Hit and Run Accidents: How Can I Get Compensated if I Don’t Know Who Hit Me?

If you were injured in a hit and run accident that wasn’t your fault, even if you got no details about the driver, you may still be compensated for your injuries and losses.

What is a Hit and Run Accident?

A hit and run is defined as a situation in which a driver deliberately leaves the scene of an accident without providing information. Some examples include:

• A driver crashes into your car and then speeds away.
• A driver hits a pedestrian and does not stop to offer assistance to the injured person.
• A driver hits your unattended, parked car and leaves no contact information.

In most states, leaving the scene of an accident that resulted only in property damage is a misdemeanor, but a driver who leaves the scene of an accident may face serious criminal charges if personal injury was involved.

Getting Compensated

If the police could successfully identify the driver responsible, and he had a valid insurance policy in place during the accident, you may bring a personal injury case against him. If he was not insured or you could not identify the person who hit you, you might recover by bringing a claim against the uninsured provision on your own insurance policy.

Uninsured motorist coverage will typically pay for your medical expenses and sometimes, for damage to your car. Some states require uninsured motorist coverage, some allow it but do not require it, and six states will not allow uninsured motorist coverage to be used for damages from a hit and run, including Ohio, Louisiana, Georgia, California, Illinois, and Colorado. In these states, other coverage such as personal injury protection, medical payments, and collision may cover injuries and car damage.