Injured in an Auto Accident with a Runaway Drive

If you are rear-ended by a runaway driver, the first thing that you need to do (in fact, the first thing that you should do in every single accident) is call the police. Police officers will respond to the scene and put a call out to all other officers to be on the lookout for the car that you describe to them with damage from an auto accident. Many times, the police are able to locate the driver of the vehicle who hit you and fled the scene. Under Virginia law, this driver can be charged with either a felony or a misdemeanor hit and run, depending on whether or not you are hurt and the extent of the damage done to your car.Even if the police are unable to locate the driver, they will generate a police report that can be vital to getting the insurance company to pay any of your medical bills.

Who Pays My Medical Bills After a Hit & Run?

If you are hit by a driver who has left the scene, you will be making a claim under the uninsured motorist coverage of your own auto insurance policy. Most policies require that you report the accident either to the police or to the insurance company within 24 or 48 hours from the time of the crash. This is another reason why it is important to protect yourself by having adequate Virginia UM/UIM coverage. Many people are worried that, if they make a claim against their own auto policy, they will be dropped from covearge when it is time for the policy to be renewed. The practice of dropping a first-time claimant from an auto insurance policy for an accident that they did not cause is illegal in Virginia.

As with any auto accident that results in injuries, you should go to the emergency room if you are in intense pain or to your primary care physician first and then follow your doctor’s instructions when it comes to getting the care that you need.

If you have to file a lawsuit in order to get proper compensation for your injuries, you will be filing the suit against “John Doe.” The case is defended by an lawyer hired by your auto insurance company.