Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Willard, MO

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

When a careless driver intentionally breaks the rules of the road and harms you or someone you care about, it is typical to feel dismayed and furious. It is especially upsetting when the negligent party refuses to take responsibility for their negligent driving and leaves 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 committed, veteran and knowledgeable Willard, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law know how to hold reckless and knowingly irresponsible driver’s accountable. We will help you comprehend the situation and will fight for you to maximize your recovery and put you on the path to recovery. Call us now at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

In the United States in 2016, 2049 people were killed in hit and run crashes, which is 62 percent more than 2009. Of the fatalities, just about 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 occurs every 43 seconds in the United States. Any injury resulting from an auto crash can be traumatizing and create life-long consequence or, in the worst cases, wrongful death. However, hit and run cases intensify that trauma as you may not get medical treatment immediately, and you may be unsure of who to trust or how to seek just compensation for your injuries and damages. Our group of seasoned and knowledgeable hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law have helped those harmed in hit and run accidents in the Willard, MO area get maximum recoveries and know how to maximize your compensation. When you contact us at (314) 500-HURT, we begin working on your case right away, and you do not owe us any fees until we win your suit.

If you have been harmed in a hit and run accident, use 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 Willard, MO

If a motorist drives irresponsibly and hurts you in a hit and run accident, they are not only responsible for your injuries, they are guilty of breaking the law. In Missouri, driving away from 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 scene
• Move their car if it hazardous to other drivers, otherwise, wait until instructed by police
• Attend to anyone who is hurt
• Call the Willard, MO police
• Use flares, reflectors, or flashlights if the accident happened at night or in poor weather
• Swap contact info and insurance information with everybody involved
• Stay at the scene until a police officer tells them they can leave

Furthermore, an accident report needs 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 turns into 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 becomes a Class D Felony if the accident becomes fatal and causes somebody’s death. While it is reassuring that we have laws deterring hit and runs, a criminal conviction for the irresponsible driver will not get you the money you are entitled to. They may be found guilty in front of the Willard, MO criminal court, but you need skilled and committed hit and run accident attorneys like the ones at Burger Law who will demand that you get the best possible recovery you need to make you whole again. When you hire us, we start working on your case immediately and do not give up. You do not owe us a dime until we win your case and we will fight tirelessly to ensure the at-fault party accepts full responsibility for their thoughtless behavior.

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

While being in any accident is scary and can leave you feeling vulnerable, it can be particularly stressful if the responsible person breaks the law and flees the accident site. The rules are in place for a reason, and it is discouraging and alarming when someone breaks those rules and behaves selfishly and dangerously. The dedicated and talented Willard, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law hold thoughtless drivers responsible and win 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 crash site yourself. You could think the damages are too small to want to deal with the nuisance, or you may be anxious that you are in some measure at fault. Leaving the location of a crash will make it much harder for you to get compensation for your damages, and, more importantly, it is against the law.
• DO get medical attention. The health and safety of everyone present should be your principal concern. If you or somebody else is harmed, focus on keeping them in a stable condition and wait for Willard, MO emergency services to get there and give aid.
• DO NOT hesitate to call the police. Missouri law dictates that you have to call the police in any crash that leads to over $500 worth of damages or results in bodily harm or death. Even if you do not know the extent of the damages or injuries are at that moment, having a police report will go a long way in winning your case.
• DO NOT pursue the driver. When you are hit by another car in a hit and run accident, anger and outrage are common reactions. You may be motivated to follow the driver and find out who hit you. That is Willard, MO law enforcement’s obligation. Going on a wild goose chase not only puts yourself, other drivers, passengers and pedestrians at increased risk, but it will hold you back from being able to get valuable information and may even make the police suspicious of you.
• DO safely learn what you can about the negligent driver and vehicle. To do this, you can:
  • Take pictures. If you are not seriously injured and can use your phone before the car vanishes from sight, take as many photos as possible. Even if you cannot get an entire license plate number, a partial license plate 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 at the scene of the crash.
  • Speak to witnesses. Other people at the accident site may have had a better view than you, or will be able to verify your version of events. Make sure to get their contact information so an insurance company, police officer or Willard, MO hit and run accident attorney will be able to contact them later.
  • 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 after the collision, and those details will still be of great help to the police and your hit and run accident attorneys.
• DO contact your Willard, 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 at once. Our savvy and expert hit and run accident attorneys will help you collect evidence, including acquiring close by surveillance footage and reaching out to witnesses for full depositions. We work with a network of Willard, MO car accident experts who will be able to recreate the scene and prove exactly how the negligible 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

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 injuries and hold them responsible for their dangerous actions. In those cases, the tenacious and talented Willard, MO hit and run accident lawyers at Burger Law will make sure you receive full 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 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 pursue compensation from your own insurance company. In Willard, 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. 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 Willard, MO insurance company acts as a substitute for the at-fault party’s insurance company in order to compensate you for your injuries. However, like any insurance companies, they may still have to be convinced to pay. To have the best chance at receiving the best possible compensation from an uninsured motorist claim, you need experienced and expert Willard, MO hit and run accident attorneys like we have at Burger Law to fight by your side. We have been pushing back against insurance companies and other bullies for over 20 years, 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 located or not, the hit and run accident attorneys at Burger law will make certain you get the full compensation that you are owed. When you get injured because another driver disregarded the rules of the road, you deserve a full compensation for all of damages you have experienced because of the accident, such as: your medical bills, lost wages, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, mental anguish and reduced capacity to enjoy life. No matter how grave your injuries, we insist that you are compensated for every dime you deserve. If you or a someone you care about in Willard, 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 ethical duty to remain at a crash 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 injury their negligent behavior caused. There are a lot of reasons the liable party might not want to take responsibility for their actions:

• The driver does not have car insurance

  In Willard, MO, not having adequate 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 are also never removed from a Willard, 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 pulled over 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 having your license revoked.

• 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 flee the scene of an accident.

• Distracted driving

  Driving while not focusing on the road is reckless 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 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 12AM and 4AM, when there is low visibility and far fewer witnesses on the Willard, 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 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 option.

Regardless of the reason a driver chooses to leave the scene after causing a hit and run accident, they must have assumed the benefits of fleeing were greater than the cons. The Willard, MO hit and run accident attorneys at Burger Law will hold them responsible and make sure they understand they were wrong. In our seventy years of experience as hit and run accident attorneys in Willard, MO we have successfully litigated hit and run cases in many varying situations. We insist on maximum compensation for all of our hit and run accident clients and will not rest until you recover the money you are owed to put you on the path to being made whole again. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT for a free consultation and so we can begin working on your case right away.

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