What Should You do if You are a Victim of a Hit-and-Run?

Every time you step into a car, you run the risk of having a car accident. It’s easy to assume that both sides of the party will take responsibility for what happened, but oftentimes, the other party may leave the scene of the accident. Usually, it may be because they do not have car insurance, or they are at-fault for the accident and simply don’t want to take responsibility. Whatever the reason, if you are involved in a hit-and-run accident, it is crucial that you do whatever it takes to protect your rights.

One of the most important reasons to have a good insurance policy is that it will cover you in the unfortunate case that you are involved in a hit-and-run. Besides, making sure that you and those involved are ok, do you know what steps to take after a hit-and-run?

Write Down What Happened

It’s really important to write down everything that happened as soon as you can physically able to do it. You may be in shock at first, but always take notes of what happened. Waiting too long may cause you to forget important details that your adjuster will need in order to process your claim.

You should also take lots of pictures of any car accident, especially taking evidence of any damages that happened to your vehicle.

Get Witness Information

A hit-and-run is not your typical accident. There is no exchanging information with the other party. Therefore, getting the information of witnesses will go a long way to helping your case and getting the treatment you need for any injuries sustained during the accident. You will want to get the witness’s name and contact information, and their notes as to what they saw during the accident.

Call the Police

Call the police and report the accident, specifying that it was a hit-and-run; this will escalate the accident automatically, as fleeing the scene of any accident is illegal in the state of California. The police will take your statement and assess any damage to your vehicle. Oftentimes, they may help you search for the party involved if you were able to catch the car’s license plate numbers before they fled the scene.

Contact your Insurance Company

Let your insurance company known as soon as possible, so that they can start the process on their side to begin working on your claim. Depending on your insurance provider, you may need to report this damage to the authorities in 24 hours or less for your claim to be considered a hit-and-run.

Being in a hit-and-run is a stressful ordeal, but there are many steps you can take to ensure that your rights are protected. Make sure you take preemptive measures to get the coverage you need.