We know being injured in a hit-and-run accident is beyond frustrating. After a careless person hits and injures you, they don’t even have the compassion or care to stop, make sure you’re ok, and own up to what they have done. After a hit-and-run accident, many people are stuck facing large medical and repair bills and wonder who is going to pay for all of it.
What Should you do Immediately after A Hit and Run Accident?
- Call 911
- Get the contact information from witnesses
- Tell the 911 operator if medical care is required
- Get the proper medical care you need
- If you’re able to, take pictures and videos of the accident scene
After these steps are completed, you’ll want to try to find the driver that injured you and then fled the scene. Having a personal injury law firm that has an investigator on staff is very important in this process. At Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers, our Investigator spent over two decades working for South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). From gathering and reviewing video evidence, interviewing witnesses, and using his resources and knowledge from 20+ years of doing police work he knows how to track down people and hold them accountable for what they’ve done.
If, however, it proves to be impossible to find the driver that hit you, there are still ways to get compensation. In South Carolina, all drivers are required Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM). That means, if you have auto insurance, you are already paying for this each month when you send the insurance company their monthly premium. You may be able to use your UM to help compensate you for your injuries and expenses.
Insurance companies always want to have the other driver’s insurance be the one to pay, so it can be tricky to get them to provide you compensation when the other driver was at fault. Don’t let them bully you around. You are often legally allowed to use your Uninsured Motorist Coverage on your own policy to make a claim to have your own insurance company provide you the compensation you need. Having a good lawyer on your side can help you navigate and negotiate this complicated process.
We handle these types of cases a lot. If you or someone you know has been hurt in a hit-and-run accident, give us a call. We’re here to help and answer your questions. As always consultations are free. Give our Columbia car accident lawyers a call today.
