What if you are the victim of a hit and run?

Let’s say for example that you are driving through and intersection and then SLAM! You are struck by a vehicle and once you have had a second to collect your thoughts, you realize the car that hit you drove away. It happens more often than you would think. Uninsured motorists are on the rise. When they get involved in an accident, they panic and drive away.

Another scenario is if you go shopping only to come back to your car and find your car has been hit and has suffered major damage and you don’t know who is responsible.

What do you do?

Hopefully you have uninsured motorists coverage. If you have this coverage on your auto insurance policy, it means that the policy holder pays a premium to the insurance company to include this coverage and the insurance company pays the difference between what the uninsured driver can pay and what the injured driver would be entitled to as if the uninsured motorist had proper insurance. If you have uninsured motorists coverage, simply contact your insurance company, explain that you are making an uninsured motorists claim.

What if you don’t have Uninsured Motorists Coverage?

There a few things you should do. The first being, getting a police report. Once the police are involved, they may be able to obtain evidence such as videotape from nearby cameras. Hit and runs are crimes and they could utilize the local news station to help solve a crime, especially if they have video. If you were hit at and intersection, a police officer might interview witnesses and discover who the hit-and-run car belonged to.

Can an attorney help?

Were you injured? If so, you should contact an experienced auto injury lawyer. If they are reputable, they will give you a free initial consultation. They will go over what insurance you have and how much you should expect from your claim. They will guide you through the process of speaking with medical professionals, getting the treatment you deserve, before making a claim with your insurance company. The attorney should be fighting to get you the best possible result from your accident. If your uninsured motorists coverage allows compensation up to $100,000, normally the insurance company is going to try and hold on to every penny it can – but with an injury attorney on your side – you have a better chance at getting the money you deserve.