St. Louis Phantom Motorist Claims Lawyer

Phantom Motorist Claims Lawyer in St. Louis, Missouri

Phantom Motorist Claims Lawyer in St. Louis, Missouri. When it comes to car accidents, no matter the scope, Burger Law is the law firm to turn to in St. Louis as well as throughout Missouri. Our firm has extensive experience handling every type of claim, including phantom motorists. If you have been injured in a car accident, call a St. Louis phantom motorist claim lawyer immediately at (314) 500-HURT

Many people think of car accidents as collisions between two vehicles. But sometimes, accidents are more complicated. A hit-and-run accident, for example, leaves you with minimal information about who hit you. That can make filing an insurance claim for damages rather difficult. If an accident is caused by what is known as a phantom motorist, it can be even harder to determine who is at fault and to get compensation for your damages.

Phantom motorists bring unique challenges to the aftermath of an accident. It is important to know how to handle them and what to do if you have been hit by a phantom driver. In most instances, you will need to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own insurance provider. To know all of your options, though, speaking with a Burger Law phantom motorist claims lawyer in St. Louis first is your best bet.

If you sustained an injury because someone else broke the rules, see how much your claim may be worth by using our free personal injury calculator.

What is a Phantom Motorist Claim in St. Louis?

A phantom motorist is a driver who causes an accident even though they never came into contact with another vehicle. They are like a phantom because they are present one moment and then gone. Sometimes, the drivers do not even realize they have caused an accident, so they continue driving. Or, perhaps, they are engaging in reckless or drunk behavior. Either way, they are usually unidentifiable since the driver does not pull over. Accidents caused by phantom drivers are treated the same as hit-and-run accidents, although “miss-and-run” is a more accurate term.

If you or someone you love has been in an accident caused by a phantom motorist, you will likely need to make an uninsured motorist claim with your own auto insurance provider. Under https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=379.203 Missouri Revised Statute §379.203, every automobile insurance policy must have the “25/50/25” minimum of $25,000 bodily injury coverage for another person, $50,000 bodily injury coverage for any other persons injured and $25,000 property damage coverage.

In these phantom motorist and miss-and-run claims, you need an experienced St. Louis attorney on your side. The phantom motorist claims lawyers at Burger Law have over 100 years of combined experience of fighting for our clients and battling large insurance companies that rely on tricks and tactics to avoid paying them. Call us today at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online contact form.

What Are Examples of Accidents Caused By a St. Louis Phantom Motorist?

Many times, a phantom driver will drift from their lane into your lane. To avoid the problem driver, you swerve away. This can result in a collision. Another example could be a driver who pulls out in front of you, causing you to swerve or brake quickly, resulting in an accident. Basically, any phantom driver accident is defined by this formula:

• A driver gets in the way of another vehicle, causing that vehicle’s driver to swerve or do some other evasive action in order to avoid a collision.
• Because the second driver moved unexpectedly to avoid the first driver, they ended up crashing – either by hitting another vehicle, pedestrian, bicyclist, etc., or having a single-car accident.
• The first driver (the phantom driver) continues driving, either to avoid the accident’s consequences or because they did not notice the damage they caused.

A phantom driver is usually a distracted driver. They are likely not paying full attention to their surroundings, which is why they did not see your vehicle in the first place.

Is a St. Louis Phantom Motorist Responsible for the Damages to My Vehicle?

Even if the phantom driver does not stop, they are still legally at fault for the crash if their actions directly caused it. As with any motor vehicle accident, drivers have a duty of care, a responsibility to act in a reasonable manner, with attention, caution and prudence, in order to prevent causing injury or harm to other motorists, passengers, bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians. If they breach that duty, it is likely they are negligent. That means they are liable for all injuries and other damages resulting from the accident.

There are some methods that may help you identify a phantom motorist. If there were any witnesses to your crash, they may have seen the vehicle’s license plate or be able to describe unique details of the vehicle. If you see even the slightest identifying characteristics of the driver or vehicle, that can be helpful, too. In some situations, the phantom motorist might come back to the scene and admit fault, although that is extremely rare. If you are not able to identify the phantom motorist, this may be the time to turn to uninsured motorist coverage through your provider. Call a St. Louis phantom motorist claims lawyer at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.

What Do I Do After a St. Louis Phantom Motorist Accident?

If you were involved in a crash while trying to avoid a phantom driver, you should call 911 immediately to report the accident. If you have any life-threatening injuries, you should also get medical attention right away. Otherwise, while you are waiting for the authorities, you should:

1. Check if Anyone is Injured

The most important thing is everybody’s well-being and safety. Check to see if anyone is injured and how significant their injuries are. If you can, render aid to anyone who needs it.

2. Get to Safety

If anyone has a significant injury, it’s best not to move them until emergency personnel arrive. Otherwise, get your car to the side of the road to avoid being a danger to oncoming traffic or risking further injury.

3. Call the Police

Under both Missouri law, it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident where someone was injured or killed. Having a police report will greatly help your case. Police will be able to take over the scene safely and notify emergency medical personnel if necessary.

Get the names and badge numbers of the officers at the scene, and ask them where you can get a copy of the police report.

4. Collect Evidence at the Scene

Take pictures of all vehicles involved, any injuries you sustained and other parts of the scene, such as the road surrounding the crash. The lack of tire marks may help prove that the phantom driver was distracted or drunk.

Most importantly in a phantom motorist crash, if there were eyewitnesses, get their contact information so your car accident lawyer will be able to take official depositions from them. It is also a good idea to write down everything you remember about the crash, as your memory will be freshest in the immediate aftermath, and you may forget seemingly insignificant details that later turn out to be important.

5. Get Medical Treatment

In order to get maximum compensation from an insurance company, you need complete records of your injuries and medical treatment. With minor injuries, a quick trip to the emergency room or to your primary care physician may be all you need. More significant injuries may require ongoing care.

It’s important to get medical treatment even if you believe your injuries are not serious. Injuries such as whiplash can take several days to show symptoms, and may only be noticeable with MRIs, X-rays or other tests. Adrenaline can often mask pain immediately after an injury.

6. Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company, But Be Wary

You will need to let your own auto insurance provider know about the accident within 24 hours of your accident. Gathering the information mentioned above will help prove the accident actually happened and that it was caused by the other driver, not you, so your claim does not get denied. Phantom motorist situations can get complicated quickly, especially if you have problems getting enough information on the other driver. However, you may have more options than you think, especially with a St. Louis phantom motorist coverage attorney from Burger Law in your corner.

Insurance companies use a lot of tricks and deceitful tactics to try to minimize your claim, or even avoid paying you anything at all. They may tell you that you have to give a recorded statement, which is false. Do not tell them anything regarding the nature of your injuries or who was liable.

7. Call Burger Law

Burger Law’s phantom motorist coverage attorneys based in St. Louis have over 100 years of combined experience holding negligent drivers accountable. Call a St. Louis phantom motorist claims lawyer at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online. To date, we have won our clients over $180 million in verdicts and settlements, including a recent phantom motorist settlement. You may be wondering if it is even worth it to get a lawyer after a phantom motorist accident. If you have been injured, in most cases it is absolutely worth it to hire a lawyer. Our attorneys will make sure that you are compensated for every way your injury has affected you, including your property damage, medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.

Reach Out to a St. Louis Phantom Motorist Claims Lawyer at Burger Law Today

Being involved in a St. Louis phantom motorist accident does not mean “phantom” compensation. No, the Burger Law attorneys will be sure to fight for maximum compensation – either from your insurance company or theirs. We have decades of experience fighting in the corners of clients from St. Louis, as well as throughout Missouri.

Call us right away if you were involved in a St. Louis phantom motorist accident at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online for a no-cost, no-obligation case review with one of our phantom motorist claims lawyers.