It is an offense in any state to leave the scene of an accident in which someone has been injured or a car was damaged. There are very few situations in which a driver hits another driver and doesn’t realize he or she has done so.
If you have been hit by another driver who leaves the crash site without stopping, the fact that that driver could face criminal charges is not going to help you pay bills for medical treatment or repairs to your car. You may be able to make a claim against your own insurance policy if there is a relevant clause or depend on the police tracking down the driver who hit you. Whatever the circumstances, you should first contact a car accident attorney to discuss your legal options to recover damages.
Damages after an Accident Caused by Another Driver Who Hit You and Drove Away
There are several reasons why a driver may continue driving after hitting another vehicle. The least likely is that the driver simply didn’t notice the impact, although the impact must have been very slight for that to happen.
The driver may also have been drunk, driving a stolen vehicle, afraid of the consequences of being found to be a negligent driver, uninsured, unregistered, unlicensed or underage. It will be hard to claim damages unless the driver is actually apprehended by police and his or her identity determined.
The other problem may lay with a discovery that the driver was uninsured or underinsured. Assuming that the driver is caught and was insured, the following damages could be claimed in a personal injury lawsuit against the driver:
- The cost of medical treatment including any estimated future costs;
- Loss of earnings;
- The cost of damage to the car or other property;
- Compensation for pain and suffering caused.
How a Car Accident Attorney Can Help You Prove Fault
If you were hit by a driver who drove away without stopping, the problem will lie with finding the driver rather than proving fault. The cause of the accident and the involvement of the other driver will no doubt be actively investigated by police.
It will help if you can provide information about the vehicle or the driver. Eye witnesses and forensic evidence from the part of your car that was damaged could help identify the driver.
Whatever the result of a police investigation, you are strongly advised to contact a car accident attorney to explore your legal options. You may be covered by your own insurance policy without realizing it. The attorney will discuss possibilities of recovering damages including claiming insurance and will liaise with police in the event that the driver is found and charged.
Why You Should Let a Car Accident Attorney Handle Your Case
It is bad enough being hit by another driver in any type of car accident, but a hit and run situation is probably the worst outcome as the chance of obtaining rightful compensation is reduced. Most car accident attorneys will have dealt with accidents like this before and will have valuable advice to help you deal with the financial effects of the accident. Complete the Free Case Evaluation today!
