When you are involved in a hit-and-run accident, one of the most important first steps you can take is to contact the police to report the incident. A hit-and-run accident occurs when someone strikes you with their vehicle and flees without providing their contact information. Even if they stop but flee, they could be held responsible. Talk to an Anaheim car accident lawyer today.
What to Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident’s Initial Aftermath
Right after an accident like this, the first thing you need to do is to take care of your health:
- Call 911 and wait for the police and help to arrive.
- Start documenting anything you can about the accident, including taking photos and videos of the area, the injuries you have, and the damage to your vehicle.
- Provide the police with any information you have about the person who hurt you.
- Get medical care. Go to the hospital and get checked out. Your insurance is there to cover these types of financial losses.
- Keep in touch with the police about your losses and what is happening with their investigation.
Follow all of your doctors’ medical recommendations diligently. This can help build your case over time. We want to ensure that your health is your priority.
Protect Yourself Throughout This Process
We strongly recommend protecting yourself throughout this process. That includes not putting yourself at risk of being struck or trying to chase the at-fault driver. Instead, take out your phone and start recording what is happening as soon as possible. You also need to be sure you are documenting anything you see. Take photos of evidence from their vehicle. Later, your attorney will work to develop any available evidence to support your case.
What to Do with Your Attorney
Once you are safe and can do so, contact a hit-and-run attorney. Our legal team can help you in several key ways.
- We get to work determining what evidence is available to determine who caused this accident. Ultimately, it is often in your best interest to file a claim against that party’s insurance policy.
- Our attorneys will then build your case by determining all of your losses and calculating any type of financial compensation owed to you. Even if you do not know who caused your accident, you need to do this.
- If you have uninsured motorist coverage, you will be able to file a claim against that policy in most situations. Doing so allows you to recover your damages up to the policy limits.
We also will keep in contact with the police to build your case against the at-fault party once they learn who it is. Today, it is easier than ever for police to track down those who cause such accidents.
Be sure that you protect your rights in this case. Do not speculate, publish information on social media, or make statements about what you were doing at the time of the accident.
Set Up a Free Consultation to Speak to a Hit-and-Run Accident Attorney
In many situations, victims find themselves dealing with all of these “should-have-done” tasks. Yet, the single most important thing you can do right now in an accident like this is to seek out legal help. Focus on your health and turn to a hit-and-run accident attorney who can guide you in pursuing full compensation.