When another driver causes a car accident and flees the scene, the overwhelming task of navigating insurance claims and legal proceedings after your hit-and-run accident can feel insurmountable. Plus, you may need to deal with physical injuries, emotional trauma, and mounting medical bills, all without knowing who caused your accident. But you have rights, and you deserve experienced legal advocacy to protect those rights for you.
What Should You Do Immediately After a Hit-and-Run Accident?
- Immediately after your accident, check yourself and any passengers for injuries. Call 911 right away if anyone needs medical attention, even if your injuries seem minor at first.
- Try to gather as much information as you can about the car that hit you. Write down the license plate number if you happened to see it, along with the make, model, color, and any unique features of the vehicle that you caught. If anyone else saw what happened, ask for their contact information.
- Take photos of everything: Your car damage, the area around the accident, any pieces left behind from the other car, and all visible injuries.
How Can You Identify the Hit-and-Run Driver?
After your hit-and-run accident, the police will check any nearby traffic cameras, look at security footage from nearby businesses, and talk to people in the area who might have seen something. Even if you only got part of the license plate number, police can use that information to narrow down possible responsible parties. They may also look for cars with damage that matches your accident at local repair shops, since hit-and-run drivers often try to get their cars fixed quickly to avoid getting caught.
What Insurance Coverage Applies to Hit-and-Run Accidents?
You will likely need to file a claim under your own policy’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy, which all Pennsylvania drivers must possess. This coverage can help cover up to $5,000 of your related medical expenses.
Additionally, because Pennsylvania law treats unknown drivers as uninsured motorists, your Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage can kick in to help pay for your medical injuries, with a minimum of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident.
Some policies also include rental car coverage, giving you a way to get around while your car is being serviced.
How Long Do You Have to File a Legal Claim?
The Pennsylvania statute of limitations generally gives car accident victims a two-year period to file a civil personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party for compensation. However, the law makes a special exception for hit-and-run cases: Because you probably do not know the identity of the driver immediately, this two-year clock does not start to tick until you find out the identity of the responsible driver.
What Compensation Can Hit-and-Run Victims Recover?
In most cases, hit-and-run accident victims can use their insurance policy and any compensation from a successful personal injury lawsuit to pay for emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgery, physical therapy, and ongoing treatment costs. You can also use this compensation to make up for any lost wages, especially if you have to miss work because of your injuries.
Get the Legal Support You Need From Our King of Prussia Car Accident Lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC
If you suffer injuries in a hit-and-run accident, let our experienced King of Prussia car accident lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC handle all the complicated legal and insurance matters. Call 215-569-8488 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation. Located in Philadelphia and Abington, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware, we serve clients in the surrounding areas.