The physical and psychological consequences of being involved in a roadway crash can leave you struggling and overwhelmed. When you are not even sure who the at-fault driver was, this can compound the stress of trying to manage your day-to-day life in the aftermath of the accident.
After securing medical treatment for your injuries, the next step to consider is talking with a car accident attorney. A lawyer who has the experience, resources, and background to handle injury claims involving hit and run car accidents in Anchorage can work to help you get the compensation you need based on the injuries you have suffered.
Proving Liability in a Hit and Run Collision
When someone is injured in an auto accident caused by a hit and run driver in Anchorage, the whole experience can be deeply traumatic and violating. Not only is it a crime for a driver to flee the scene of the accident, but the at-fault party could also be open to civil penalties if the injured individual locates and files a lawsuit against them.
Multiple possible causes can lead to a hit and run collision. The driver may simply be reckless or have a blatant disregard for the safety of others. The driver may panic when they realize they have caused a crash and flee as a knee-jerk response. Sometimes, this response could stem from the fact that the driver has outstanding warrants, unpaid tickets, or other ongoing legal issues they are afraid may cause problems if they stop at the scene of the collision.
Drunk or otherwise intoxicated driving, uninsured driving, and distracted driving are other leading causes of hit and run collisions. While hit and run accidents often occur between two passenger vehicles, these wrecks also frequently involve a situation where an at-fault driver hits a pedestrian, cyclist, or motorcyclist and flees the crash.
An attorney can take all necessary steps to investigate a hit and run collision and determine who was at fault. For example, video footage from traffic cameras adjacent to the accident site or from nearby businesses are just one example of evidence that could be used to identify the at-fault driver. Eyewitness statements can also prove invaluable in reconstructing the events of the accident.
Any information the injured person or passersby remember, such as the make, model, and color of the at-fault driver’s vehicle, the license plate number, and any other details, should be reported to the police. These details should also be provided to a personal injury attorney who could immediately start determining liability, gathering witness statements, and other vital information so the person can focus on their recovery.
Available Compensation for a Hit and Run Auto Accident
There may be circumstances where, despite the best of efforts from law enforcement and the injured individual’s attorney, there is no way to know who caused the accident. This does not mean the injured party is without legal options.
In these cases, the injured person’s own insurance company may have various policy options that can be used to compensate their losses. These applicable forms of insurance could include the individual’s uninsured motorist coverage, collision coverage, and medical payments coverage.
If the at-fault driver from a hit and run accident in Anchorage can be located, their insurance company should pay for the cost of the damages from the accident. An Anchorage attorney would leave no stone unturned to determine who caused the hit and run accident and aggressively pursue all types of available financial recovery from the at-fault driver.
Hit and run accidents can leave injured individuals struggling with long-term medical costs, such as surgical expenses, physical therapy, and rehabilitation. A person may have to take significant periods off from work and may suffer injuries that permanently affect their earning ability.
Past as well as future medical bills and lost wages may be recoverable in a successful hit and run accident claim. Moreover, the injured person may also be entitled to claim the monetary value of their psychological distress, pain, and suffering from the crash.
Schedule a Consultation With an Anchorage Attorney After a Hit and Run Accident
Injury claims related to hit and run car accidents in Anchorage can present unique challenges. You should not have to pay the price for someone else’s negligence behind the wheel.
An attorney could provide zealous representation throughout your case, from leading the investigation into who caused your accident to identifying any and all strategies to get the compensation you require. Do not hesitate to reach out to our firm today to discuss your recent hit and run accident with an experienced attorney.