Steps you can take after being injured in a Hit and Run Accident
Accidents are dangerous and can turn your life upside down. Well, no one can stop the accidents. All we can do is try to be as secure as possible.
Hit and Run accidents occur when a driver crashes into another vehicle, personal property, or a person and then instantly leaves the accident site without offering any help to the injured.
The number of hit and run cases is increasing gradually. Most disturbing is the big hike in the number of bicyclists and pedestrians killed by hit and run drivers. The main concern is the nature of hit and run accidents. Most drivers do not get caught. They hit, run, and they hide. In several cases, the driver leaves so promptly the injured victim does not get a chance to look at the driver. Without identifying data, the driver normally gets away.
Dealing with the outcomes of the accident, injured victims are stunned and frustrated. There will be lost wages, medical bills piling up while the victim is injured. He is unable to get back to work. This is the reason that you need to hire an accident lawyer. They need compensation for injuries and their repercussions. Hit and run accidents do not have to mean financial ruin, even if the guilty driver is never exposed. Here is what you need to know about obtaining compensation.
Common reasons drivers run from an accident:
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Lack of insurance
- The car is borrowed or stolen
- Possession of stolen property or drugs
- Suspended driver’s license or no license
- Outstanding arrest warrants
- The driver is in the country illegally
How to Protect Your Injury Claim?
Shortly after a hit and run accident, what you do next will guard your physical health and preserve your future compensation claims. Your actions will create a significant record of the accident and serve as evidence that your injuries and property damage are the direct consequence of a hit and run.
Here are the things that you can do if you are a victim of a hit and run:
Stay where you are: Never try to follow the hit-and-run driver. It’s risky for you and could weaken your claim by generating doubt about what happened and where it happened.
Call 911 to report the accident: Tell the dispatcher you are hurt, and if anyone else is hurt. Describe the vehicle that hit you in as complete detail as possible.
Write everything in detail: Write down everything you can memorize about the car and driver who hit you. Record everything into your cell phone if you’re too shaky to write. Do not leave anything out.
The police can use every piece of information to find the at-fault driver.
Make detailed notes about your experience of the collision including fear and pain. Keep a record of your daily struggles during treatment, and how the hit and run accident has impaired your quality of life.
Describe the way the car was traveling, if it had just turned a corner, and which way the driver went after the accident. Also, note down the contact information of the witnesses.
Take Pictures: Photographs and video footage can be a reliable proof of your injury claim and potential future prosecution of the hit and run driver. If you’re able, use your mobile or another device to take as many pictures as possible of your wrecked vehicle, and the area around the accident.
Photos of your injuries are great proof for strengthening your case. Photographs of your torn and bloodied clothing, twisted cycle, or you in a hospital bed can all be compelling proof of your injuries, pain, and suffering.
License plate lookup: If you have a license plate number, you may be able to determine the owner through the department of motor vehicles. The owner may not have been the driver who hit you, but you may still be able to make a damage claim against the vehicle owner’s coverage.
Get an accident lawyer: If you have ever been injured in a hit and run accident in Georgia, you must hire a personal injury lawyer in Georgia, USA. An accident lawyer can help you by taking care of all your legal matters. They will collect all the evidence to ensure that you get paid for your injuries and their repercussions.
Do not risk making any costly mistakes. Discuss your options with a personal injury attorney before attempting to contact the driver or car owner directly.
Leaving the scene of an accident that caused death or injuries is a violation. In a criminal case, the vehicle’s driver is the guilty party.
If the driver is not the owner, only the driver is criminally responsible, except when the driver and owner were violating the law at the time of the accident. In that case, both are criminally accountable.
