Michigan has a considerable number of hit and run accident injury victims these days. A hit-and-run accident occurs when a vehicle runs into another car, person, or bicyclist and doesn’t stop to identify. Instead, the vehicle driver leaves their victim to deal with the situation alone. In this situation, the hit and run victim could left with vehicle repair costs, medical bills, and being forced to loss time from work. You shouldn’t be burdened with these financial costs of a hit and run wreck you didn’t cause.
The following dos and don’ts of Michigan hit-and-run accidents and how hit and run lawyers can help you get compensation from your applicable uninsured motorist coverage.
Your first concern after a hit-and-run car crash should be your health so get yourself examined by a doctor. You and anyone else involved in the car accident need to be evaluated by a doctor to determine precisely how bad you were injured. Make sure you tell the emergency room or trauma center everything that hurts from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. Don’t leave any details out, no matter how small you think they are.
This immediate medical care will help establish a trail of evidence for your injuries. After visiting the emergency room, you should follow up with your primary care physician or any specialists you are recommended. If you fail to get the necessary treatment, the insurance company may claim you aren’t injured.
If you are able, you should immediately call 911 to report the hit and run accident to the police. Your auto insurance policy in most cases will require that you report the hit & run accident to the police within 24 hours or soon as you reasonably can if you were badly injured. The police will have a better chance of finding the hit and run driver if you report the accident right after it happened.
If you can walk around after the accident, ask all witnesses for their contact information or take a picture of their identification. You should get their names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. Your lawyer will want to speak with everyone who witnessed the crash after starting your case.
The witnesses can help you establish the hit and run driver was at fault and help provide details about the person and vehicle who hit your vehicle and left the scene in a hit-and-run.
As soon as you’re able, you should make written notes of the details about the car that hit you such as license plate number, year, make, color, and model. You can write these details in an email to yourself on your cell phone or any piece of paper with a pen if you have one in your car. You should also tell the police officer that arrives exactly what you remember.
If you remember any other details about the accident, such as the number of people, what the driver looked like, direction the hit and run vehicle went, or any other details, you should write down.
Don’t Chase the Hit & Run Car
You might be tempted to chase after the hit and run vehicle that hit you and sped away. However, you should never do that because you could turn a bad situation into a worse situation because person may be intoxicated or hostile toward you. You may also put others at risk if there is a high speed chase.
Don’t provoke the other driver in any way. Simply write down as much information as you can about the vehicle and person and then let the police take care of the rest.
Do not leave the scene of the wreck unless you need medical attention. Remain at the scene of the accident for the police to arrive. If you leave the scene of an car accident, you could be charged with leaving the scene of an personal injury or property damage accident if you don’t stop.
It is imperative that report the hit and run accident to your auto insurance company within 24 hours because your car insurance contract may require you to do so. You don’t want to be in breach of the auto insurance contract when making an uninsured motorist claim.
It’s essential that you hire an attorney right away to work with a personal injury lawyer when making a hit-and-run accident claim after a crash. Your lawyer will read the auto insurance policy to make sure you comply with the terms and conditions of the policy. Your lawyer will also investigate to determine exactly what happened and try to find information about the person who caused your accident. An experienced personal injury attorney will know what evidence needs to be preserved, and where to find evidence. Your lawyer will also understand and handle the insurance claim process if a driver cannot be found and pursue a possible uninsured motorist claim.
At Dedvukaj Law, we know how to handle a hit-and-run accident claims. Our Michigan auto law injury lawyers have worked with countless number people going through similar situations like this. We will help you obtain the highest compensation possible, even if we are unable to find the person who caused your hit and run wreck.
To learn more about your legal options after a hit-and-run, call The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C. today at 248-352-2110, or toll free 866-HIRE-JOE. You can also use our online contact form to reach out for a free, no-risk consult.
