A car accident can be a traumatic event in a Texas resident’s life, and the challenges of the experience can be compounded if the responsible party leaves the scene of the collision. When a driver is involved in a car accident and leaves without communicating with the other parties and exchanging information, the incident may be referred to as a hit-and-run accident.
Hit-and-run accidents complicate the process of making a victim whole. When a responsible party cannot be identified, a victim may have to file a claim with their insurance under the uninsured motorist policy. This post will discuss how uninsured motorist insurance can help a person who has been involved in a hit-and-run accident, but no part of this post should be read as legal advice.
Hit-and-run accidents: A national problem
According to one study, more than 2,000 people died on American roads in 2016 due to hit-and-run accidents. The same study found that a hit-and-run accident happens every 4 minutes in the United States. Hit-and-run accidents are not just common: they are dangerous events that happen frequently and everywhere.
What to do after a hit-and-run collision
When the parties involved in an accident stay and communicate, they have the opportunity to exchange contact information, insurance information, and other important data. This way they can reach out to each other if and when they wish to file insurance claims for the recovery of their losses.
After a hit-and-run crash, this common practice is impossible. A victim may be left with injuries and property damage. They may not have another party’s insurer to contact for the repairs of their vehicle and the payment of their medical bills.
In these situations, victims may have to turn to their own uninsured motorist insurance polices for compensation. Uninsured motorist coverage is set up for situations like this where a responsible party is unidentified or simply does not have car insurance.
Working with an insurance company to cover one’s hit-and-run accident costs can be difficult. An insurance law attorney can provide both guidance and information on how to approach this necessary process.
