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Why Do I Need to Hire a Hit and Run Accident Attorney?
You need to hire a hit and run accident attorney because these claims and lawsuits can be incredibly complicated. There are several steps in successfully completing a hit and run claim or lawsuit, including working with law enforcement to identify the driver who fled the scene. Completing these steps can be extremely difficult, if not impossible if you are suffering from injuries or coping with a loved one’s sudden death.
Hit and run accident attorneys understand the requirements that hit and run accident cases impose. Rather than trying to balance your recovery and case—all while learning the basics and complexities of hit and run claims—let a lawyer help.
Why Many Hit and Run Accident Victims Let a Lawyer Help Them
There are many thousands of hit and run accidents in the United States every year. When a motorist leaves the scene, the victim of the accident (who remains at the scene, as they should) is often at a loss for what to do.
The simplest solution for this uncertainty is to hire a lawyer. You may choose to hire a car accident attorney because:
- A lawyer will remove the uncertainty from a dumbfounding situation: Most motorists are shocked when someone leaves the accident scene. You may not know how to identify the fleeing motorist, what your options are for obtaining compensation, or which of those options to pursue. Your lawyer will answer these questions and minimize uncertainty during an (undoubtedly) unfamiliar situation.
- An attorney will work to track down the fleeing motorist: While you may obtain compensation even if you don’t identify the fleeing motorist, it’s best to find them. Your lawyer will work alongside law enforcement to try to find the motorist who left your accident scene. If they find them, you can sue them.
- You can prioritize recovery because a lawyer is handling your case: Auto accidents often leave victims with both physical and non-physical injury, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Your recovery may be involved and long-lasting. By hiring a lawyer, you can invest in your recovery like you need to.
- A lawyer provides many resources for your case: A lawyer will give their time and energy to your case. They may also hire experts, use their in-firm staff, and invest other resources in your case. Such resources are included in their fee, so you pay nothing extra for these valuable assets.
- A lawyer needs no upfront or out-of-pocket compensation from you: Hit and run accident lawyers generally offer contingency fees to clients who are often facing difficult financial circumstances. This fee structure means your attorney only receives a fee if they succeed for you, so you don’t face any direct financial liability for retaining an attorney.
- You can leverage a lawyer’s experience simply by hiring them: Many attorneys have a wealth of experience that allows them to handle claims and lawsuits effectively. As soon as you retain a lawyer, you gain the direct benefit of such experience.
As you can see, there is more than enough reason to hire a hit and run accident lawyer. Don’t wait, as there are typically deadlines for filing insurance claims and lawsuits related to hit and run accidents.
Why Hit and Run Accident Cases Can Be Incredibly Complicated
There are many reasons why a motorist may have left the scene of your accident. About 14 percent of motorists are uninsured at any given time. One person dies every 39 minutes in a drunk-driving accident, suggesting an abundance of intoxicated motorists on the road at all times. These are just a couple of reasons why someone might leave an accident scene.
Finding out who the fleeing motorist is and why they left your accident scene is just one of the many challenges your case will present. Some other complicating factors include:
- Working with your local police department: The attorney you hire may have a history of working with local law enforcement on hit and run cases. This will ensure your lawyer does everything in their power to identify the motorist who has caused you harm (and attempted to avoid accountability).
- Determining how to seek compensation for you: There are many potential strategies in hit and run cases. Your attorney will create a personalized plan based on several variables. You can be certain your lawyer is implementing the best strategy for your unique circumstances.
- Dealing with insurance companies: Dealing with insurers is always a challenge. These companies often place their financial interests above accident victims’. Your lawyer will counter any attempts to underpay you, including lowball offers, delays, and hardball negotiation tactics.
- Obtaining every dollar you deserve: You shouldn’t strive just to get compensation for your accident. You deserve every single penny you are entitled to. Obtaining such a fair financial recovery is not easy, and a lawyer will be up to the challenge.
A hit and run motorist may face punitive damages because they showed reckless disregard for your safety. Your hit and run accident lawyer will get to the bottom of why the motorist fled your accident, with help from law enforcement officials. Ultimately, though, it is important that a motorist caused your accident—this will be reason enough for them to cover your damages.
How Your Hit and Run Accident Attorney Will Fight for Your Financial Recovery
You may need to file multiple insurance claims and even a lawsuit. Your lawyer will oversee every aspect of these processes for you, and completing these processes successfully may require:
Finding the Hit and Run Motorist
Investigations into hit and run accidents are urgent. Trying to find the motorist who fled your accident scene will be one of your lawyer’s top priorities.
Your attorney will ask law enforcement officials for any information they have, gather all evidence that indicates who the motorist is, and work hard to find the person responsible for your collision. Video cameras are ever-present today, so your lawyer may have a strong chance of identifying the fleeing driver.
Detailing the Accident
Whether or not your lawyer can find the at-fault driver, they will secure evidence related to your accident. Such evidence may include:
- All relevant eyewitness accounts
- Any video of the accident (which may also include video of the motorist fleeing the scene)
- Photographs of damage to your vehicle
- The police report detailing the accident, including the motorist’s decision to flee
- Any other evidence that documents how your accident happened
This evidence will likely be relevant to any insurance claims or lawsuits you file.
Proving Your Damages
You will seek compensation either through an insurance claim (or multiple claims) or a lawsuit. However your lawyer fights for your financial recovery, they will prove the nature and value of your damages using:
- Medical records, including doctors’ specific diagnoses of your injuries and symptoms
- A doctor’s advice for treatment you need to receive
- Medical bills
- Photographs, X-rays, MRIs, and any other images of your injuries
- A mental health service provider’s diagnosis of your pain and suffering (which may include PTSD, anxiety, and depression)
- Invoices for vehicle repairs, replacement of a totaled vehicle, and temporary transportation
Your employment history and income statements may also be relevant. Such documents may prove the income you have lost because of the effects of your hit and run accident.
Calculating Your Case Value
The value of your case will depend on:
- The specific injuries you suffered during the collision
- The unique symptoms you experience
- The specific medical services you require because of the accident
- The severity of your pain and suffering (and the treatments you need for that pain and suffering)
- The severity of damage to your vehicle
- The extent to which your injuries interfere with your work and the period for which you are unable to work in your typical capacity
Your attorney will evaluate your damages on a human level. They will consider both the financial costs you’ve suffered and the non-economic challenges resulting from the accident.
Negotiating with Liable Parties
Lawyers first calculate their client’s case value, and then they demand that liable parties provide a settlement equaling that value. Depending on many factors, your lawyer may seek compensation from one or more insurers or directly from the fleeing motorist.
Because hit and run motorists show a wanton disregard for their victim’s safety, your lawyer may demand punitive damages. This request could mean you receive compensation beyond the cost of your economic and non-economic damages.
Filing Any Lawsuit You Choose to File (Which May Require Identifying the Hit and Run Driver)
Though a hit and run motorist is the party you’re most likely to sue, they may not be the only one exposed to a lawsuit. For instance, if the motorist was working when they caused your accident, their employer could be liable.
Some of the parties that you may sue after your accident include:
- The motorist who caused the collision then left the accident scene
- The manufacturer or seller of a defective vehicle (such defects may have contributed to the collision)
- A municipality that created or allowed dangerous road conditions
- Any other party whose negligence contributed to your accident
Attorneys understand liability well, as it is a critical topic in every case they handle. Allow a lawyer to determine who is financially responsible for your damages, then demand that those parties pay you.
Taking Your Case to Court
The odds of your case going to court are statistically low—this is a possible outcome, though. If you decide you want to go to trial, your attorney will serve as your representative in the courtroom.
Whether Through Insurance or a Lawsuit, Your Lawyer Will Demand Fair Compensation
Some of the ways that hit and run accident victims get compensation are:
- Suing the fleeing motorist: If your attorney learns who the fleeing motorist is, you are well within your rights to sue them. It will need to make financial sense to sue, and your lawyer will help determine if it does.
- Suing another party: If a party other than the fleeing motorist is financially liable for your accident-related damages, you may choose to sue them. Your lawyer will alert you to such parties and explain if suing those parties makes sense.
- Filing an insurance claim with the fleeing motorist’s provider: Fleeing motorists often lack insurance (that’s why some of them flee). However, if the hit and run motorist has insurance, their provider may have to cover some or all of your accident-related losses.
- Filing a claim with your own auto insurance provider: Uninsured and underinsured (UM/UIM) motorist coverage is a key financial lifeline when an at-fault motorist leaves an accident scene. Your lawyer will file and resolve any UM/UIM claim you need to file with your insurance provider.
Determining how to seek compensation requires critical thought, a firm grasp of all relevant information, and an understanding of both insurance claims and lawsuits. A lawyer’s advice and services will be priceless in helping you choose the best course of action.
What Damages Can I Expect a Lawyer to Include in Their Settlement Demands?
No two people suffer the exact same damages due to their hit and run accidents. Attorneys know this, so they evaluate their clients case-by-case.
There are common damages that emerge in many hit and run claims and lawsuits, though, and they include:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Lost earning power
- Vehicle repair costs
- The cost of replacing a totaled vehicle
- Pain and suffering
- Mental health services
- Temporary transportation
When you zoom in, these damages become far more complicated. For instance, pain and suffering can include many different psychological conditions, physical pain, emotional anguish, and loss of quality of life.
A detail-minded lawyer will account for all of your accident-related damages, triple-check their calculation of your case’s value, and pursue the entire settlement or verdict your damages entitle you to.
Find Your Hit and Run Accident Attorney Today
You must not forget that your hit and run claim or lawsuit likely comes with multiple deadlines. Those who wait before hiring a personal injury lawyer risk missing their filing window, which can prevent them from pursuing a full and fair financial recovery.
Find a well-reviewed, accomplished personal injury attorney today and task them with leading your case.