Tips on recovering damages after a hit-and-run accident in Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, FL – You may not believe this but one in four crashes in Florida is a hit-and-run. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), 25% of all drivers involved in a crash prefer to leave the scene without bothering to give their name and insurance details, let alone provide aid to the victims. This is, of course, illegal and the driver risks a fine and possible jail time if he or she is caught. That is a big if and the only way you can hope to find the hit-and-run driver is to talk to an experienced Daytona Beach car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
How can you recover damages after a hit-and-run accident in Daytona Beach?
Fortunately, most hit-and-run crashes are property-damage only. The other driver notices that they damaged your car, but won’t consider it necessary to stop because you can recover damages under your own insurance since Florida is a no-fault state.
Things change when the accident results in severe injury or death. Here’s how you can recover at least part of the damages you deserve.
Use your Personal Injury Protection
All motorists in Florida are required to carry at least $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP). It’s not much, but at least it will cover your immediate medical expenses.
Use your Uninsured Motorist coverage
If you’re in a hit-and-run accident you can make use of your Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage. If the insurance company says this is not possible, have your accident lawyer give them a call, as they cannot do that to you. Once again, it all depends on how much Uninsured Motorist coverage you have. If you have sustained severe injuries and your insurance does not cover all the damages, you’ll have to find the other driver and sue them.
How can you find a hit-and-run driver?
When you’re in an accident, especially a serious one, it may be difficult to see who hit you or remember much about the car – make, model, plate number, color, etc. However, every bit of information can help. If at all possible, write down anything you remember right away.
If there are other people present at the crash scene, talk to them and see if they managed to get some details on the hit-and-run driver. Take the names and contact info of all witnesses as your lawyers will probably have to interview them later.
The next step is to get a seasoned accident lawyer. You cannot expect the local police to spend days and weeks investigating your accident. You’ll need someone to look after your best interests.
An accident lawyer will conduct an independent investigation into the case. They’ll have a look at the police report, talk to witnesses, and get footage from surveillance cameras in the area. If the other car was damaged to the point that small parts fell off these could be used to identify the car and its owner.
Under Florida law, if you have sustained severe injuries in a crash you can sue the other driver. However, keep in mind that you will still need to prove that they caused the accident. The fact that a driver fled the scene of a crash is at least a misdemeanor and they will have to answer for that, but that doesn’t mean that they are automatically responsible for the crash and therefore liable for damages.
If you were recently injured in a hit-and-run accident in the Daytona Beach area, schedule a free consultation with an experienced lawyer at Pappas & Russell PA and let them help you with your claim.
Contact info
Pappas & Russell PA
213 Silver Beach Avenue
Daytona Beach, Florida 32118
Phone: (386) 254-2941
www.pappasrussell.com/
Source: FLHSMV Hit-and-run Awareness
