A hit-and-run accident occurs when somebody collides with another driver and takes off before giving their insurance information or making a police report. If the person who was hit or if a witness gets their license plate, the police can sometimes track that person down and the injured driver could make a claim for damages against them and their insurance company.
However, if the vehicle that fled the scene cannot be identified, the driver may need to make a claim against their own insurance company for recovery with the help of an experienced car accident attorney. Additionally, if you were a pedestrian who was hit by a hit-and-run driver, you may be able to recover damages through your car insurance policy. The best way to determine your next course of action is to hire an attorney. A Kenosha hit-and-run lawyer could help an injured person file a claim to collect as much compensation as necessary to cover their losses.
Why Do Drivers Flee After an Accident?
Drivers may flee for a myriad of reasons. Chances are the person has reason to run and they do not want to be caught for a different crime. They may have been drinking and do not want to deal with the consequences of a DUI. They may already have a bad driving record or do not have insurance. Or, they may have been driving a car they were authorized to drive.
Often, drivers flee because they know that they will be held liable for the accident and do not want to pay for the damages they have caused, or worse, be arrested for their actions. However, an unidentified driver should not mean that an injured driver cannot collect the compensation they need. A Kenosha attorney can help recover damages after a driver flees the scene.
Kenosha Insurance Policies
It is important for the claimant to look at how a hit-and-run collision or a collision where the driver is not identified is typically handled under their insurance policy. Usually, the policy will allow claimants to file what is known as an uninsured motorist (UM) claim.
However, claimants should look at the language of their policy. For example, an insurance company could say that a hit-and-run is when a person driving a motor vehicle remains unknown and either strikes the insured or the vehicle the insured is occupying and causes them bodily injury.
Most importantly, the claimant must be insured under an auto insurance policy, which could include the client, their spouse, or any permanent resident of the household. If the person who was hit as a pedestrian is a child resident of a household, they may still have uninsured motorist coverage under their parent’s policy, even though they are not old enough to drive.
Once again, it goes back to an uninsured motorist claim in most cases. If the owner of the hit and run vehicle remains unidentified, and the police are unable to track down the identity of that driver, then the claimant would make a claim against their own insurance company.
Find Financial Relief with a Kenosha Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer
If you have suffered in a collision with a driver who fled the scene, a Kenosha hit-and-run accident lawyer can help you. You should not have to bear the expenses of injuries and damage that was not your fault. Let the Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd. examine your case and possibly recover any losses. Call to get started today.