If you have found yourself the victim of a hit-and-run accident, what can you do? As in any accident, the first thing you need to do is make sure that you and anyone else in the car at the time of the crash are fine. After you know everyone is alright, you should call the police to start an investigation into who caused the crash.
Get an Attorney to Help You Fight for Compensation
After contacting the police, one of your first phone calls should be to a hit and run attorney in Colorado. An attorney may be able to start the process of looking into the physical evidence and witness statements taken at the time of the crash. In many cases, this evidence can be used to find the driver who caused the accident. However, your attorney may also be able to help you even if the other driver isn’t found.
What Happens if the Other Driver Is Found?
In the event that the other driver is found, he or she will be responsible for paying any damages related to the accident. Your attorney may be able to negotiate a settlement that pays for medical bills, lost wages and emotional distress caused by the accident. It may also be possible to obtain compensation for lost future earnings if you are unable to go back to work. In most cases, the settlement will come outside of court. However, your attorney will represent you during a trial if necessary.
What Happens if the Other Driver Is Not Found?
In the event that the other driver is not found, your insurance policy will help cover some or all of the cost related to the accident. Colorado requires that all insurance companies offer automobile owners the option to purchase uninsured motorist coverage. If the owner does not purchase it, she must decline it in writing. If not declined in writing, the insurance company may be required to provide uninsured coverage anyway. The bodily injury portion of your policy will pay for your medical bills while the property damage portion of the policy will cover the cost of repairing your vehicle or replacing other property damaged in the crash. An attorney may be able to help you negotiate a settlement with the insurance company that gets you everything that you are entitled to under the law.
Those who are involved in a hit-and-run accident should contact a lawyer as soon as possible. Legal counsel can help you regardless of whether the other driver is found. Through a settlement or after a trial, an attorney may increase the odds that your case is resolved in a favorable outcome.
SOURCE: Colorado Law Blog – Personal Injury News and Information| Bachus & Schanker Attorneys – Read entire story here.
