subject: What to Do if You Are in a Hit-and-Run Accident [print this page] What to Do if You Are in a Hit-and-Run Accident
Nearly 12 percent of all automobile accidents in the United States each year are considered hit-and-run accidents. That percentage equals about 700,000 crashes annually, where one party involved in the accident fails to stay at the scene of the accident and provide important contact information to the other persons involved.
Leaving the scene of an accident is a criminal act, and drivers can be prosecuted and given jail time for the crime.
Of course, the most tragic kind of hit-and-run accident is one where a pedestrian, bicyclist or other passenger vehicle driver is killed because of another driver's wrongdoing, and there is no one for the surviving family members to hold accountable.
Unfortunately, many hit-and-run drivers are never identified. This leaves the other driver, or the driver's family, unable to file a claim with the at-fault driver's insurance company. In many cases, however, victims of hit-and-run car accidents may be able to place a claim with their own insurance companies. The key is to find out if uninsured motorist coverage is a part of the policy package.
Following are a few tips to consider if you are ever involved in a hit-and-run accident:
Never follow or try to apprehend the fleeing driver. A motorist who leaves the scene immediately is likely not thinking clearly and may even be in trouble with the law already for such things as outstanding warrants for their arrest. Leave the apprehension of the other driver to the proper police authorities.
Report the accident immediately and describe your location and any injuries.
Accept medical care if you need it. This is important if you are indeed injured and may need to seek insurance compensation for your medical costs.
Try to provide details about the other driver (i.e., gender, hair color and length, etc.) and the car (i.e., color, make and model, license plate number, damage, etc.).
Locate any witnesses at the scene, if you are able, and ask them for contact information and details about what they saw.
If you have a camera or camera phone and you are not seriously injured, take photos of the accident scene, your injuries and your vehicle damage.
Contact an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible to discuss your case, preferably before you file any insurance claims. An attorney can help you receive all of the financial compensation you deserve, including damages for your present and future medical needs, car repairs, income loss and, in some cases, pain and suffering.
If the hit-and-run accident ended in a car crash fatality, the deceased's survivors may stand to receive financial compensation from insurance companies and others, as well.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a hit-and-run accident and you live in the Orlando area, please contact the successful Florida car accident lawyers at Best & Anderson, P.A. via the firm's personal injury website to discuss your case.
