What To Do If Someone Hits Your Car and Drives Off

Sometimes it happens that, as you are driving peacefully, someone hits you and sends your car into a spin-off. When you realize what just happened, the other car is nowhere to be found. Or maybe you go to the grocery store only to come out and find a huge dent in your car with nobody around to tell you what happened or who was responsible for the damage to your personal property. Or perhaps you see the other car, but by the time you manage to get out of your car and approach the other driver to exchange contact information, you see them drive off. In all of these cases, you know that someone should pay for your damages and possible injuries, but who? Read on to find some tips on what to do after being a hit and run victim.

Call the Police

If you are in the middle of the road, get yourself to a safe place and call the police. Wait for them to arrive and request a copy of their report. They will put it together with the information available, and they also have resources that may help you locate the driver who hit you. They may start by locating nearby surveillance or security cameras belonging to businesses nearby to see if their footage captured the accident. Your own insurance company will require that you provide them with the police report when you initiate a claim.

Contact a Hit and Run Accident Attorney

With so many drivers fleeing the scene of their accidents for many different reasons, you may find yourself dealing with the consequences of the accident on your own. Working with a hit and run defense attorney can not only help you take some of that load off your shoulders, but your lawyer may also be successful in locating the driver who hit you.

Schedule a free consultation with an attorney with a good track record with hit and run cases and talk to them about your accident, the evidence you have gathered, and provide them with a copy of the police report and the information you have received from your insurance regarding your claim. Don’t accept an offer from your insurance without talking to your lawyer first.

Document the Accident

If you are injured, get medical help. If you were able to get a good look at the car that hit you, write down its make, model, and color, and if you saw the license plate or a portion of it, write that down as well. Take pictures of your car showing the damage it suffered and the location. If you can do so, take pictures of your injuries. If there are any witnesses that are willing to talk to you, get their testimonies and contact information, should you need to reach out to them in the future.

Call Your Insurance Company

Let your insurance company know about the accident. You may have to end up filing a claim under your automobile liability insurance policy. Your accident may end up being treated as one where you were hit by a driver that is underinsured or has no insurance coverage. Your insurer will let you know if this accident will have any effect on your policy when the time comes to renew it.