Introduction
Accidents happen, but that is small consolation when you have been hit by someone and are injured. Someone running into you with their car while you were out for a walk or bike ride can lead to some extremely serious injuries, which can require extensive medical care to take care of you. What makes matters worse is that the person who hit you may decide to take off. Out of panic, they flee the scene of the single car accident, maybe leaving you with no idea who actually was the person to hit you.
This is actually a lot more frequent of a circumstance than you may think. You may be walking alone or riding your bicycle, back turned when you were struck by a driver coming up behind you. You may not have even seen the person coming, so you have no idea who actually ran you down. Unfortunately, a number of drivers who were involved in accidents like this flee because they already have some kind of litigation against them which causes them to be concerned should they be apprehended for this single car incident. Maybe they have a DUI, a suspended license, or don’t have insurance, so they flee out of pure panic, leaving you battered, bruised and confused.
What To Do If This Has Happened to You
These kinds of accidents are far too common. This may have actually even happened to you, and you are wondering what kind of steps you can take when you have no idea who it was that left the scene of the accident. The first thing to know is that you were not on your own. You can seek the assistance of a skilled personal injury attorney who can help you in a number of ways. The first thing to look into is the kind of coverage you have on your own automobile insurance. Despite the fact that you were not driving, your insurance should cover any kind of motor vehicle accident you are involved in, even if you are not in the car.
Getting an attorney to assist you can be pivotal in this situation. Understand that your insurance company is not going to be particularly happy about having to pay for your medical costs when you weren’t driving a car. This can mean that they will try to “low-ball” the amount paid to you to pay your expenses and any costs you may have incurred. It is important for you to understand that insurance companies have a number of professionals at their disposal who are ready to battle on the company’s behalf to save them money and give you nothing or very little. Your attorney can assist you in ensuring that this doesn’t happen. They will protect your rights, and act on your behalf so that you can get the kind of compensation you need to cover your medical expenses and any lost wages or other compensation you may have.
If you are in need of prolonged medical care and it may take some time before the insurance company is ready to settle and pay costs, your attorney can notify doctors, hospitals, and other treatment facilities that there will be compensation to pay them, but they need to continually treat you while the litigation is continuing. This is important because the medical organizations may be unwilling to continue in your treatment if they do not have assurances from someone like an attorney.
Get Help Finding the Culprit
Of course, a lot of your problems could be resolved if the person who was responsible for the accident is apprehended. This would take the pressure off of you trying to deal with your insurance company, and put it on that person’s insurance company to compensate you. You will likely find that there will be a limit on how much coverage you receive from the insurance company for your injuries.
Knowing who it is who caused the accident and seeking repercussion against them can help ensure that all of your costs are taking care of and that you are not left to pay costs out of your pocket when the insurance runs out. While your attorney is not going to do the investigating him or herself, they can work with the police department to ensure that this remains a priority. Police departments can get busy with other cases and this can lead them to get off track on yours. However, having an attorney regularly checking in with them will keep your case on the front burner and hopefully lead to the person being apprehended.
How JacksonWhite Can Help
Being involved in an accident is traumatic enough on its own, but when it is a single car accident where the person has left the scene, this only makes the situation even more traumatic for you. You need someone who is going to be in your corner and assist you every step of the way to ensure that you are getting the care you need and the restitution you deserve.
Working with our personal injury team here at JacksonWhite will help you to do all of those things. It is honestly not your job to pay for medical care that you need because of the negligence or ignorance of another person. You should be compensated, provided for, and receive the care you need so that you can be made well and return back to your normal, everyday life.
This is where an attorney can make a big difference for you. We will act as your representative, not letting some corporation tell you what you need for your care, but ensuring you get the kind of treatment necessary for you to get better.
Call our Personal Injury team at (480) 467-4392 to discuss your case today.