When you’re left alone at the scene of an accident
When your car’s been smashed by a hit and run driver, it’s all you can do not to take the nearest rock and chuck it after them in pure, unadulterated rage.
Instead of chasing them – which is a very, very poor idea, because you will A) never catch the car and B) most likely be caught for speeding yourself – you should instead call the police and report the accident. This goes against every sense of justice, yes. You want to catch the perpetrator, because you want to see him pay for what he did!
With hit and run accidents, it can be difficult to figure out who actually did the crime. Sometimes it happens when you’re not even there, so you get back to your car to find a long scratch or dent along the side of your door panel. What are you supposed to do? Get a Magic 8 Ball? Consult a psychic?
The first thing you can do is see if there are any witnesses around. You can ask what they saw or if they were present when the crime occurred. If they were, make sure to get their contact information. Witnesses often leave town or even the state, so you’ll want to make sure you can reach them again.
Look around the scene. Be creative. If you did get a glimpse of the car before it took off, think hard:
- Do you remember any of the numbers or letters on the license plate?
- What was the color of the car
- Was the car old or new?
- Did the car have a particular rust pattern?
- Did the car have any identifying bumper stickers?
- Was it broken down or did it have a battered piece?
Another creative idea is checking with local stores. Workers who are there all day sometimes people-watch, and they might have seen the crime go down. Additionally, convenience stores have cameras. They might be able to play the tape back for you and see what actually happened.
The local police station might even be able to play back a red light camera for you if there is one in the area. If you are able to see the hit and run on the tape, then you have most of the evidence you need. Your insurance adjuster will thank you for your persistence, and your claim will go a lot more smoothly.
Dealing with a hit and run driver is exhausting. Hiring an attorney can be a great way to get a lot of the work off your plate. Consider checking out the Enjuris law firm directory for help!
Have you had to deal with a hit and run driver? Tell us in the comments below!
Sheryl says
A guy named alex borrowed his roommates car to drop my cuz off on the 16th of aug .my cuz got out and the guy was backing out to leave and i heard a loud crash noise and at same time my cuz yelled cuz alex hit your truck again cuz alex hit your truck .i went to go look and my cuz that got dropped off started having a seizure so i helped him instead .by the time the seizure was over i forgot to look at my truck .so bout 2 hours later i went to get in truck to leave and my truck wont roll at this point i still forgot about bein hit it was 1 am or so .so i was very tired anyways i got my truck to go and as i was driving my front bumper was cutting into the middle of the tire .he hit my lil toyota hard hard enough to push bumper into tire so it wouldnt move ..i went to go talk to alex he wont come to door and hes telling the man he borrowed the car from that he didnt do it .i have witnesses so what do i do now
Ian Pisarcik says
Sheryl,
Assuming you are in a fault-based state, I would file a claim with Alex’s insurance company. If you’re having trouble getting Alex’s insurance information, contact your own insurance company and provide them with as much information about Alex as possible (his name, address, and vehicle type). Your insurance company can then attempt to find Alex’s insurance information and file the claim on your behalf.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to file an accident report with the police.
Darren says
Hello
I have a situation, where my brother’s car got into a hit and run while he was in a Walmart parking lot. Luckily a witness was nearby and wrote the license plate of the offender and placed it on his windshield. The police were called a week ago but haven’t heard anything. Any advice? We were given the offenders information from the DMV / police?
Ian Pisarcik says
In most cases, the DMV can provide the driver’s insurance information based on the license plate. Once you have the driver’s insurance information, you can file a claim against them. If you can’t find the driver’s insurance information, contact your own auto insurance company. Your auto insurance company may be able to locate the information. Finally, if no one can locate the information, you may have to file an uninsured motorist claim with your own auto insurance company (assuming you have this coverage).
Hitandrunvictim says
My car was a total loss from a hit and run driver who hit my parked car and then hit and destroyed two neighbors mailboxes about 400 feet down the road. The car that hit mine left significant body panels behind, and I was able to identify the make, model, and 3-year date of production. In addition, the car that hit and run is a very expensive low- production luxury model. The police did not put this information into their report and do not have an alert for this type of car model yet. They also claim that they cannot search records by the information that I have. I am wondering if their claim is true, and why can’t a limited production cars registration records and owner be located? Also, since I suffered no physical injury, but am suffering from the loss of use of my car to go to my two jobs, would I have any ability to sue the driver if they are found?