Involved in a Hit & Run Case? How Schmittgens Injury Law Firm will help you.
At Schmittgens Injury Law Firm, our experienced personal injury attorneys are dedicated to assisting you throughout the legal process and helping you secure the compensation you deserve after a hit and run case. With nearly a decade of experience, attorney Rob Schmittgens has the knowledge and skill to effectively represent your interests and fight for your rights. In your time of need, you can count on us to be by your side and guide you through the legal system.
At our firm, we will assist in collecting relevant evidence for your case, speaking with witnesses, and ensuring you get the medical treatment you need to recover from your injuries. We take the stress of dealing with the insurance companies off your plate and will advocate on your behalf to them. We collect your medical records and bills and negotiate any outstanding bills down at the time your case is resolved.
There is no upfront cost for our services and we work on the “contingency fee” meaning we do not and will not get paid until we win your case. Moveover, we guarantee that our fees will never be more than your net share of any recovery.
When choosing Schmittgens Injury Law Firm to represent you in your car accident case, you will be working with attorneys who have a wealth of experience in personal injury law. Rob Schmittgens, a trial attorney with nearly a decade of experience practicing law in both Missouri and Illinois, is well versed in personal injury, and worker’s compensation cases. As a born and raised St. Louisian, Rob understands the community and its legal landscape, and has successfully helped hundreds of clients navigate through their legal challenges.
It is far too common that drivers flee the scene of a crash, after the incident. While fleeing the scene of an accident is a felony, it happens all the time. At Schmittgens Injury Law Firm, we have extensive experience in assisting victims in handling these types of cases.
Our firm has fostered great relationships with local law enforcement organizations and we will attempt to find the person who fled the scene. If unsuccessful, you still have recourse through your own insurance, utilizing your “uninsured motorist coverage.”
In both Missouri and Illinois, your auto-insurance company is required to provide you with uninsured motorist coverage to protect you in situations where the other driver flees the scene. If we are unable to determine the identity of the negligent driver, we have the ability to seek a recovery from your own insurance company.
Hit & Run Cases
Does this affect my rates?
In a word, NO! Missouri and Illinois laws prohibit insurance companies from increasing your rates for utilizing “unassignable” coverages like uninsured motorist coverage. While the insurance company can change your rates at any time, for a multitude of reasons, it is unlawful for them to increase your rates, just because you were involved in a collision with a hit and run driver.
What should I do if I am the victim of a hit and run collision?
1. Get to Safety.
Car accidents often occur in traffic or on busy streets. The first and most important step is to get to safety. Turn on your warning lights and get out of the lane of travel, if at all possible. You will likely be in shock, disbelief, and pain, but it’s important to get yourself to safety.
2. Record Any Identifying Information About the Fleeing Vehicle
If at all possible, try to record any identifying information about the fleeing vehicle; make, model, color, license plate, description of the driver. Anything that you can record to better identify the person who hit your vehicle.
3. Call the Police and Take Pictures
Call the police as soon as possible and give the dispatcher all the information you have about the hit and run driver. Dispatchers are able to inform all on-duty officers of the vehicle which caused the collision and they may be able to be apprehended in quick fashion.
You should also tell the dispatch operator about the crash and request an emergency response to the scene. The police will make a report about the crash and document the circumstances of the incident. It is also important to get pictures of the damages to your vehicle. Pictures which show the location of the crash and the scene of the incident are also extremely helpful.
Hopefully the police arrive on scene quickly - when they do, make sure to give them your driver’s license and insurance information. Tell them in short, plain language, what happened. If you are experiencing any pain, it is important to let them know what parts of your body are hurting you.
4. Gather Evidence, Witness Names, and Phone Numbers
Take note of the surrounding area. In today’s society, there are cameras everywhere and, if we are lucky, there may be a camera which captured the hit and run driver, their vehicle, and the crash. Making notes of where you observe cameras is very helpful in trying to track down the video on a later date.
As well, if there are any witnesses to the incident, be sure to get their names and contact information. Our office can get investigators to reach out to the individuals on a later date.
5. Take More Photographs=.
Take as many pictures as you can. If possible, take pictures of the other driver’s vehicle or license plate. The likelihood of finding the hit & run driver gets harder if we do not have specific identifying information about the car.
Later take photographs of your vehicle too as they are also important! Similarly, take photographs of the whole front and back and both sides of your vehicle. You or someone on your behalf may have to go to the tow lot or salvage yard or repair shop to take these vehicle photos, and it is important to get them within a few days of the accident before any repairs or changes have been made to your damaged vehicle.
6. Go to the Hospital or Doctor to Document Your Injuries ASAP and Take Photographs of Them.
Get to a doctor as soon as possible. We absolutely understand that you may have affairs to get in order; kids to pick up, work schedule to arrange, and a vehicle to fix. But it is imperative you get your injuries documented as soon as possible.
When you get to a doctor, tell your doctor everything that is causing you pain; the parts of the body, the severity of the pain, and how it is impacting you. It is very important to describe every one of your injuries to the medical personnel because we do not know which injuries will last the longest. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to come back later, and tie an injury to an accident weeks, months, or even years later.
It’s also important to take pictures of any scrapes, cuts, bruises, or swelling which may be present. These pictures help tell a complete story about your injuries and can help us demonstrate the severity of your injuries.
7. Call the Attorneys at Schmittgens Injury Law Firm
If you feel the need to call us from the scene of the crash - please do. But if you do not call us from the scene, call us as soon as possible after. We’re always here to discuss your case and how to best represent you on your claim.
We can be reached at 314-222-4223 or through this website. You can also schedule time to meet - in person - at our office.
Do Not Speak With the Insurance Company Without A Lawyer.
Insurance companies will use tactics to get you to speak about the case without a lawyer. Don’t let them. They will ask you questions which are designed to be ambiguous and confusing, and then use your answers against you. By hiring Rob Schmittgens, he will prepare you for these types of statements, and prevent the insurance companies from using your words against you.
Insurance companies know there is an imbalance of power between them and you. By hiring the Schmittgens Injury Law Firm, you have a team of experienced legal professionals who will level the playing field.
Hire Schmittgens Injury Law Firm as soon as possible after a car accident, and we will protect and help you get reimbursed for your losses and fully compensated for your injuries. If you already gave a statement to the insurance company, we can still help you as we know what to do and how to handle every situation from our years of experience.
What not to do after your car accident:
Trust the Insurance Company’s Promises.
Insurance companies often lie to you about what they will do. They want you to feel like they are trying to help you. But in reality, the only thing they are trying to do is to get you to either accept a small settlement or deny your claim.
Sign Any Documents Sent to You By the Insurance Company Without a Lawyer.
If an insurance company is asking you to sign something, it is likely a legally enforceable document. These documents often waive your right to seek further damages or limit the monetary damages which they may owe you.
What kind of damages can I recover from my motor vehicle crash?
Economic Damages: These are damages which have a specific dollar value. Things like hospital bills, physical therapy, medical imaging, and medical devices can be extremely expensive, and assuming they are reasonable and necessary to care for your injuries, the law allows you to seek recovery of those damages from the negligent party.
You are also able to seek compensation for lost income. If you miss time at work or are forced to use benefits like paid time off or sick days, you can seek reimbursement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Our firm will assist you in collecting evidence of these types of damages and including them in settlement negotiations.
These damages are not just the damages which are “in the past” you are also entitled to seek damages for medical treatment or income earning in the future. At our firm, we will gather information relating to future earnings or future medical care and include it in our settlement negotiations.
Non-Economic Damages: These damages generally do not have a specific dollar value, but you are still able to seek compensation for things like pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, mental anguish, and stress. No one wants to live life in pain, and many of our clients spend months or even years in constant pain because of their car wreck, under the law, you can seek financial compensation for that pain.
You are also entitled to seek damages for the negative impact your injuries have on your life. If your injuries have prevented you from living the life you want to live, you are entitled to seek compensation. Some examples of “loss of enjoyment of life” may include the inability to participate fully in family activities, challenges to engaging in hobbies, or limitations in the activities of daily living.
Property Damage: Motor vehicle accidents often include damages to personal property, specifically your car or the contents therein. If your stuff is broken or destroyed as the result of the other driver’s negligence, you are entitled to seek compensation for those losses.
Car Accident Lawyers Near You
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, attorney Rob Schmittgens is here to help. With nearly a decade of personal injury experience, he knows how to handle car accident cases in St. Louis. His deep understanding of the local legal system and strong connections in the community give you an advantage in your case.
Rob will take the time to understand your situation and fight for your rights. When you work with Rob, you can trust that you’re getting an attorney who will advocate for you every step of the way. As a personal injury attorney with extensive courtroom experience, Rob knows how to get results. A native of St. Louis, he's deeply connected to the community and is committed to ensuring justice for his clients.
At Schmittgens Injury Law Firm, we handle car accident cases on a contingency basis—so you don’t pay unless we win your case and we will never make more money than you.