Any type of car accident is even worse when the other driver breaks the law and does not remain at the scene of the accident.
Not only may you not get accountability, but you do not have access to their insurance policy.
You will need a local car accident lawyer for these cases because there is still a possible financial recovery for you.
Jordan Law Center can represent you in a hit-and-run accident case in Greenville. Reach out to us today to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case.
Why Do Drivers Flee the Scene?
Although it is strictly illegal, drivers have a number of motivations for leaving the scene of the accident, including:
- Being worried about having to bear the financial costs of the crash
- Fear of getting in trouble for the accident
- Worries that there may be a warrant out for their arrest
- Concerns over their immigration status
- Simply panicking after being involved in a traumatic incident
- They did not follow the law and procure auto insurance
No matter the reason, the other driver’s decision to violate the law could have financial impacts on you.
What to Do After a Hit and Run Accident
You need to remain on the scene of the accident. Do not try to chase down the driver yourself.
First, it is your obligation under South Carolina state law to stay at an accident scene where there has been property damage until law enforcement arrives. Second, you will need the police report to demonstrate to your own insurance company that you were the victim of a hit and run accident.
Police may or may not perform a detailed investigation to catch the other driver. They would be less inclined to expend significant resources if there was not a serious injury.
It may fall on you to try to perform an investigation to find the responsible driver. Your motivation is having another insurance policy against which you can file a claim.
It would be very difficult for you to work by yourself to get more clues, especially when you are dealing with injuries of your own. When you hire an experienced hit and run accident lawyer from our firm, we could perform further investigation to potentially catch the responsible driver.
How Your Lawyer Would Investigate Your Accident
Here are some steps that we may take at Jordan Law Center to help catch the responsible driver:
- Speak to eyewitnesses who may have information about the car involved in the accident
- Contact nearby homes and businesses to learn if people saw the accident
- Contact nearby body shops to see if there are repair jobs that may match the description of the car involved in your accident
- Review video camera footage in the area (including getting access to traffic camera footage)
In some cases, you may already be working with a partial set of clues that could give your lawyer some help. In either event, leave the investigation to the resources of your attorney.
How You Can Get Compensation for a Hit and Run in Greenville
Under South Carolina law, your car insurance company is required to offer you uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage as part of your own insurance policy. This coverage is meant to protect you from situations like this, and it shifts some of the risk to your own insurance company, which must then pay your damages.
You would be able to file a claim against your own insurance policy. The same legal rules apply to your case, in that you need to prove that someone else was to blame for the accident before you can be offered a settlement. You would then need to negotiate a settlement with your own insurance company. You could be paid up to your own policy limit for the damages that you have suffered.
Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that your insurance company is really “yours.” That thinking implies that the insurance company, which you’ve been paying your premiums, has your back. In reality, they do not.
Their financial considerations are the same — they want to pad their own profits at your expense, paying you as little as possible for your claim. You may need to fight your own insurance company the same way that you would have to go to bat against the other driver’s.
If you are eventually able to locate the responsible driver, you can still file a claim against their coverage. Your insurance company could be reimbursed. Alternatively, you could qualify for damages that were over and above your own policy limit.
To learn more about how we can help you, contact us at 864-808-1810 to schedule your free initial consultation.
Hit and Run Accident Compensation
Once you are able to demonstrate your entitlement to compensation, you must agree on the actual settlement. You can be paid for the following elements of your damages:
- Medical bills
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Embarrassment and humiliation
It is up to you to know how much your claim is worth and to successfully negotiate a settlement. It is difficult to make that happen without a lawyer.
How the Jordan Law Center Can Help
Our personal injury legal team can handle your case from start to finish, taking care of all the details, including:
- Gathering evidence about the accident itself that can prove fault
- Attempting to locate the responsible driver
- Dealing with your insurance company (and the other driver’s if you eventually locate them)
- Estimating the value of your claim
- Negotiating a settlement agreement on your behalf
Your own effectiveness in any legal process is limited under the best of circumstances, and certainly when you are dealing with car accident injuries. Let us help.
Contact a Greenville Hit and Run Accident Attorney Today
No matter what type of car accident you have been involved in, you need legal assistance.
Jordan Law Center will work to get you the highest possible compensation that you deserve for your injuries sustained in a hit and run. Call us today at 864-808-1810 or message us online to schedule your free initial consultation. Remember — we are only paid when you are paid.
“There is not enough GREAT THINGS I could say about Jordan Law Center.”