Typically, drivers involved in car accidents will have insurance coverage that will ultimately compensate a victim for their injuries and losses. However, if you are involved in a car accident where the driver leaves the scene of the accident, you have additional challenges when it comes to obtaining compensation for your injuries, damages, or losses.
Learn how an Atlanta car accident lawyer at Bader Scott Injury Lawyers can help you understand your legal rights after a hit-and-run accident. Call at (404) 888-8888 to get started with a free consultation.
What to Do After Your Hit-and-Run Accident
Contacting law enforcement after an accident will allow you to have a record of the crash on file, in the event that the driver comes forward at a later time. Additionally, law enforcement may have ways to examine traffic cameras or request the surveillance camera footage from nearby businesses.
If there were any witnesses to the accident and you were able to obtain their contact information, the police will also interview them in an attempt to discover who the other driver was in the hit-and-run accident. This evidence collected by police can play a vital role in your case.
For a free legal consultation with a hit-and-run accidents lawyer serving Atlanta, call (404) 888-8888
Write Down Everything You Remember
Take the time to write down everything you can remember regarding the accident. Ask yourself questions like:
- What was the color of the other car?
- Was it a 2-door or 4-door?
- Did it have any bumper stickers or unusual markings?
- Did it have any dents or missing parts?
Were you able to see what the driver looked like, or if there was a passenger in the vehicle?
Additionally, write down everything you can remember regarding the accident and how it occurred. This information can help your personal injury lawyer in Atlanta in an investigation and in a subsequent case if the other driver is located.
Keep Track of Your Medical Records and Expenses
If you suffered any injuries related to the hit-and-run accident, you should seek immediate medical attention. You will want to keep track of your treatment expenses, diagnoses, and other medical records related to the accident.
Even if you believe that you will not find the other driver and that you may not receive compensation for your injuries and losses, it is worthwhile to have these documents on-hand just in case. Types of injuries suffered following a hit-and-run accident may include:
- Traumatic brain injury.
- Internal organ damage.
- Internal bleeding.
- Aortic dissection.
- Broken or fractured bones.
- Nerve damage.
- Paralysis.
- Neck and spine injuries.
- Whiplash.
- Lacerations.
- Burns and bruising.
In some cases, victims of serious accidents do not feel the extent of their injuries due to either shock or adrenaline. Make sure to keep track of any conditions or injuries that develop from the accident later on, as well as any long-term effects of the incident.
Contact Your Insurance Company
In the event that you cannot locate the driver who caused your accident, liability insurance cannot cover your damages. Therefore, in order to have the ability to receive compensation for your injuries and losses from your own insurance company after a hit-and-run accident, you would need uninsured motorist insurance coverage.
The State of Georgia does not require that you purchase this additional insurance. Every driver in the state has the option to purchase this type of insurance in case of hit-and-runs and accidents involving motorists without valid insurance. You will have to contact your insurance company in order to determine whether or not you purchased uninsured motorist insurance coverage in your policy.
Atlanta Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer Near Me (404) 888-8888
Filing an Uninsured/Underinsured Claim
If you suffered injuries in a hit-and-run accident, you will need to file a claim with your insurance company if you have uninsured motorist insurance coverage on your policy. Your insurance company will then conduct an investigation into the accident, and also contact any witnesses that were at the scene of the hit-and-run.
It is important to remember that an insurance company does not always have the best interests of their clients in mind as they conduct their investigations, make determinations regarding liability, and calculate compensation.
Negotiations with insurance companies can be difficult, complex, and adversarial. In some cases, saying one thing incorrectly or inadvertently can decrease the amount of compensation offered in a settlement. Some of the tactics insurance companies use include the following:
- Requesting to tape or record official conversations in some way
- Requesting full documentation of complete medical records
- Attempting to manipulate a conversation to have a victim indicate some negligence of fault regarding the accident
- Asking seemingly innocent questions such as “How are you?” and if a victim responds “Fine” or “OK,” using those answers to decrease the amount of a settlement offer due to an indication that they were not seriously injured
Learn how an Atlanta hit-and-run accident lawyer at Bader Scott Injury Lawyers can help negotiate with an insurance company on your behalf in order to receive a fair and just settlement. Contact the firm at (404) 888-8888.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Learn How an Atlanta Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer Can Help
Being involved in a hit-and-run accident can be an overwhelming experience. Additionally, if you suffered injuries or losses as a result of a head-on collision, learn how the attorneys at Bader Scott Injury Lawyers can help you understand your legal rights, negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, and work to obtain a fair and just settlement. Contact us today at (404) 888-8888 or visit online to connect with our legal team.
Call or text (404) 888-8888 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
