What if You Are a Hit-and-Run Victim?

You were coming or going from work, running errands, out for a nice night on the town.

Before you know it, you’ve been in a serious accident. Unfortunately, the driver of the car or truck hitting you took off. In their wake, you and a passenger have injuries.

If this happened to you, how would you react?

Don’t Let the Driver Get Away with It

When you or those close to you are victims of a hit-and-run, there are things you need to take care of sooner than later.

Among the items to keep in mind:

1. Health – Above all else, make sure your health and the health of anyone with you in the hit-and-run is a priority. Cars and other such items are replaceable but people can’t. Anyone involved in the accident should get looked over. It is important to remember that some injuries do not show themselves right away. As a result, a concussion or even internal injuries could be present and not show immediately. By having everyone checked on by medical personnel at the scene or visiting a medical facility, everyone is better off.
2. Vehicle – In trying to track down info on the vehicle that left the scene, try and lookup a person’s license plate. Doing this has the potential to lead you to details. These can include the vehicle’s description, history and most of all, the driver. Although you’d like to think anyone causing an accident would stop, this does not always happen. As a result, the victims are oftentimes left to fend for themselves.
3. Witnesses – Were there any witnesses to the hit-and-run? If you have one or more witnesses, the hope is that they stopped to provide relevant information. What they saw and heard can make all the difference. They could be the ones to get the license plate and vehicle description before the driver left. Often, people will do the right thing and stop to provide details of what they’ve seen and heard.
4. Evidence – Along with the witnesses you hope come forward, there may also be video evidence. This is something you can provide to law enforcement and your insurance provider. Many individuals in today’s digital age have their cell phones with them most or all the time. As such, they may have taken a picture or two that can provide key evidence to the accident. There might also be some video evidence from nearby cameras. Examples of this would be cameras mounted on poles or lights at street corners. There might also be some cameras at nearby businesses to have captured what happened.
5. Next – Last, once your health and those with you is determined to be okay, you may shake your head about your auto. It is a natural reaction to be angry with the accident. That said before it is time to go car shopping if your vehicle is beyond repair, take some time to think things over. How safe was your most recent vehicle? If your recent car or truck is beyond repair, will the insurer be providing you with a replacement? Take into consideration all the moving parts before you rush off and get another auto.

When you’ve been the victim of a hit-and-run, make sure you don’t take it lying down.