Hit-and-Run Accidents: Steps Victims Should Take
When you’re driving back home after a long and tiring day, all you want is to reach your destination quickly and safely. But if you get into an accident, especially due to someone else’s fault, it can turn your peaceful drive into a chaotic situation.
And when the party at-fault drives off without even stopping for once? Well, that’s a hit-and-run case, and it’s even more frustrating, unfair, and a serious crime.
You’ll be rightfully angry, confused, and shocked! So, what to do in such situations, how can you make the other party accountable? Knowing the answers can help you take the right step, protect yourself, and get the compensation and the justice you deserve.
So, today, we’re gonna talk about exactly that!
What are Hit-and-Run Accidents?
To know what steps to take if you’re in a hit-and-run accident, you should first have an idea about what it means and if you’re in a similar situation or not. So, here, we’ve explained it all!
If a driver hits another person, vehicle, or property and drives away without stopping to help or share information, then you can call it a hit-and-run accident. Over the last few years, millions of such crashes have caused damage and taken the lives of people in America. These accidents usually involve –
- Car-on-car crashes
- Pedestrian or cyclist accidents
- Property damage (like hitting a parked car or fence).
If you leave an accident (even a minor one) in California, it’s against the law. So, if someone causes you harm and drives away, it’s actually a criminal offense.
What You Should Do Right After a Hit-and-Run Accident
If you’re a victim of a hit-and-run accident, you don’t have to feel powerless! You can take these actions to protect yourself and your rights.
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Step 1: Stay Calm and Don’t Go after the Driver
If you’re having an urge to go after the driver, then you need to take a deep breath, control yourself, and wait, as chasing them can be risky. The other driver might be aggressive and even impaired. So, instead, you can –
- Pull over to a safe area
- Check if you’re injured or not
- Calm yourself so you can think properly.
Doing these is the first step of taking back control during such emergencies!
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Step 2: Call 911
You need to report the situation right away without leaving the accident area. When you call the police immediately,
- You can file an official report
- They can send emergency responders to check for your injuries
- They can help you with what to do next.
Plus, filing a report can be one of the most important pieces of evidence for your insurance and legal claims later on.
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Step 3: Note and Collect Information
In these kinds of emergencies, even small details can help you in your legal claims later. You can take several photographs and videos of the accident scene, your injuries, and your car. Also, you need to note –
- The color, make, or model of the vehicle
- The license plate number (even partial helps)
- The direction the car went
- The exact time and location of the crash
If you can get more evidence, it will make your case stronger!
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Step 4: Get Medical Help
Even if you don’t have any major injuries and feel “fine,” it’s still important to get medical help. Some injuries, like whiplash, internal bleeding, etc., can show up later and get worse with time. So, the earlier you get medical attention, the better you’ll be able to –
- Take care of your health
- Connect your injuries to the hit-and-run accident (which can strengthen your case later on).
You can ask the police for help and go to a nearby hospital.
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Step 5: Talk to a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
You can pursue a personal injury case against the opposite party to get the compensation you deserve for the accident. For this, you need to talk to a reputable lawyer who can –
- Investigate the accident and collect more evidence
- File an insurance and legal claim on time
- Negotiate a fair settlement to get you the compensation you deserve
- Talk to your insurance company (if needed) and also your opposite party’s insurance company
- Represent you in court, if needed.
When you have a knowledgeable personal injury attorney by your side, they can help you protect your rights by providing expert legal advice!
What Compensation Can You Get by Filing a Personal Injury Case?
In California, you can have two years (statute of limitations) from the date of a hit-and-run accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. But the sooner you file a report and pursue your compensation, the better it is for your case.
When you file a case with the help of a Sacramento personal injury attorney, you can get compensation for –
- Lost Income
- Property Damage
- Physical Suffering
- Loss of Earning Capacity
- Emotional Trauma and Suffering
- Punitive Damages (in severe cases)
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Get Legal Help from Our Experienced Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer Today! |
Questions You Might Have About Hit-and-Run Accidents
➢ Will my insurance rates go up after a hit-and-run?
Usually not, if you weren’t at fault. Your insurer may use your uninsured motorist coverage without penalizing you, but this can vary by company and policy.
➢ Can I still recover compensation if the hit-and-run driver isn’t found?
Yes! You can get compensation through your own insurance policy or, in some cases, the California Victim Compensation Board.
➢ Should I file a claim if the hit-and-run accident involved a company or delivery vehicle?
Yes. You can still take legal action and file a personal injury claim against the company’s insurance policy if a commercial or delivery driver caused the accident.
Takeaway
Being in a hit-and-run accident can be quite a challenging situation to handle on your own. So, you don’t have to face it alone. You can contact an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer to file a case and get your compensation to cover your medical costs and more. They can help you with useful legal advice, look for more evidence, fight for you in court, and protect your rights when it matters the most!
Rely on Doyle & O’Donnell for Compassionate and Transparent Legal Support
At Doyle & O’Donnell, we have over 30 years of experience in giving expert legal advice to clients and fighting their personal injury cases. When you hire our seasoned Sacramento personal injury attorney, they’ll ensure you get the maximum compensation you deserve quickly.
We’ve already recovered several dollars of compensation for our satisfied clients who’ve been in hit-and-run accidents. So, we know how to deal with different types of personal injury claims. We listen to your problems, show you compassion, and always keep you in the loop about what’s going on in your case.
Call our personal injury lawyer now at 916-545-6550, and we’ll take care of the rest.