Do I Really Need a Lawyer After a Hit-and-Run Accident in St. Louis?

A hit-and-run accident in St. Louis, MO, can cause significant damage to your health and finances. Without a driver to blame for your accident, you might need to bear a significant portion of your losses.

So do you need a lawyer after a hit-and-run accident? More accurately, under what circumstances might you hire a lawyer after a hit-and-run accident? And how can a lawyer help you recover compensation for your losses?

Contact an attorney at Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers today for legal help. Call us at (314) 444-4444.

How Schultz & Myers Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in St. Louis, MO

How Schultz & Myers Car Accident Lawyers Can Help After an Accident in St. Louis, MO

Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers is a personal injury law firm in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2013, our car accident attorneys have recovered over $100 million in accident compensation for injured clients.

After an accident, our St. Louis car accident lawyers help by providing the following:

  • A free consultation to listen to your story, answer all your questions, and explain your legal rights
  • A legal team with over 100 years of combined experience to battle insurers and at-fault parties for fair compensation
  • A law firm dedicated to putting clients and their families first

A hit-and-run car accident can result in serious injuries with limited options for pursuing compensation to pay for them. Contact Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your crash and your options for getting injury compensation.

How Often Do Hit-and-Run Accidents Happen in St. Louis?

Neither the State of Missouri nor the City of St. Louis releases hit-and-run accident statistics. But you can use national estimates to calculate a rough number of hit-and-run accidents in St. Louis.

According to a study by AAA, about 11.7% of all car accidents in the US involve hit-and-run drivers. Of these, about 5.9% of all injury crashes and 5.1% of all fatal crashes are hit-and-run accidents.

According to the same study, Missouri roughly matches the national average for hit-and-run accidents. Using these two data points, you can use Missouri’s Traffic Safety Compendium to estimate that St. Louis averages:

  • 1,536 total hit-and-run crashes per year
  • 3 fatal hit-and-run crashes per year
  • 199 non-fatal injury hit-and-run crashes per year

After these hit-and-run crashes, accident victims face a difficult path to recovering compensation for the costs of their injuries and property losses.

When to Call a Lawyer After a St. Louis Hit-and-Run Accident

After most crashes, accident victims will file insurance claims against the at-fault driver’s liability insurance policy. Missouri requires all vehicle owners to carry bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage. This type of insurance pays third parties for their losses associated with car accident injuries up to the policy limits.

But in a hit-and-run crash, injured victims have no driver or insurance company against which they can pursue claims. As a result, these victims must look for other options to pay their medical expenses after a crash.

Fortunately, Missouri is one of the few states that requires all vehicle owners to also carry uninsured motorist insurance. This coverage pays the people in the insured vehicle for their injuries when the at-fault driver is uninsured.

Insurance companies consider hit-and-run drivers uninsured motorists. In other words, the insurance company defines “uninsured” to include drivers who lack insurance and drivers who cannot be found for an insurance claim.

As a result, you will probably start your pursuit of compensation with a claim under your uninsured motorist coverage. But most car owners only buy the minimum required uninsured motorist insurance. When this runs out, they need additional sources of compensation to pay for their medical treatment and lost wages.

Sometimes, you will want a lawyer to assist you after a hit-and-run. Some of the situations where you may require a lawyer’s assistance include:

Your Insurer Denies Your Uninsured Motorist Claim

After you file an uninsured motorist claim, the insurer will assign a claims adjuster to your case. 

The adjuster may deny the claim for many reasons, including:

  • The accident was staged
  • Your injuries did not happen in the accident
  • Your treatment was not reasonable and necessary in light of your injuries

If an adjuster denies your uninsured motorist claim, you may need a lawyer to help you identify the reason and submit evidence to overcome it.

The Police Identify the Hit-and-Run Driver

If the police identify the hit-and-run driver, you can pursue an accident claim against them. This will usually start with a claim against their insurance policy. You may want a lawyer’s assistance preparing your claim to give yourself the best chance of success.

The Hit-and-Run Driver Has No Insurance

If the hit-and-run driver is uninsured, you face a tough situation. Without any insurance policy against which to file a claim, your only option for recovering compensation is to file a lawsuit. You will probably want a lawyer to help you do this.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Our St. Louis Auto Accident Lawyers

You face some difficult choices after a hit-and-run accident. Contact Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to discuss your crash and your options. Our St. Louis auto accident lawyers are standing by to help.

We handle all types of car accident claims, including:

Additional St. Louis Car Accident Resources

Learn more about car accident FAQs: