Most of the time, if someone else injures you by causing a car wreck through their own reckless or careless misconduct, you can seek restitution for your ensuing losses by filing a claim against that other person’s insurance company and/or by filing suit directly against them. However, the recovery process can be much more complex if the person responsible for your accident illegally leaves flees the scene.
Hit and run car accidents in Houston are not impossible to recover for financially, but doing so could be difficult without professional legal guidance. Representation from a seasoned car crash lawyer at Roberts Markland LLP could make all of the difference when it comes to building and pursuing the strongest possible claim.
Even if someone else involved in a car wreck breaks the law by fleeing the scene, that does not mean a person injured in that incident can leave the scene early as well. Obeying state law by stopping out of the flow of traffic, contacting law enforcement, and rendering assistance to anyone else in need of it can be vital not just to avoiding criminal penalties, but also to pursuing civil litigation if the hit-and-run driver is found by police.
In addition, it can be crucial to collect contact information from eyewitnesses to the crash and take photographs and/or videos of the accident scene as well as any damage caused to vehicles. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, anyone involved in a hit and run auto collision in Houston should seek professional medical care immediately after complying with all accident reporting requirements. The documentation produced by this initial treatment will be vital evidence for any ensuing insurance claim and/or lawsuit.
If police can track down a driver who commits a hit and run, the injured person can proceed with civil litigation and/or insurance claims against that driver before, after, or even during related criminal proceedings. If police cannot track them down, though, an injured person’s only option may be to seek restitution through their own car insurance coverage. Unfortunately, someone who meets only the minimum insurance requirements set by state law may not have any recourse after a Houston hit and ran car crash.
However, provided they did not opt out of the coverage in writing, any person injured in this kind of incident should be able to recover for medical expenses and certain other out-of-pocket losses through personal injury protection (PIP) coverage regardless of who was at fault or whether they can find the person at fault. Insurers in Texas are also required to offer uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance (UIM) to all prospective policyholders, and it is virtually always worth paying a slightly increased premium for this extra coverage.
Being injured by a driver who then left the scene illegally can be an immensely frustrating experience, not to mention a devastating one depending on your insurance coverage. Whatever your specific circumstances are, though, guidance from experienced legal counsel could be crucial to securing a favorable final resolution to your case.
Hit and run car accidents in Houston are not incidents you should try to handle on your own. Contact a capable car accident attorney at Roberts Markland LLP to discuss your legal options.
