If you’ve been the victim of a hit and run road accident, we could help you through the process of making a claim.
If you’ve been hurt in a road traffic accident that was caused by someone who didn’t stop, you’ve been involved in a hit and run accident.
You may not know whether it’s possible to make a compensation claim for your injuries if you don’t know who caused your accident. But there are laws and systems in place to compensate innocent victims of hit and run accidents.
Whether you were also in a car or you were a pedestrian, you could be able to make a claim for compensation.
After being hit by a driver who does not stop, there are certain actions you must take. First, stop your car somewhere safe. Don’t follow the driver who hit you. It is an offence not to stop after an accident, even if you did not cause it.
If you can, get the number plate of the car that hit you, as well as the make and model of the vehicle and the direction it was travelling in. This will help when tracking down the driver. Any dash cam footage will be helpful when pursuing a claim against the person who hit you.
After an accident, make sure you’re checked over medically. You might need to call the emergency services or make an appointment with your GP – just ensure you get seen quickly. Some conditions can be made worse if they’re not treated as soon as possible.
You’ll also have to call the police. All car accidents must be reported to the police within 24 hours, so it’s best to do so as soon as you are able to. The police will give you a crime number, which can form part of your evidence when making a claim.
At the scene of the accident, try to get as many contact details of witnesses as possible. You should also take photos of any damage to your car and any injuries you’ve suffered. Your solicitor can use this to put together a strong case for you.
The organisation responsible for paying out your compensation for a successful hit and run claim will depend on whether the driver of the car that hit you was identified. If they were, your solicitor will make a claim against their insurer.
If the driver remained unidentified or if they were not insured at the time of the accident, you will then claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). The organisation serves as the UK’s way of compensating these accident victims and is funded through car insurance premiums.
It is possible to claim directly through the MIB. However, a specialist personal injury solicitor will help to ensure you are presenting the strongest possible case, with the best evidence behind you.
Every accident and resulting injury is different. That means that without speaking to you directly, it’s difficult to say exactly what you might be entitled to. For a rough idea of what you might receive in compensation, though, you can try our compensation calculator.
Compensation for a successful claim will be split into general damages and special damages. General damages are awarded for the pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of your accident.
Special damages compensate for any financial impact the injury has had on you. It covers the cost of any medical treatment, any loss of earnings if you can’t work and any personal property that was damaged in the accident.
Your solicitor will be able to tell you how much compensation you might entitled to. So if you think you have a claim for a hit and run accident, get in touch with First4Lawyers and we will match you to an expert No Win No Fee solicitor.
Where we offer No Win No Fee services for road traffic accident claims typically customers pay 35% + VAT of the amount recovered by our solicitors.
Success fees are common practice and they were introduced when the law changed in April 2013. This amount is higher than the normal 25% on all other personal injury claims because of changes introduced through the Civil Liability Act 2018.
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A police report can be particularly strong evidence when proving that you were not responsible for the accident. So make sure you inform the police about your accident as soon as you can.
Medical evidence is also particularly important. Your solicitor will likely arrange for you to have an assessment by a medical expert, who will evaluate how serious your injury is, as well as the effect it is likely to have on you.
If your accident took place within the vicinity of a CCTV camera, you might be able to access the footage. Requesting a copy could be easier the sooner you do it, so don’t delay.
In most road accident cases, you’ll have three years in which to make a compensation claim. The rules can be different for some, though. For example, children can claim at any point up until their 21st birthday and there is no deadline for anyone claiming on behalf of someone who lacks the capacity to claim for themselves.
If you’re not sure whether you have a claim, just get in touch. Our friendly and understanding claims advisors will help you work out the best course of action for your situation – for free and with no obligation to go ahead.
To find out how we can help you make a hit and run claim, just give us a call, request a call back or start your claim online.