Hit and Run Victim's Guide: What to Do After an Accident

Being in a car accident is distressing enough. However, getting struck by a driver who then speeds off without stopping—known as a “hit and run”—adds insult to injury. If you are left at the scene as the perpetrator makes their getaway, there are important steps to take.

Seek Medical Attention

First, make sure you and your passengers are physically unharmed. If medical care is needed, call 911 right away. Also contact the police to officially report the criminal collision. Their report will be crucial for insurance and potential lawsuits later on.

Document the Scene

While waiting for emergency responders, use your cell phone’s camera and notepad to thoroughly document critical details before leaving the accident site. Photograph the property damage up close from multiple angles. Get wider shots showing skid marks, debris fields, and other evidence too. Record specific information like the exact time this occurred and at what location. Was it a busy intersection or dark country road? Were there weather issues like rain reducing visibility?

Gather Identifying Details

Vehicle descriptions help police locate hit and run drivers faster. So if you glimpsed the car’s color, make, model or any unique decals, write it down while fresh in your mind.

Check for Security Camera Footage

Unfortunately, hit and runs often have no witnesses since perpetrators strategically flee scenes. However, the surrounding area may still contain helpful clues. Nearby houses or buildings could have exterior security cams catching valuable footage.

Cooperate with Police

Cooperating fully with authorities responding to the call is imperative. Walk officers through your thorough documentation as they survey the landscape firsthand and interview you for an official police report. Ensure you obtain a copy of this essential paperwork after key case numbers are assigned.

Consult a Personal Injury Attorney

Speaking of attorneys, consulting our expert car accident lawyer in Jacksonville immediately following an elusive hit and run driver is crucial. We understand local accident laws pertaining specifically to criminal auto collisions compared with fender benders.

File an Insurance Claim

Our attorneys help correctly notify insurance providers about the unfortunate incident next. Cooperate with your provider’s prescribed process for filing a claim sans an at-fault driver’s policy information.

Seek Legal Counsel if Needed

But don’t shy away from legal counsel if you meet resistance attempting adequate compensation for damages successfully linked back to that fateful hit and run!

Conclusion

Hopefully, the preceding advice aids hit-and-run victims moving forward from frightening collisions abandoned mysteriously by callous culprits evading accountability…for now, that is! Report facts quickly and clearly when achievable to increase the odds of their capture greatly. Above all, stay safe by focusing first on receiving any urgent medical care before tackling the remaining necessary reporting tasks. No one expects to become the next statistic for these all-too-common criminal attacks. But reaching out for professional legal help to demand justice ultimately creates change through actively fighting future hit and runs plaguing community roads and proper punishments against heartless offenders endangering innocent lives.