Ask a Hit and Run Lawyer: What to Do If You Are Involved in a Hit and Run Accident
As an experienced hit and run lawyer, we receive calls from people injured in hit and run accidents on a regular basis. Thousands of hit and run accidents happen in the United States every day. In 2015 alone, there were an estimated 737,100 hit-and-run crashes (NHTSA, 2016). A hit and run accident has occurred when one or both drivers involved in a motor vehicle accident flees the scene before offering any (or enough) information or help to the other involved people involved in the crash.
Car accidents are a hassle and burden – physically, financially, and time wise – and a hit and run situation adds to the stress because it can be a challenge to track down the at-fault party to hold them responsible for the accident.
If you or a loved one was injured in a hit and run accident, you may be wondering if you can make an injury claim for your losses. If you were injured in a hit and run accident and want to receive fair compensation for your losses, it’s important to get help from personal injury attorneys near my location as soon as possible. You have three years from the date of the accident to file a claim but the longer you wait, the longer you will be navigating the claim on your own and the harder it will be to get accurate witness accounts.
Why Do People Flee the Scene of An Accident?
Each person has their own reasons for fleeing the scene of an accident but it generally comes down to self-preservation over personal responsibility. In many cases, people flee because they are driving without a license, they are illegal immigrants, there is an active search warrant for their arrest, or they are intoxicated. Their hope is that by fleeing they can avoid legal consequences or deportation but the reality is that they usually end up in even more legal trouble.
- Unlicensed drivers are found to be 66.36 times more likely to be a hit-and-run driver than a licensed driver.
- A report by FARS indicated that the seven states with the highest hit and run fatalities directly corresponded to the states with the largest populations of illegal immigrants.
What to Do if You are in a Hit and Run Accident
- Here are some things you should do if you are involved in a hit and run accident:
- Because it can be so difficult for police to catch a hit and run driver, it’s important to gather any information you can about the fleeing driver:
- Immediately write down anything you can about the other driver, including the make, model, and color of their vehicle. A license plate number is ideal but even a partial number can be helpful.
- Ask any witnesses if they saw the license plate number or any other details about the driver or vehicle they were driving.
- If there are any local stores or businesses, ask if their security cameras may have captured the accident.
- Call the police and wait at the scene.
- While you’re waiting for the police, take pictures of the damage to your vehicle and any tire marks or debris from the scene.
- Seek medical treatment for your injuries. Even if you don’t believe you are injured, it is important to be evaluated by a doctor after being involved in a car accident. This shows that you took any potential injuries seriously and it is important for proving that you deserve compensation for any injuries that are caused by the accident.
- Seek the help of a car accident lawyer. Even in an accident where the at-fault driver stays to exchange information, it can be difficult to prove fault. When a driver flees the scene, it is understandably even harder if the driver is never found. If you were injured in a hit and run accident and want to receive fair compensation for your losses, it’s important to get help from a car accident attorney as soon as possible.
- Schedule a free consultation with a local hit and run lawyer.
Bellingham, WA Hit and Run Accidents
Bellingham woman and 13-year-old passenger injured in hit and run accident
As reported by the Bellingham Herald, two people were injured on Tuesday, March 7 just after 5:30 p.m. when a vehicle attempted to pass a 2007 Mazda 6 heading east on Blaine Road near milepost 11 in Whatcom County. The driver of the Mazda overcorrected and hit the concrete barrier on the right shoulder and was thrown from her vehicle upon impact. Both the driver and her 13-year-old passenger were taken to St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham. The driver of the other vehicle fled the scene.
Fatal Hit and Run Crash in Bellingham Leads to Arrest
As reported by Whatcom-News.com, first responders were dispatched to the intersection of Meridian Street and Kellogg Road on Friday, January 6 about 9:45 p.m. after a forceful crash caused a passenger vehicle to burst into flames. Both vehicles were driving south on Meridian in the 4200 block when the collision occurred.
The investigation showed that the white Dodge Ram pickup truck crashed into the rear of the passenger car with such force that the passenger car erupted into flames immediately and was pushed for an entire block. By the time first responders arrived at the scene, the car was fully engulfed in flames with the driver trapped inside.
The fatal hit and run crash led to the arrest of the driver who had caused the accident and fled the scene. He has been charged with suspicion of:
- hit and run involving a death
- driving under the influence
- vehicular homicide while driving under the influence or in a reckless manner
Seek the Help of a Bellingham Hit and Run Lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured in a collision because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing people injured in Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County, and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
