Hit-and-Run Accidents

Protect Your Rights with a Chicago Car Accident Lawyer

Victims injured in auto accidents caused by the negligent and wrongful acts of other drivers have the right to hold at-fault motorists liable for their damages. By pursuing a personal injury case against the at-fault driver, victims put themselves in position to recover financial compensation for any economic and non-economic damages they incurred as a result of the crash, including their medical bills, lost wages, physical pain, and emotional suffering. Unfortunately, car accident cases are not easy, especially when they involve hit-and-run accidents.

Hit-and-run accidents present a number of unique concerns for injured victims. Not only does fleeing the scene of a crash put victims at risk of not receiving the medical attention they may need, it also puts them at risk of not being able to recover the financial compensation needed to cover their losses and damages when a driver cannot be located, or when they are uninsured.

Morici, Longo & Associates has been dedicated to fighting on behalf of the injured since 1998. Throughout the years, we have secured millions of dollars in compensation for our clients, including those who were injured in car accidents in which the at-fault driver fled the scene. We understand the challenges in hit-and-run accident cases, as well as the options victims may have to pursue the financial compensation.

Compensation After a Hit-and-Run

Hit-and-run accidents can entail a range of unique circumstances. By personally reviewing the individual facts of your case, our legal team works to assess the situation, determine your available options, and work toward pursuing the most appropriate avenue for compensation. When it comes to hit-and-run cases, there are a few common scenarios:

• The driver is located and has insurance – Fleeing the scene is a crime, which means that law enforcement works diligently to find hit-and-run drivers. Often, police are able to locate the driver who caused a hit-and-run accident. This is great news for victims, especially when the driver is adequately insured. When this is the case, victims can pursue compensation just as they would had the at-fault driver stopped at the scene of the crash. The additional act of fleeing can speak to their fault for causing the accident and their liability for victims’ damages.
• The driver is located but does not have insurance – Drivers who flee the scene of accidents often do so because they are driving unlawfully. This means they may not be properly licensed or are uninsured. Although locating the hit-and-run driver is generally a good thing, locating a driver who is uninsured raises additional concerns for victims. While there are criminal ramifications and restitution to be paid by hit-and-run drivers to victims, this restitution often falls short in compensating victims, if it is ever truly or fully paid at all. As such, victims hurt by uninsured drivers may have limited options for pursuing compensation. Our legal team explores all of these options to determine the best path for helping our clients obtain compensation. Depending on the situation, these options may include filing an uninsured motorist claim with the victim’s own insurance company (provided that they have uninsured motorist coverage), seeking compensation from an employer if the hit-and-run driver was operating a company vehicle, or in the case of a drunk driving accidents, applying dram shop liability to seek compensation from drinking establishments that provided the driver with alcohol.
• The driver is never located – It is an unfortunate truth that some criminals get away, and that includes hit-and-run drivers. Even when law enforcement and witnesses work together, some hit-and-run drivers may never be located. This further limits a victim’s options for pursuing compensation. While the situation can be evaluated by an experienced attorney to determine if liability may exist elsewhere, options are generally limited to filing an uninsured motorist claim with the victim’s own insurance provider. However, victims must have purchased UM/UIM coverage on their policies, otherwise they may have few options for ever securing the compensation they need. This is why it is strongly advised that all drivers purchase uninsured motorist coverage. It can make the difference when they need it most.

Discuss Your Case with a Seasoned Trial Lawyer

Our Chicago car accident attorneys know that hit-and-run accidents can create additional fears during a patient’s recovery and their personal injury case. This is why we work diligently to evaluate accidents, fully explain victims’ rights and options, and discuss whether we are able to help. If you would like to discuss a potential car accident case involving a driver who fled the scene, do not hesitate to reach out to Morici, Longo & Associates for the award-winning representation you deserve.

For a FREE consultation, call (312) 779-0366.