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After being involved in a car accident, you may be familiar with one of the most important rules: always exchange information with the other driver involved. Unfortunately, not everyone does the right thing. When you’re involved in a hit-and-run accident and the other driver flees the scene of the crash, you may be unable to complete this essential step and pursue compensation from their insurance company. If you’re ever in this situation, you should arm yourself with the knowledge you need to protect your rights.
Collecting Evidence After A Hit-And-Run Is Crucial
When you’re injured in a hit-and-run accident, you should pull over to where it’s safe and call 9-1-1 so that both law enforcement and emergency responders arrive at your location. Make sure you give a statement to police about what happened and any details that you can recall, such as the driver’s physical features, the license plate number, or vehicle color.
If you saw which way the driver fled, tell the police so they can attempt to locate this person. If any witnesses saw what happened, make sure that they speak with police as well and that you exchange contact information. Getting all of this information in an official statement will create a paper trail of the accident that your attorney can collect as evidence later on.
Contact Your Insurance Company
As law enforcement attempts to locate the other driver, you should contact your insurance company and alert them of the incident. Depending on your specific policy, you may be able to file a claim with your own insurance company through your:
- Collision coverage
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage
- Uninsured motorist property damage coverage (not available in all states)
- Medical payments coverage
- Personal injury protection
If you’ve been injured in a hit-and-run accident, we understand that you may be shaken up and stressed about recovering compensation for your losses. It is not fair for you to have to pay out-of-pocket for an accident that you did nothing to cause.
Do not wait to contact an experienced injury attorney who can guide you through your legal options. The sooner you get in contact with an attorney, the better chances there are at preserving the physical evidence of the case and identifying the driver who fled the scene.
If the driver who hit you cannot be identified, our team can help you explore your other options through your own insurance company. Whatever the situation of your accident, Chatham Gilder Howell Pittman is here for you.
Contact our Mississippi car accident attorneys at (662) 222-0597 to speak with our dedicated legal team for free today.
