It was December 10, 2018, when 20-year-old Asia McClave was killed while crossing the street near Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. McClave had been crossing at 700 W. Glades Road when a driver hit the young woman and drove away. McClave was a month away from turning 21 and a semester away from earning her degree from FAU.
A year has come and gone and still, no driver has been identified as the one who caused the fatal hit-and-run accident that was responsible for taking the life of young Asia McClave.
Should I retain a Boca Raton, FL accident lawyer if I suffered injuries in a hit-and-run accident?
As a hit-and-run accident victim, you may be presented with many obstacles all of which a qualified accident lawyer in Boca Raton, FL can help you and your family overcome. The incident described above identifies one of these obstacles. You see, after a person or their loved one is involved in a hit-and-run accident, it isn’t always easy for police to identify who the driver is that caused the crash. Without a driver, who is then held liable for the accident?
When there isn’t a driver to blame for a hit-and-run accident, a victim might feel helpless and with no way to recover the compensation they need for the unexpected expenses that have accrued. But that is where an accident lawyer can be of some assistance. Attorneys understand how costly car accidents can be, especially when a victim has suffered a serious or catastrophic injury and can help identify other parties you might be eligible to recover compensation from. Some of these include:
- Your auto insurance company. Drivers in the State of Florida are required to carry $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection which “covers 80 percent of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses up to $10,000 resulting from a covered injury, no matter who caused the crash” [Source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles]. Aside from collecting under your PIP policy, you might also be able to recover compensation from your uninsured motorist coverage if you elected to purchase this.
- Your health insurance carrier. Hit-and-run accident victims may also be entitled to have some of their medical costs covered by their health insurer if their auto insurance carrier won’t cover their claim or there isn’t enough coverage.
What can I do to try and locate the driver who caused the hit-and-run accident that left me injured?
While you and your attorney work together to try and recover the compensation you need from other parties, you and anyone else who is available to help you can also try and identify the driver by doing one or more of the following:
- Contacting witnesses who saw the incident. Collecting statements from witnesses may help police piece together all the details in your case that could potentially result in the motorist being identified.
- Ask for help via social media. Social media has proven to be an effective way of spreading news. By providing the public with some details pertaining to the crash, someone who has yet to come forward might see your post and respond.
- Keep in touch with your local law enforcement agency. Police departments are assigned to handle a substantial amount of cases on a daily basis. Therefore, you will want to keep in touch with the law enforcement agency responsible for handling your case to determine if any new information has been uncovered.
Now, if you have any legal questions you would like answered or are looking for an accident law firm in Boca Raton, FL that can help you recover the money you and your family need, contact the Law Offices of Jeffrey A. Rosenberg, PLLC.
The Law Offices of Jeffrey A. Rosenberg, PLLC is located at:
5255 North Federal Highway, 3rd Floor
Boca Raton, FL 33487
Phone: 561-508-8800
Website: www.rosenberginjurylaw.com