Having your parked car hit is stressful. Having a parked car hit and the driver taking off is more stressful. If you cannot find any witnesses to the accident, you are left wondering what to do.
Here are the steps to take if someone hit your car and there were not witnesses.
Call The Police
If someone hit your parked car and did not leave a note, the first thing you should do is to call the police. Make sure you call the non-emergency line if no one was hurt in the accident.
Don’t leave the accident scene, and call the police to have an accident report completed.
The police will investigate the hit and run accident, so they can try to determine who the hit and run driver was and hold them accountable for the damages that resulted from the crash.
Check For Cameras
If there was no witnesses at all to the accident, then you may be able to identify the driver from other evidence such as security camera footage and marks left on your car itself.
Security and surveillance cameras are often installed around parking lots, buildings and intersections.
If there was a camera nearby that you think may have recorded the hit and run incident, you will need to find out who owns or operates the camera and then contact them with the reason why you would like to find out whether footage of the incident had been recorded.
Often times, when you work with a personal injury lawyer, your lawyer will be able to help you get that security camera footage.
You will need to know the date and time that the incident probably happened. Obviously, if you were in your car when your car was hit, this will be easy, but not so easy if your car was parked at the time.
If you do find that the incident may have been recorded, but the operators are reluctant to let you see the footage, you may need to discuss this with your accident attorney.
The attorney may be able to subpoena the recording to help with finding information or pass the information to the police who are investigating the hit and run.
Take Care and Assess The Damages
The damage to your car could range from a few scratches and dents right through to substantial repairs. In a few cases, the damage might be too uneconomical to repair and would need replacing.
Even if there were no witnesses and it was a hit and run, you still need to make a full list of the damage done.
If there was substantial damage, it may be possible to obtain some evidence that helps to identify the other vehicle from traces of paint or metal left behind on your own car.
Point these out to the police when they are called and take photos yourself. You will have to file a claim with your own auto insurance under the uninsured motorist coverage.
In that case, you would have to pay the deductible for your policy. Without any details about the other driver, sometimes pursuing an uninsured motorist claim can be challenging. Sometimes the insurance company will deny the claim because there is no evidence that another vehicle was involved.
You should have taken photos of the vehicle while it was still in the parking space as well as close-up photos of the damage.
The vehicle might show paint from the other vehicle, which will show that another vehicle was involved in causing the damage to your car.
Get a Repair Estimate
You should take your car to an auto body shop to have a written estimate prepared. This itemized estimate will detail the costs of repairing your vehicle.
If you must pay a tow bill or get a rental car, keep those receipts. If you buy something to make your car operable right away, such as a tire, you need to keep that receipt and document that damage as well.
Your insurance should cover all those expenses for you, returning your vehicle back to its original condition.
However, filing a claim with your own auto insurance because of a hit and run driver might not go as smoothly as you envision.
Sometimes hit and run claims are denied. In that case, you will need a personal injury attorney to represent you.
File a Claim
You cannot file a claim unless the other driver is found by police or voluntarily admits to the collision. Sometimes, a vehicle might actually hit another vehicle without the driver noticing, until the driver actually stops and inspects their own vehicle.
This is especially true if there is a big difference in sizes between the two vehicles or if the incident happened at night.
If the hit and run driver is identified, the fact that police could lay charges against them for failing to stop after an accident doesn’t help you.
You will need to find out their insurer, and file your claim directly with that insurer with evidence showing that their client’s negligence caused the damage to your vehicle.
You will need a copy of any statement made to the police after the crash, the damage report by the car repair yard and an estimate of the repair bill.
Some drivers don’t stop after a crash because they were uninsured or were driving on a suspended license.
This is for the police to determine, but if the driver was uninsured, this would certainly complicate any claim against the driver. Talk to your attorney about your legal options.
Get Help From a Personal Injury Attorney
If someone hit and run your parked car and there are no witnesses, you should talk with an experienced personal injury attorney.
Personal injury claims include property damages, which in this case, involves the damage to your parked vehicle.
Your lawyer will investigate the accident further and try to uncover any additional details that might be beneficial in your case.
A personal injury attorney works on a contingency basis, so you have nothing to lose and there will be no upfront costs.
To have an attorney review your case, complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page. A lawyer will review all the details of your case and take the time to talk with you personally to determine the best way to proceed with your claim for property damage after someone hit and run from your parked car.
