Most fender benders involve the drivers getting out of their vehicles and exchanging information from their licenses and insurance policies. However, when a hit-and-run accident occurs, the victim-driver does not have the opportunity to speak with the responsible party so that the person may follow up for compensation for the person’s losses. When a Chicago resident is involved in a hit-and-run car crash, the person may not be sure of what to do in its aftermath.
Victims should always seek medical attention if their accidents result in injuries. If they are able, however, victims should take note of important information about their hit-and-run crashes. They may wish to note the time of day and location of the accidents, as well as any information that they may remember about the vehicles or drivers that struck them. Vehicle type, color, size and other details can be helpful to accident investigators when they attempt to identify the hit-and-run driver.
Drivers who cause accidents are usually responsible for aiding those that they injure and providing information to those whose property they damage. The failure to do so may result in criminal liability as well as civil responsibility; a pending criminal action against a hit-and-run driver will not generally preclude a victim from pursuing the person’s own civil claim.
Involvement in a hit-and-run accident can be very scary, but even when a negligent party’s identity is concealed, victims have rights. Speaking with personal injury attorneys who include car accident cases in their practices can be a useful step to protecting litigation rights as victims wait to learn the identities of those parties who have caused their losses and harm.
