Fewer situations are as stressful as a hit-and-run accident. You might be confused about how to handle it and whether the accident is covered by your motor vehicle insurance.
Steps after a hit-and-run
After a hit-and-run accident, you may or may not have enough details to identify the at-fault vehicle or driver. If you did see the vehicle flee the scene, avoid chasing it. Instead, immediately check for injuries and call 911.
Once the police come to the scene, they will create an accident report. You can ask where to obtain a copy for your records. Give the officer as much detail about the vehicle that hit you as possible. Even if you only recall a few characters from the license plate and the color of the vehicle, it might help in tracking the driver down.
See if witnesses saw anything and ask for their names and contact information. You might want to record them speaking about the accident with your smartphone. This might be especially helpful if your car was parked and you weren’t present at the time of the hit-and-run.
After gathering any information that you can, contact your insurance company about the accident. If you were in your car during the hit-and-run, your uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage should cover any damages connected to your personal injury. Because the driver fled the scene, they’re considered an uninsured motorist.
Understanding Your Options
In these cases, it is important to know that you still may be able to obtain compensation to help you deal with the costs connected to the accident. Depending upon how things play out, the at-fault motorist may even end up being located and held responsible for their negligent acts. Be sure to take the time to learn more about what applies in your specific case before you pay for any medical care or car repair costs out of your own pocket. If you have any questions about your rights in a hit-and-run situation, please feel free to contact The Law Office of Aman N. Shah for a free consultation.
