There were two fatal hit-and-run accidents in St. Louis County in the first two weeks of February. Both victims were struck by vehicles while walking. Winter conditions can make travel particularly dangerous for pedestrians. Although news accounts of the St. Louis hit-and-run accidents don’t offer a lot of details, snow storms that block sidewalks may force pedestrians to walk on the side of the road. Combined with the difficulty of controlling vehicles on snowy or icy roads, the danger of walking during bad winter weather can’t be overstated.
Bad road conditions are no excuse for a driver who leaves the scene of an accident. Not only can they be held criminally responsible for their actions, they can also be held financially responsible for injuries and deaths caused by their negligence.
Why do drivers leave the scene of an accident? They may be drunk or uninsured and unwilling to wait for police to arrive or they may be scared and simply make a very bad decision. The first step in a hit-and-run case is to locate the driver who left the scene of the accident. Police should be contacted immediately after the accident. They will ask you questions and investigate the scene of the accident to gather evidence of who the driver may be. It is important that the investigation be conducted without delay because physical evidence may be lost, and you may forget details of the accident as time elapses.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a hit-and-run accident, your second resource should be a highly experienced St. Louis car accident attorney. An attorney with experience in hit-and-run accidents may be able to assist you and the police in locating the driver and, once the driver is located, will be able to help you get the financial recovery you need to get your life back after the accident.
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