The feeling of being left alone, injured at the scene of a crash is devastating. No one is really mentally prepared for this kind of situation, but you should try your best to remain calm. Keep a cool head and take steps towards getting the medical attention you need and documenting the details of the accident to preserve any future personal injury claims you may be looking to make later on.
What Do I Do After a Hit and Run Crash?
If you have been the injury victim of a hit and run crash, call 911. You will need immediate medical attention as well as law enforcement at the scene to collect and document any details of the crash. If possible, take pictures of the crash scene. Get the contact information of any witnesses to the crash. Document any details regarding the other vehicle that took off after the crash. Do you remember the make, model, and color of the car? Did you get a look at the driver? Anything of these details may help locate the other driver. Be sure to get checked out right away by a medical professional and comply with any follow up treatment instructions. Making sure your injuries are properly addressed should be priority one.
Who Pays in Hit and Run Crashes?
While getting proper medical care should absolutely be your priority, it can be stressful to watch medical bills pile up when you don’t know who will pay for them. You may have missed work or your injuries will require you to get a new job or be unemployed indefinitely. Who will pay for all of your expenses is a valid question and one that will most definitely be on your mind.
When a person is injured in a crash caused by the negligence of another, it is usually the at-fault driver who will be on the hook for paying damages to the victims of his or her negligence. However, in a hit and run crash, you may not ever know the identity of the at-fault driver. If this is the case, you will have to rely on your own insurance coverage to pay. Your personal injury protection (PIP) coverage will cover all or part of your medical expenses, depending on the extent of your injuries. If you have additional MedPay coverage, this will help cover medical expenses as well. Collision coverage will help pay for property damage sustained in the crash. If you have medical expenses that go well beyond PIP or MedPay coverage, you can make a claim under your uninsured motorist coverage (UM), if you carry it on your insurance policy.
Dedicated Personal Injury Attorney
While you may have been left alone at the scene of the crash, you do not have to go through all of this on your own. Hit and run crashes can be complicated, to say the least. You can count on the skill and experience at MPJ Law Firm to get you through the personal injury claims process and to follow up with any possible avenue of monetary recovery. Contact us today.
Posted in: Automobile Accidents