Boynton Beach Hit & Run Lawyer
When a car accident happens, all drivers involved are legally required to pull over and exchange their contact and insurance information with each other. Failure to do so is known as a hit and run, and there are criminal penalties for leaving the scene of a crash without communicating with the other drivers involved. When it is impossible to communicate with a driver after hitting his or her vehicle, the driver who hit the vehicle must at least leave a note with his or her contact information on it. When a hit and run results in injuries, the victim can pursue compensation for his or her losses in a few different ways, contact our Boynton Beach hit & run lawyers today.
What to Do After a Hit and Run
Do all that you can to identify the driver. Without compromising your safety by darting into traffic on foot or driving a severely damaged vehicle, try to note as many details as you can about the vehicle, like:
- Its make;
- Its model;
- If possible, its year or year range. It can even be helpful to simply note whether it looks like a relatively new vehicle or an older one;
- Its color;
- If possible, its license plate. Even noting a few of its license plate’s digits is more helpful in identifying the driver than having no license plate information;
- The direction it was headed;
- Anything distinctive about the vehicle, like its bumper stickers or specific modifications; and
- Any details you could see about the driver, like his or her age, gender, race, and approximate age.
If there are witnesses around who saw the collision, ask them to help you identify the vehicle. Be sure to take down their names and contact information as well. You might need to contact them later for testimonies to support your claim later.
Seeking Compensation for your Hit and Run Damages
When you are injured by a driver who leaves the scene of the accident, you can still recover compensation for your damages through an insurance claim. For damages under $10,000, you can file a personal injury protection (PIP) claim with your own insurance provider.
Depending on the value of your damages, this might not be your only option. If you can located the driver, you could be entitled to file a personal injury claim with his or her automobile insurance provider to recover compensation for your:
- Medical expenses;
- Lost wages; and
- Pain and suffering damages.
And if you cannot locate the driver, you have another option: an uninsured motorist claim. This is a claim with your own insurance provider that covers your damages in the event you are injured by an uninsured motorist or one you cannot locate.
Work with an Experienced Boynton Beach Car Accident Lawyer
If you are injured in a hit and run accident, you have rights. Work with an experienced car accident lawyer to file the type of claim that is appropriate for your case to ensure that you exercise your rights and do your due diligence to pursue compensation for your damages. To get started with our firm, contact Leifer & Ramirez today to set up your initial consultation with us.
