Hit And Run Accidents
Hit and Run Accidents
West Plains, MO Accident Attorney
Hit and run auto accidents are among the most distressing traffic collisions, especially due to the fact that you may be entirely unaware of who caused the accident. When a person leaves the scene of an accident, whether it is instantaneously or after ten minutes, they are committing a serious crime. It is very important that you speak with a White Plains injury attorney from our firm as soon as possible to avoid the financial consequences of an accident of this nature.
What Are the Consequences for Leaving the Scene of an Accident?
There are many legal consequences connected to leaving the scene of an accident prematurely. The same goes for those drivers who fail to stop at all. Drivers who flee an accident scene and are later found may face the following consequences:
- Losing their driver's license to suspension or cancellation
- Imprisonment
- The driver's insurance company may choose to void his / her policy; if this occurs it will be extremely hard to get insured by any other given the circumstances that led to the void in the first place
As the victim of a hit and run accident, you do not have to sit idly by and simply suffer the consequences. In fact, you should do no such thing. Whether you are responsible for the accident that caused you injury or the other driver is primarily responsible, under no circumstances will it be considered lawful behavior to leave the scene of the accident early or fail to stop entirely. Doing so is grounds for criminal action, and as a victim, you are entitled to make a legal report of the incident.
Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage
If you have uninsured motorist coverage on your insurance policy, this will come into play with hit and run accidents if you are unable to find the person who is responsible for your injuries.
Even if you were the passenger in another person's vehicle, you still may be able to pursue a claim in a situation such as this. If the policy on the vehicle you were in allows for passengers to be reimbursed, a hit and run accident lawyer from our law firm can help you fight to secure financial compensation for your injuries.
Compensation for Non-Contact Accidents:
Under Missouri state law, you are allowed to even pursue financial compensation if another driver swerves into your lane, without hitting your vehicle, and causes you to drive off the side of the road. Even if the driver never made physical contact with your vehicle, you may still pursue financial compensation through this type of coverage if the person left the scene of the accident.
How to Identify the Responsible Driver
Some responsible drivers of an accident are unconcerned with their legal responsibility to remain at the scene of the accident until general matters have been properly attended to; some flee without even stopped. When this is the case, it can be difficult to identify the individual who is ultimately responsible for the collision that caused personal injury to you and / or property damage to your vehicle.
The best way to ensure that the responsible party of an accident is properly identified and held liable for his / her actions is by:
- Involving law enforcement professionals
- Involving legal professionals
Together, you, the attorney representing you and the police officers / investigators involved in the case can take specific actions that are geared towards identifying and locating the perpetrator of the accident including:
- Soliciting information from eye witnesses of the hit and run
- Law enforcement may be able to follow the responsible driver
When the driver cannot be identified and / or located immediately, your West Plains personal injury attorney and the local law enforcement officers that are working on your case can file reports and take further legal action to uncover the culprit of the accident which may include:
- Alerting local and nearby car repair shops of the recent accident and the type of car believed to be involved will tip off employees to look for damaged vehicles that match that description
- Police can even use forensic techniques of examination to look for traces of hair, blood or skin tissue both at the scene of the accident as well as on those cars suspected to be involved
Hit And Run FAQ:
Still have questions about your accident? Check out the following frequently asked questions, or contact Henry, Williams & Kinder, P.C. today to discuss your situation in a free case evaluation.
Q. Does my insurance cover hit and run accidents?
This depends on your level of insurance. If you carry uninsured driver or under-insured driver insurance, you may be able to file a claim for damages under this policy.
Q. How do police find hit and run drivers?
The police will go about finding the responsible driver via several methods including investigating any available surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, crowd-sourcing via social media, etc. If you have been involved in a hit and run it is crucial to report your accident to the police immediately.
Q. Are there still consequences if you left the scene of an accident but came back?
While returning to the scene of an accident does not necessarily remove the possibility of consequences, it can potentially work in the offender's favor if they return to the scene in a timely manner and fully cooperate with law enforcement.
Contact a Henry, Willams & Kinder, p.c. Injury Lawyer Today!
If you were the victim in a hit and run accident, your first step should be to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer from our team at Henry, Williams & Kinder, P.C. We have 80+ years of combined experience on our side and have handled a variety of different cases. Not only that, but we have been able to recover millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients, earning us a place in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®.
Should you choose to work with our team, you will be able to have peace of mind knowing that a strong legal advocate is fighting for your rights every step of the way. We will do everything in our power to get you the compensation you deserve.
Please, contact a West Plains injury attorney from our team for a free case evaluation if you have been injured.
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