Cape Girardeau Hit and Run Accidents

Let us say, for example, that you have been at the Crisp Museum – located at 518 South Fountain Street, Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63703 – for most of the day, and now you are heading to your car in the parking lot to leave. As you are pulling out of your parking spot, a driver hits the side of your car, which results in you sustaining a broken arm, cuts, whiplash, head trauma, and other serious injuries. When you look up from your injuries, you see the driver fleeing the scene of the accident in their vehicle. As hit and run accident attorneys serving Cape Girardeau, we have seen this scenario unfold often.

There are a few reasons as to why some people flee after a collision: one, they may not have insurance, or two, they may have been drunk when they hit you. After a hit and run, you should call the police to the scene because they may be able to investigate and find the driver who fled. Unfortunately, sometimes the hit and run driver cannot be located by the police, which is why many hit and run collision victims file an uninsured motorist claim under their own insurance carriers.

In any event, you will need to establish that the driver was negligent by proving that the driver owed you a duty of reasonable care, breached it, and caused you to suffer injuries. Retaining a hit and run accident lawyer in Cape Girardeau can provide you with help in establishing the driver’s negligence. You may be able to obtain compensation for your injuries and losses if liability can be established. For instance, if you have medical bills from Southeast Missouri Hospital – located at 1701 Lacey Street, Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63701 – and lost wages stemming from the accident, you can be awarded economic damages. If the accident disfigured you and caused you to lose enjoyment of life or pain and suffering, you can be awarded non-economic damages.