An intense feeling of dread comes over you after an unknown driver slams into your vehicle, backs up, and speeds away. You may believe that the medical bills for your injuries, repair costs for your car, and other accident-related expenses all falls on you.
Rather than handle this burden alone, turn to the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine. If you have a viable claim, we can investigate your hit-and-run accident and help you build a solid case to attempt to recover compensation for your damages. Call us today at 1-800-747-3733 to schedule a free case evaluation with our hit-and-run accident and injury lawyer in Port St. Lucie, FL.
Using Optional Insurance Coverage to Pursue Compensation
If you have Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage (UM/UIM), you can file a claim with your auto insurance company to recover compensation for damages from your hit-and-run accident. This optional coverage equals the amount of your insurance policy’s liability limits.
UM pays for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages when an uninsured motorist causes an accident. The policy also covers you in a hit-and-run accident or if you are a pedestrian or bicyclist injured by a vehicle.
UIM covers you when a driver who causes an accident has auto insurance but not enough to cover your damage.
Using Your Personal Injury Protection Insurance
Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to auto insurance and mandates that drivers carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance to pay for their injuries—regardless of who caused the accident.
You may use your PIP insurance to cover your medical bills and lost wages. PIP, however, only provides a maximum coverage of $10,000, which may not be sufficient to take care of expenses from your hit-and-run accident.
Recovering Compensation from a Hit-and-Run Driver
It is possible that you can recover compensation from the hit-and-run driver if police identify the individual from a traffic camera or a surveillance video, or you or eyewitnesses can describe the make and model of the vehicle, or copied the car’s license plate number.
If identified and arrested by police, we can help you hold the driver responsible for your accident-related expenses. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, we file an insurance claim or a Port St. Lucie personal injury lawsuit against the hit-and-run driver to recoup your financial losses from the accident.
Proving Negligence against the Hit-and-Run Driver
Our firm can assist you in filing an insurance claim—regardless of finding the hit-and-run driver or not. To prevail in an insurance claim, however, our case must prove negligence and causation against the at-fault driver. While hitting a car and fleeing an accident shows negligence, we also must provide documentation to your auto insurance company as proof of how the driver’s negligence harmed you.
We may prove negligence by collecting evidence such as:
- Hospital costs
- Police report of the accident
- Photographs of your injuries
- Photographs of your damaged vehicle
- Traffic camera surveillance video of the accident
We use this evidence to prove that the hit-and-run driver owed you a legal duty to drive safely. But, the driver breached this duty by causing an accident. And, because of the driver’s negligence, you suffered damages.
Criminal Penalties for Hit-and-Run Drivers
If located, the hit-and-run driver faces criminal penalties under Florida Statute 316.027. These penalties include a revoked driver’s license and the potential of serving prison time if a crash results in serious injuries or fatalities.
A criminal case does not provide compensation unless your hit-and-run accident involves an injury or fatality. For instance, if the hit-and-run driver who caused the crash was drunk and you were injured, or your loved one died, the hit-and-run driver would be charged with a criminal offense.
As a result, you and your loved one would be considered crime victims, and you would be entitled to recover compensation under Florida’s Crime Compensation Program. You have within one year of the crime to file a claim for compensation.
The Type of Damages We Can Fight For On Your Behalf
Our hit-and-run accident and injury lawyer will assist you in filing an insurance claim against your insurance company or the auto insurer of the hit-and-run driver and negotiate a settlement.
We can help you pursue compensation for such damages as:
- Medical bills for current and future care
- Home health care
- Physical therapy
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Funeral expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine is here to Help
If you suffered injuries or your loved one died in a hit-and-run accident, you can depend on the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine to help you recover compensation for your losses. We work on contingency which means you pay us only if we win your case.
Call us today at 1-800-747-3733 to schedule a complimentary case evaluation with our hit-and-run accident and injury lawyer in Port St. Lucie, FL.
We Can Help.
