO, there are four standards that are required to be met in order for you to make this claim:

1. You received physical injuries
2. You incurred the injuries due to an uninsured motorist, or in the case a motorist you are unable to 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 Wildwood, MO insurance company takes the place of the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like other insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best odds at receiving great compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need seasoned and skilled Wildwood, 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 decades, and will not back down until your own insurance company reimburses you for the money you have probably 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 ensure you get the maximum amount of money that you deserve. When you get hurt because another driver disregarded the rules of the road, you are entitled to the best possible recovery for all of damages you have received as a result of the accident, for example: your medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how serious your injuries, we demand that you are compensated for every dollar you are entitled to. If you or a loved one in Wildwood, 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 ethical duty to remain at a crash site. When someone leaves 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 careless actions caused. There are a variety of reasons the negligent party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 caught 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 having your license revoked.

• 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 run away from the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is careless and dangerous. People can become distracted if they are texting, eating, looking at directions, tired or are just thinking about something else.

• Lack of potential witnesses or low lighting

  A driver may leave 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 frequent between midnight and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Wildwood, 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. Sometimes, these drivers turn themselves in after 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 lose focus and never assume that leaving the scene of an accident is the best choice.

No matter the reason a driver decides to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have presumed the pros of running outweighed the cons. The Wildwood, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will make them pay and make sure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Wildwood, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many differing situations. We demand the best possible 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 being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a complimentary consultation and so we can begin working on your case right away.

The Wildwood, 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 someone you care about sustained injuries in a Wildwood, MO hit and run accident, you are probably feeling confused, livid, and vulnerable. Injuries and their related bills can upend your life. Burger Law is here to help you heal. When you hire our team of Wildwood, MO hit and run accident attorneys, we start working on your case and fighting on your behalf immediately. We insist that the negligent parties and their insurance companies are held accountable and we insist on getting you great 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.