Being involved in a hit and run accident can be a terrifying, traumatic experience that can leave you with serious emotional damage in addition to the physical injuries that you suffer. An accident in itself is a scary thing to go through, and when you expect to work with the other person who was involved with (and caused) the accident and they take off, it can be very upsetting. In addition to the feeling of betrayal and fear that it might instill in you, it is also exceptionally stressful to then need to figure out how you will collect the money that you deserve for your injuries, lost wages, and suffering.
The team at Injury Trial Lawyers, APC understands the stress and fear that come with these types of car accidents, and we will work with you to do everything in our capacity to ensure that you get the money you need and deserve. In many cases, this may mean working directly with your own insurance company in order to get money out of your own policy, but in the best scenarios, our process will involve identifying the person who caused the accident and fled, and holding them accountable for their actions.
Read more below about how a San Diego car accident attorney can help you navigate the complicated process of hit and run accidents, and contact us now for a free consultation. During your consultation, we will be able to discuss the specifics of your accident, the steps that you have taken already, and how our San Diego hit and run accident attorney can help you move forward.
What To Do After a Hit and Run Accident
California law requires that you stop after an accident and exchange information such as your driver’s license, vehicle registration card, evidence of financial responsibility, and current address to the other driver, as well as with the responding police officers. Failing to do so may result in your being charged with a hit and run. However, the other driver may decide that, for whatever reason, that leaving the scene is a better option. They may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, may be operating without a license, driving a stolen vehicle, or any other number of factors that lead to this poor decision.
As soon as you are able to in any accident, you should call 911 if there are any injuries; otherwise, you have 24 hours to report an accident. However, in the case of a hit and run you should call 911 immediately and let them know what happened. They will send emergency responders to your location, and will also be able to establish a record of the incident, not to mention warn all officers of a vehicle that has just fled the scene of an accident.
Collecting Damages After a Hit and Run Accident
If the police are unable to locate the other driver, meaning we do not have another insurance company to seek damages from, we will work directly with your own insurance company in order to get compensation out of your own Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist policy. As with the process of dealing with any other insurance company, they will want to limit the amount that they pay, and therefore, will likely require that we go through a series of negotiations to get you what you truly need to move forward with your life.
If we are able to locate the other driver, we will aggressively pursue damages from them in any way possible, whether through their insurance company or directly from them. There are many different variables and factors that our San Diego hit and run accident attorney will need to work through in order to determine the most appropriate course of action in this situation, especially if they are uninsured and we have limited options for financial recovery.