Hit and runs are considered a two-fold crime: first, the defendant injures or kills an innocent driver, passenger or pedestrian, and then he/she makes a break for it. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one in ten crashes involves a hit and run driver.
One search online and you can read numerous stories involving hit and run accidents. Just this week, one hit and run driver caused a four-car crash that injured eight people, including two children. In another story, a pregnant bike rider was struck from behind, in what police officers say could have been a deliberate occurrence.
The saddest hit-and-run stories involve fatalities. In one story, a 26-year-old died in the arms of his girlfriend after a hit-and-run accident that might have been intentional. Another story tells of a young aspiring actress, only 21 years old, killed in a hit and run accident, as she was just beginning to realize her acting potential.
What steps should you take, in the event of a hit and run?
- Notify police
- Ensure your family’s safety by getting out of the road
- Get information from witnesses
- Write down everything you can about the car that hit you: license plate or make, model, and color
- Seek compensation: if you can’t file a claim against the hit and run driver, you can file a claim with your own insurance company
When you sustain injuries, or if a loved one is killed as the result of a hit and run accident, you are entitled to compensation. In the wake of a hit-and-run accident, contact a personal injury attorney immediately.
A personal injury lawyer can help you file a claim and can make sure your rights are upheld throughout the entire process. Don’t feel more victimized than necessary after a hit-and-run accident- fight back today by securing the proper legal representation!