Car accidents are already traumatic. Getting hit by a car with the driver taking off— now that is particularly brutal. And it can be quite problematic for the victim if the driver can’t be found. You’ll be left several thousand dollars for medical bills and begging the insurance company for just a small compensation.
This is why you need to hire a lawyer right away. A professional hit-and-run attorney can offer you several benefits after your accident.
Defining Hit and Run
In traffic laws, a hit and run incident is the act of causing a collision and not stopping after. In most jurisdictions, hit and run is considered a supplemental offense.
Whether the vehicle hits someone else, another vehicle, or an object and the driver chooses to take off rather than staying at the scene of the accident, it’s already considered a hit and run scenario.
When involved in a hit and run accident, here are some of the reasons why you should consider hiring an experienced lawyer:
1. Handling the Law
You might think that the law regarding personal injuries, property damage, and hit and run incidents is simple. That’s until you have an at-fault driver or insurance company fighting back and not wanting to pay for your injuries.
According to eastonlawoffices.com, one of the things to do after a vehicular accident like this is to file a claim with your insurance company. However, you’ll want to have an attorney by your side when you do this so that you can ensure that you get the compensation you need and deserve.
It takes a complete understanding of the law, your rights, and insurance contracts to aggressively pursue compensation. You don’t have the time to start Googling your rights. Instead, hire a reliable hit-and-run attorney.
They have specialized training and experience that pertain to your specific situation. They can identify legal problems and relevant laws related to your hit and run accident, providing an in-depth understanding of those laws and how they’re represented in the local court system.
2. Prove Liability
Most often, the driver who caused an accident and took off will eventually get caught. While this person will face serious criminal charges, you still need to prove their liability in your civil case.
Proving liability is a highly confusing process that requires extensive knowledge of the law. An experienced lawyer can help you in establishing all the legal requirements needed to show that the driver was indeed responsible for your hit-and-run accident. This is crucial since both insurance companies and the court need to see liability before you get any compensation.
3. Getting Evidence
To prove that you were injured in a hit and run incident, you need to have evidence. You will also need proof that showcases the extent of your injuries. What a normal individual considers evidence may not be acceptable to an insurance representative or in a court.
A skilled attorney can help you in finding and collecting evidence that can support your claims and the certain facts of the case. This includes how severe your injuries are and whether or not they can permanently affect your life.
4. Preventing Unfair Insurance Tactics
Some victims involved in a hit-and-run accident may never see the liable driver again. This means that the only way to get compensation is via the insurance company. However, policyholders often experience a long process of dealing with insurance companies and delays in receiving compensation.
Without an expert attorney by your side, you might encounter some aggressive insurance representatives, confusing settlement offers, and deceptive tactics that might strip you of your rights to proper compensation. A good lawyer can see these through these unfair tactics and will work hard to protect your rights and winning fair compensation for your sufferings.
5. Meeting Deadlines
If you’re involved in a hit-and-run accident, then it’s likely that you’ll be recovering from your injuries. You might even have a temporary or total disability which makes it hard to do the paperwork needed to sustain your claim.
Hiring a hit-and-run attorney can help you in meeting deadlines as well as responding to communications. This includes responding to legal motions, handling letters from the insurance company, and filing legal documents on time.
6. Calculating Damages
In a hit and run accident, there are several instances that could be considered damages under the law. However, few people understand how to accurately calculate the damages for their claim.
An experienced lawyer can quantify the damages to arrive at a reasonable monetary figure that will fairly compensate you for what you’ve been through.
Your lawyer can ask for money to cover your medical bills, devices used, and future treatments. They can also help you get compensated for the suffering and pain you experienced as well as your future income loss. Also, they can also calculate the non-economic injuries you suffer, such as mental issues and frustrations.
In case the driver is found, a lawyer can also get you extra punitive damages due to the driver’s malicious act.
7. Taking The Case To trial
A hit-and-run case could become complicated and messy if the insurance company or other parties involved decided not to settle. Your only option then is to take your case to trial. Going to court without any prior legal experience can be a daunting process.
In this case, you need a lawyer with enough experience to have the best chance of winning the case. They can handle all the administrative tasks and paperwork for you as well as attending all the necessary court appearances. A reputable lawyer can fight for your rights and get you fair compensation even against the largest opponents.
Conclusion
Between getting evidence, insurance negotiations, and having a better understanding of the law, an attorney is much better equipped to get you your due compensation. With the right lawyer to defend your case, you won’t have to settle with unreasonable compensation. Trust them to gather evidence and to fight for your rights so you can focus more on recovering from your injuries.
