It’s awful to think that this information is needed, but unfortunately, hit and runs can and do happen. For whatever reason, on occasion, drivers in an accident will take off without offering details to make a report; whether that be for insurance or with the police.
If you’re in an accident, you are required, by law, to stop, make sure everyone is OK, and exchange details so that you can both deal with the situation, in whatever way is required based on the severity of the accident. If you fail to do this, it can be classed as a hit and run. In that case, it becomes a crime, as opposed to an accident, where the one who did not stop will become liable for fines, potential jail time and may forfeit their ability to claim insurance.
When you’ve been shocked by a vehicle accident, it’s hard to know what to do after a hit and run. But if someone hits your car and drives off, this is classed as a hit and run and it needs to be reported. To do this, you need to try and get as much information as possible about the driver that didn’t stop. Try to write down information about the car so that police may be able to identify them. These include:
Once you have made sure that everyone in your car is safe and out of harm’s way, you should also gather information about the accident. If it’s safe, this would include taking pictures at the scene, to show police and your insurance company where the accident occurred, as well as the damage to your car. If it’s not safe to take pictures, you should write all of this down in as much detail as you can.
The accident should be reported to the police within 24 hours, in the event that no one was seriously injured.
If you’ve been injured in a hit and run accident and were unable to identify the driver, you can make a hit and run accident claim under the nominal defendant scheme. This scheme is specifically for those who have been injured by an unknown vehicle, allowing you to access compensation from insurance.
If you do get the drivers registration plate number as they drove off, you should get in touch with the insurance commission in your state, and they will be able to provide the details of the person’s compulsory third party insurer. Then you can make a claim through them.
In accidents such as hit and runs, you need experts on your side who will get you the compensation you deserve for the suffering you have endured.
What’s My Claim Worth allows you to calculate the value of your claim and connect you with hit and run legal experts who will get you the compensation you deserve.
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