What to Do Immediately After a Hit-and-Run Accident in Atlanta?
It is traumatic to be in a car accident, but it is traumatizing when the other motorist flees the scene. Being involved in a hit-and-run accident might make you feel helpless, impatient, and irate. But it's crucial to keep in mind that you're not by yourself.
There are actions you may do to safeguard your interests and yourself. A skilled Atlanta car accident lawyer can assist you in navigating the legal procedure and obtaining the compensation you are entitled to, even though it can be complicated and perplexing.
Here are some crucial actions to do if you or someone you know has been in a hit-and-run accident in Atlanta:
How To Properly Report a Hit and Run Accident in Atlanta
It can be very difficult to know what to do after a hit-and-run accident. At the same time as you want to protect yourself and others from harm, you also want to make sure that the person who hit you is held accountable for their actions.
The following are some suggestions for filing a hit-and-run accident report in Atlanta:
1. If someone has been hurt or there is even the slightest possibility that someone could be hurt as a result of the accident, dial 911 immediately.
2. Take pictures of the accident scene and any injuries or damage to your automobile, including any caused by debris that may have fallen from other involved vehicles.
3. Dates, times, location details (including street names), weather details (if applicable), vehicle details (license plate number, make/model), witness details (names and phone numbers), driver behavior (speeding/signaling before turning), and driver characteristics (age/race) should all be noted down.
4. As soon as you can, report the accident by getting in touch with your insurance agent directly or submitting an online claim to your insurance provider (if allowed by law).
What Is a Hit and Run?
A hit-and-run accident is one in which the driver of the involved vehicle flees the scene without exchanging contact information with the other drivers or pedestrians. Whether deliberate or not, this kind of accident can result in serious injuries or even death if the victim is not treated by medical personnel soon after the hit-and-run incident.
Although they are uncommon, hit-and-run incidents do occur in Atlanta and across the nation. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that there were about 42,915 fatalities resulting from hit-and-run accidents in 2021 alone.
That's an increase of more than 10.5% from the previous year!
Call 911 right away if you've been in a hit-and-run accident so that law enforcement can help and support you as they look into what happened. Additionally, you should get in touch with your insurance provider right away so they can begin assisting you with any financial matters connected to your accident, such as paying for repairs or medical expenses incurred from being hit by someone who did not stop at all after injuring or killing someone through their negligence.
What Evidence Do You Need to Collect Immediately After a Hit-and-Run Accident?
After a hit-and-run accident, there are some things you should gather right away so you have documentation of what happened. This encompasses:
Call the Police
The first thing you should do after a hit-and-run accident is call the police and wait for them to show up. Make a 911 call right away so that police can arrive and conduct an additional investigation.
Write down as much information about yourself as you can while you wait for the police to arrive, including your name, address, phone number or numbers, and insurance provider information.
Remain Where You Are
Try to take pictures of any damage done to your car or other property, if at all possible.
The license plate number of any vehicles that may have been involved in the collision and any distinguishing characteristics of the drivers involved should also be noted (including their clothing and physical appearance). Get a description of the driver and passengers in any other vehicles involved in the collision, if you can, since this will aid in identifying them later on.
Write Down Details While You Wait
Write down every detail of the incident as soon as you can after it happens, especially those that are directly related to identifying the vehicle (make/model), license plate number (if visible), driver description (if possible), and any other details that may emerge later when discussing what happened with law enforcement or insurance representatives. This is especially important while you're waiting for police assistance. When you recount the specifics of the accident later, it will be useful to know the time that you took your notes.
How to Report a Hit and Run to Your Insurance Company
If you have comprehensive insurance coverage, your insurance provider will pay out on a hit-and-run claim. However, it’s crucial to let your insurance know as quickly as possible what happened—even if you weren’t physically hurt in the collision.
This is because some states require drivers who crash with other vehicles to report any damage within a set amount of time (typically 24 hours) (usually 24 hours).
Hire a Lawyer with Experience in Hit And Run Cases
It's crucial to have a skilled attorney on your side if you've been hurt in a hit-and-run accident. You can seek any further compensation from the at-fault driver or their insurer as well as file a claim with your insurance carrier with the assistance of a personal injury lawyer.
Different Types of Hit-and-Run Cases Atlanta Lawyers Represent
Hiring a lawyer with experience in managing hit-and-run cases is necessary since they can be tricky. The Mabra Law Firm has extensive expertise representing clients who have suffered harm as a consequence of hit-and-run collisions.
After an accident, we know what to do and how to handle the insurance claim procedure.
We represent clients who have suffered injuries as a result of many kinds of hit-and-run motorists, including:
• Motorists who collide with other vehicles or property
• Motorists who kill or seriously hurt other people on the road
• Uninsured drivers who abandon the scene because they lack the money to pay for damages
• Driving while intoxicated at the time of the collision
Can You Pursue a Lawsuit Against a Hit-and-Run Driver You Cannot Find?
You might be unsure of what to do if you were hurt in a hit-and-run accident. Since the driver who hit you fled the scene and left you with injuries that require medical attention, taking on this process on your own is the last thing you should do.
Let's assume, though, that you were unable to learn anything about the car or driver who struck you. Can you still file a lawsuit if this occurred anyplace in Georgia, including Atlanta?
Yes, is the answer. Even if the hit-and-run driver is not located by the police or anybody else looking into your case, you can still take legal action against them.
In fact, even if the driver's identity is never revealed, it might still be feasible for you to obtain financial compensation. This is so that everyone driving in Georgia is in compliance with the law's requirement that they have auto insurance.
Even if a person leaves the scene of an accident without calling the police, state law still obligates their insurance provider to cover any damages brought on by the driver's negligence (even if those actions resulted in no injuries).
Damages Available to You After a Hit and Run
If a hit-and-run accident has happened to you, you might be wondering how much financial compensation you are eligible for. It depends, is the response.
Making a police report should be your initial step. If at all possible, record the make, model, and license plate number of the vehicle that struck you as well as any other identifying details. Take pictures of the accident scene and any injuries or damage to your car or personal belongings.
If necessary, you should also seek medical attention; otherwise, your insurance provider might refuse to pay for it. The majority of your vehicle's required repairs will be handled by your insurer if you have collision coverage on your auto policy.
However, if you only have liability coverage and no collision coverage, the other driver's insurance company will be responsible for covering the cost of repairs (though they may still try to make you pay). Any missed wages or out-of-pocket costs associated with time away from work while healing from injuries caused in an accident may also be covered by your auto insurance company.
If another driver's insurance company covered the costs on your behalf, your auto insurance provider might also provide further advantages like reimbursement for travel or rental car costs.
Time Limit to File a Hit-and-Run Case
A personal injury claim against an at-fault driver who has caused an accident must be made within two years of the accident. This entails that you risk losing your ability to pursue financial compensation for your injuries if you don't make your claim within two years of the accident.
Our Hit-and-Run Lawyers in Atlanta Can Help You Start Your Case Today
It might be challenging to know where to begin if you have been involved in a hit-and-run accident. Fortunately, our hit-and-run attorneys in Atlanta are on hand to assist.
The first thing you should do if you are hurt in a hit-and-run in Atlanta is call the police. The quicker they get involved, the higher chance they have of locating the driver and holding them accountable for your injuries.
We can assist you in calculating the potential amount of compensation from a lawsuit if you are unsure. We'll also let you know if there are any deadlines approaching that would influence your ability to file a lawsuit or if there are other circumstances at play that might make it challenging for us to properly handle the case.
Once we begin working on your case, we will collaborate with detectives and specialists to develop a compelling case against the other motorist in order to engage them in settlement negotiations on your behalf and remove them from the road permanently.