If you’ve been the victim of a hit and run accident, you may be unsure where to turn for compensation. Your best next step is to talk to an experienced Florida car accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. The attorneys at Harrell & Harrell fight for people who have been injured in motor vehicle accidents every day, and have the knowledge and experience to build the strongest possible case for you.
You can schedule a free consultation right now by calling (904) 251-1111 or filling out the contact form on this page. For now, the information on this page will help you understand the two possible scenarios after a hit and run accident, how you can protect your claim, and how an experienced hit and run car accident attorney can help.
When a negligent driver causes a car accident, that driver is typically responsible for any damages caused by the accident. That’s still true in a hit and run accident, but there’s an obvious problem: you can’t hold the negligent driver responsible if you don’t know who it was. The best approach to securing compensation for your injuries and other damages depends on whether the hit and run driver can be identified.
Most hit and run drivers are never identified. But, there are things you can do at the time of the accident and immediately after that can improve your chances of finding out who hit you.
First, take note of any information you can about the vehicle. The license plate number would be ideal, but any information such as make, model, approximate year, color, and any description of the person driving and any passengers can be helpful. Next, look around to see whether there were any witnesses or are cameras that might have captured the accident.
When you’ve been injured in a car accident, it’s always a good idea to consult a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. That’s especially important after a hit and run accident, because your hit and run car accident attorney may be able to help identify the driver who hit you. But, time may be extremely limited. For example, if video footage shows the car that hit you, it may only be available for a short time.
If the driver is identified, your claim can proceed like any other car accident claim. If the driver who hit you is insured, your attorney will file a claim with their insurance company, find out what coverage is available, and negotiate with the insurance carrier for a fair settlement. If the insurer doesn’t offer a fair settlement, your attorney may advise taking the case to a jury trial.
Your own uninsured motorist coverage may come into play in a hit and run accident in two different ways. Sometimes, the reason a driver leaves the scene is that they’re operating illegally, such as without insurance. If the hit and run driver is identified and doesn’t have motor vehicle insurance, your next step may be to make a claim with your own insurer. What you may not know is that uninsured motorist coverage may provide compensation after a hit and run accident even if the responsible driver is never identified.
Florida drivers aren’t required to carry uninsured motorist insurance, though your insurance carrier is required to offer it. If you don’t want the coverage, you must decline it in writing. That’s usually a bad idea. Whether and how much you can recover in this situation depends on whether you purchased uninsured motorist coverage and in what amount.
Whether you need help identifying the driver who hit you, have found their identity and want to pursue a claim for damages, or don’t have sufficient information to identify the driver and need to rely on uninsured motorist coverage, your next step should be to consult an experienced car accident lawyer. Acting quickly is always wise, since you may think that if you’ll be filing a claim with your own insurance company under your uninsured motorist coverage, you won’t need a lawyer. It would be nice to think that since you’re the insurance carrier’s customer and may have been paying them premiums for years, the process would be easier and less contentious. That isn’t always true, especially if your damages are significant. You’ll still be required to show that you were hit by a driver who couldn’t be identified, that the other driver was at fault, and that the accident was the cause of your injuries and other losses. You’ll also have to prove the amount of your damages.
When you hire a car accident attorney at Harrell & Harrell, you get the benefit of an experienced advocate who is fully dedicated to helping injured people get the compensation they deserve. We’ve served injury victims in the Jacksonville area for decades, and have recovered tens of millions of dollars for people injured in Florida motor vehicle accidents.
To learn more about how we can help, schedule a free consultation right now. Just call (904) 251-1111 or fill out our contact form.
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