Working With a Personal Injury Lawyer After a Hit-and-Run Accident

After a hit-and-run accident, it’s important to speak with a professional attorney to determine the specific laws around legal proceedings in your state. It can be difficult to root through the information by yourself, and that’s where a personal injury attorney can come into play.

What Constitutes a Hit-and-Run?

When an auto accident occurs, under no circumstance should the driver of either vehicle leave the scene until insurance and identification information has been exchanged. Unluckily for everyone, the person responsible for the damage may suddenly panic and flee the scene.

The frustrating truth is that situations like this happen all the time. It happens in simpler accidents in which someone has damaged your car while it was parked. Maybe someone damaged some aspect of your property before fleeing. The good news is you may be entitled to take legal action against this individual. The party proven to be responsible may face fines, or even jail time, depending on the nature of the events.

Hit-and-run accidents that result in injury are always serious offenses. You may choose to speak with a personal injury lawyer to pursue a lawsuit for a couple of reasons. If you or your vehicle have been severely damaged as a result of a hit and run, or if you incurred serious injuries in the aftermath, you’ll want to talk to someone.

The process may be lengthy, but you’ll want an attorney on your side to ensure the deadlines are regularly met and all requirements are filled. Plus, you won’t have to worry about dealing with huge insurance companies on your own. This is a big benefit when you’re likely already facing damage from the incident.

What Can I Do After a Hit-and-Run?

Representing yourself in court without an immense amount of background information about the court systems is difficult, at best, on a normal day. You can realistically expect it to be an even larger challenge when you’re physically, emotionally, and psychologically damaged by the victimizing nature of the situation. It may seem like a load of work to hire a personal injury lawyer.

However, this is the most efficient way to ensure that you get all of what you’re owed. Insurance companies have to handle these situations on a regular basis. They’re familiar with the ways they can wiggle out of providing full reimbursements. What if the other person doesn’t even have insurance? This doesn’t help you get back to regular life, and it doesn’t help you recover lost funds from vehicle repairs or replacements.

If you’ve been a victim of a hit-and-run accident, the police are trained to handle it. They will likely identify the perpetrator. But if they are unable to do so, you may need help getting your insurance company to provide the reimbursement you’re owed. If the other person is located and they are indisputably responsible for the accident, you’ll be able to sue them.

It’s important for all legal proceedings to get started right away. If your injuries prevent you from feeling capable of doing so, you can have a loved one help you. Or simply aim to get started as soon as you recover enough. If possible, get photos of the scene of the crime. You’re going to want photos of all the damage, all medical records that were a direct result of the accident, and copies of police reports. You also want to ensure that you appear to be a trustworthy and reputable source of information for the court. A personal injury attorney can also assist you with this.

What Can I Be Reimbursed For?

This is an important question in terms of what to expect as you move forward. How much can you actually get back from a case like this? Try to keep track of these things as you recover:

• Any and all medical bills you incur, including prescriptions and caretakers
• The wages you have lost as a result, both present and future
• Auto bills the insurance company would not cover
• Resulting property damage (fence, mailbox, etc)
• Damage to your lifestyle as a result of your injuries or property

The quality of your legal representation will play a huge part in how effectively your case will hold up in court. Find a personal injury lawyer dedicated to helping you acquire what you’re owed if you have truly been a victim of a hit-and-run accident.

Victims who suffer from injuries caused by another driver’s negligence have the legal right to seek compensation for their pain and suffering, but this process can be complicated.

That’s where we come in. Our experienced car accident attorneys provide free consultations about an injury victim’s rights after an accident. We understand what you are going through, and we can help get you back on your feet.

Throughout your case, our firm will be with you every step of the way. We work quickly to gather evidence and build a compelling argument in your favor so that you can focus on getting better and moving forward with your life after an auto accident.

At Wood, Atter and Wolf, we strive to solve the most important problems when a client suffers personal injury.

The proven methods we employ create a working environment that allows all parties to resolve their differences.

Call us at (904) 355-8888 or schedule a consultation here. Together, we can make it through this stressful time in your life.