A hit-and-run accident is shocking and unexpected. You probably never thought someone would hit you with their car and drive away without checking to see if you’re injured. You might wonder how to handle the situation and whether you’ll ever locate the careless driver.
You should call the police to report the accident and seek legal representation immediately. Your hit-and-run accident lawyer can investigate and gather evidence to track down the person who fled the scene of the crash.
What Is a Hit-and-Run?
A hit-and-run occurs if anyone involved in an accident leaves the scene.
According to Georgia statute 40-6-270, any driver involved in a collision that causes an injury or death must stop at the scene or as close as possible and return to the scene to:
- Provide their name, address, and registration for their car
- Show their license to the person they hit, if requested
- Assist injured individuals and arrange transport for medical treatment
- Contact law enforcement and emergency medical services if anyone involved in the crash is unconscious or appears deceased
After you go to the hospital to treat your injuries, you should hire a lawyer to represent you in your case. Tracking down the hit-and-run driver can be challenging. You likely don’t know how to find them or lack the necessary resources. Your legal team can use their resources to locate the motorist and hold them liable for the suffering you endured.
Strategies for Tracking Down a Hit-and-Run Driver
If the driver who hit you immediately speeds off before you can get their name and insurance information, call 911 to report the accident. You should also request an ambulance so you can go to the hospital.
Once an officer arrives at the scene, they should complete a police report you can use as evidence of the accident and the injuries you sustained. Try to remember anything you noticed about the driver and their vehicle.
If you can recall the type of car they were driving and the color, inform the investigating officer. You can provide the license plate number or a partial plate number if you saw it.
Contact a lawyer to discuss the circumstances of the crash. They will review all the information you provide and begin an investigation. You shouldn’t assume there’s no hope of locating the hit-and-run driver. Your legal team has a range of resources at their disposal to find out who hit you so you can pursue compensation for your injuries.
Police
Your Chris Hudson Law Group attorney can communicate with the officer who arrived at the crash scene to speak with you about the accident. They will request a copy of the police report and ask about any information they can give us regarding the driver. Law enforcement will likely also perform their own investigation to locate the motorist since fleeing the scene is a crime.
Eyewitnesses
Someone could have seen what happened. Your legal team can speak to witnesses and get their statements. A witness might have written down or taken a picture of the vehicle and license plate. Your lawyer can ask them for that information to improve the chances of finding the driver.
Department of Motor Vehicles
If you or someone else were able to get the full license plate number, your legal team could contact the DMV to obtain the name and address of the motorist. The officer investigating the accident could have already submitted the plate number and found out who the driver was. Your legal team can stay in contact with law enforcement for updates during your case.
Door-to-Door Inquiries
It could be helpful to go to nearby businesses or homes and speak to people who might have seen what happened. It’s possible someone knows the driver personally or noticed details about them or their car that you didn’t see at the time of the crash.
Video Surveillance
Thankfully, cameras are everywhere. Your attorney can secure footage from a traffic camera or security camera from a business. They could use the footage to find the accident you were involved in and maybe make out the type of car or license plate number.
Contact Us
If you were involved in a hit-and-run accident, contact the Augusta hit-and-run accident lawyers of Chris Hudson Law Group immediately. We can start working on your case to locate the driver who fled the scene. You shouldn’t be forced to take on this overwhelming responsibility. We will handle everything so you can focus on treating your injuries.
Call Chris Hudson Law Group at (706) 863-6600 right now for a free consultation with one of our Georgia hit-and-run accident lawyers.
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