Hit-and-run accidents have been increasing in the last few years. From 2020 to 2021, the number of fatal hit-and-run accidents rose from 2,520 to 2,783, and this doesn’t even include injury-only incidents.
A hit-and-run accident is not only physically devastating, but it can be financially compromising because the driver of the offending vehicle does not take responsibility for their part in the crash. This can leave you, the victim, paying all the bills. While hit-and-run accidents in Austin are difficult to navigate, our car accident lawyers at García Injury Law can help.
Legal Consequences for Hit-and-Run Offenders in Texas
It’s not worth it to leave the scene of the accident without stopping and checking in with the other driver. Legal and financial consequences apply. Depending on the severity of the accident, different penalties apply to a hit-and-run accident.
If the hit-and-run resulted in injury or death, there are steeper consequences than if the accident resulted in property damage. Leaving the scene of an accident after an injury or death-related hit-and-run could result in:
- Felony charges
- Jail time of up to five years
- Up to $5000 in fines
Steps to Take Immediately After a Hit-and-Run Accident
If you’ve been injured in a hit-and-run accident, you will want to make sure you have all the vital information you need to build a personal injury claim. Make sure you:
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible, and keep records of your treatment for your claim.
- Call the police at the scene of the accident and make a statement; this will be on the record, and third parties like insurance companies can refer to it.
- Ask witnesses at the scene of the accident to send you pictures or videos they took of the crash.
- Document everything; this includes the color, model, and make of the car that hit you and also what direction they left in.
Gathering Evidence and Documentation for Your Claim
A hit-and-run accident means that evidence may be harder to come by. However, there are still ways that you can collect evidence and documentation to support your hit-and-run personal injury claim. Speaking to witnesses is a crucial part of gathering evidence.
With the prevalence of phones, if your accident happened in a populated area, it is possible that someone took a picture or video of the crash or directly after the crash, which may include an image of the car that left the scene. From there, you may be able to determine a license plate or partial license plate number.
Witness videos and pictures are important, but so are their statements. Collect bystander information (name, phone number, and address) and get confirmation that they’d be willing to make a statement on your behalf. Having multiple witnesses can help you piece together what happened and strengthen your claim.
Another important source of evidence could be traffic cameras. Request a copy of the footage from the local police station. The video may help you identify the car, the license plate, and, ultimately, the driver who caused the accident and left.
What If You Can’t Talk to Bystanders at the Scene?
If you leave the scene before you get a chance to talk to bystanders — for example, if you were taken to the hospital in an ambulance — there are still ways to reach out. People post daily events on social media, so scanning various sites for posts about your accident could prove useful.
With the addition of online tags, people can check into locations through social media, so you can directly see if anyone was near your location during the time frame of the accident.
If internet research fails, you can always return to the scene. If your accident happened around businesses or apartment buildings, check in with workers and residents to see if they witnessed your accident.
Gathering evidence for your claim can be exhausting, which is why it’s a good idea to have a trusted legal team assist you with this task.
Navigating Insurance Claims in Hit-and-Run Situations
If the other driver can’t be located, then there’s no other party in a hit-and-run claim. This leads to challenging negotiations with insurance companies. Since there’s no other insurance company to deal with, the burden of payment falls to your insurance company or, sometimes, to you. Protect your financial assets by hiring a legal team that has experience with hit-and-run accidents and knowledge of how to manage insurance companies attempting to lowball your injury compensation.
The Role of a Personal Injury Lawyer in Hit-and-Run Cases
Hit-and-run accidents can leave you without answers, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have support. A lawyer’s job is to make sure you’re not battling these burdens alone and to assist you in building a solid personal injury claim. We can:
- Reach out to witnesses and collect evidence
- Contact police stations for an official report
- Manage insurance company negotiations
- Help you file your claim
A legal team is also invaluable when it comes to making estimates for monetary compensation. Insurance companies will often undercut your compensation in an attempt to save money. Our attorneys are skilled at collecting the information needed to make future projections on what your injuries will cost, including:
- Future medical bills, medicine, or treatments
- Mental health treatment
- Future wages lost/necessary job change
It’s a sound decision to hire a legal team that knows how to navigate the difficulties of a hit-and-run accident.
Contact García Injury Law Today
Hit-and-run accidents can seem overwhelming, but our team can help you through this time. Our attorneys can give you sound advice, work with you to file your personal injury claim, and make sure that you’re receiving the compensation you deserve from your insurance company.
Reach out to the lawyers at García Injury Law to get the help you need and to schedule a free consultation. Call us today at 512-474-4487 or fill out our online contact form.
