Hit and Run Car Accidents

Any car accident can be a scary and stressful situation, but little compares to the feeling of being the victim of a “hit-and-run” accident. Some hit-and-run accidents occur when a reckless driver hits another car and drives away without exchanging contact information. Other times, a driver hits a pedestrian with his or her car and then flees the scene. Hit-and-run accidents can also occur when a driver damages another person’s vehicle or property while the victim was elsewhere.

No one deserves to be in a hit-and-run accident, but if you do find yourself if this situation, there are a few steps you should take. Most importantly, seek medical attention if you or someone else was seriously injured by the accident. The next thing to do is to take a deep breath and calm down as much as possible. When a person is involved in a sudden stressful even like a car accident, adrenaline, the fight or flight hormone, floods their system. This hormone can make a hit-and-run victim feel overwhelmed and frantic. It is important to try to stay as calm as possible.

As a victim, your second step is to collect as much information as possible. Make a note of the model, make, and color of the vehicle. If possible, you should try to recall any portion the license plate number that may have been visible. It is important to write this information down as soon as you are able. The extreme emotions experienced during and after a hit-and-run can make recalling information by memory at a later date very difficult.

It is also vital to contact any witnesses to the accident. Ask them for their names and phone numbers so that you can contact them if you need to in the future. Before leaving the scene of the accident, write down key facts about the accident such as the time and location of the accident and take pictures of the accident scene. If your car was hit by the driver, take pictures of any damage or paint left by the other car. Of course, if you can snap a picture of the other vehicle this can also be beneficial, though by definition, this is often impossible after a hit-and-run accident.

Having more information about the vehicle increases the chances that the police will find the at-fault driver. A full account of what happened also helps your car insurance company make decisions about your claim.

At Corsiglia McMahon & Allard, L.L.P., our dedicated San Jose auto accident lawyers work hard to protect the rights of hit-and-run victims. Negligent drivers should be held accountable for the harm they cause, and victims deserve financial compensation. If you or a loved one has been involved in a hit-and-run accident, contact us at (408) 289-1417 to schedule a free initial consultation.

• Tips For Handling A Hit And Run Driver Claim
• Fatal hit-and-run crashes on rise in U.S.