Being in any kind of car accident is terrifying. But, what happens if you are in a collision and the driver who caused the crash leaves the scene? Now you’re not only scared, you are furious!

If you get hurt in a hit and run collision in Tennessee or Georgia, don’t worry. In most cases you can still recover compensation for your injuries and damage to your car — even if the police or insurance company never find the other driver.

A hit-and-run collision occurs when a driver flees the scene of an accident without checking for injuries and exchanging important information with other people involved in the collision. The police can charge a fleeing driver with either misdemeanor “hit-and-run” or as a felony, depending on the severity of the other driver’s injuries.

First, call the police right away. If the at-fault driver is already gone, call the police right away. The sooner they respond, the better chance they have of catching the hit-and-run driver. While you’re waiting, collect as much information as you can. Take photos of the scene. Ask for contact information from any witnesses. If you remember anything about the vehicle that hit you, write it down before you forget. Finally relay this information to the responding officer and get an accident report.

If the driver returns to the scene, and the police have not yet arrived, exchange information such as name, phone number, insurance information, license plate number, and the make and model of the vehicle that hit you.

You will also need to contact your insurance company, but talk to us at Dennis & Winningham Law first. There are certain things you should say — and not say — to protect your case.

If the hit-and-run driver is responsible for causing the crash, both Tennessee and Georgia law holds him or her responsible for any resulting injury and property damage.

If the police find the driver and he or she has auto insurance, you can file a claim with his or her auto insurance company demanding compensation for your losses.

However, many drivers leave the scene of accidents because they have no insurance, or they are driving on an expired license or they are driving under the influence and are afraid of the legal penalties. If the police fail to catch the hit-and-run driver, a hit-and-run lawyer can take a deeper look into the crash and your own car insurance policy to find other potential sources of compensation that might be available to you.

There are two optional sources of insurance coverage that you can purchase both in Tennessee and Georgia to protect you if you’re injured by a hit-and-run driver:

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) — This coverage pays for your losses if the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover the cost of your injuries.
• Medical payments coverage (Medpay) — This is a form of “nofault” insurance that pays a certain amount, usually $5000 dollars toward your medical bills.

We at Dennis & Winningham Law are always happy to help, so don’t hesitate to call and ask us to review your insurance policy to ensure that you carry all possible coverage available to you. Sometimes, people just aren’t sure what they purchased. We are happy to advise you as to whether you are covered for damages as a result of a hit-and-run driver. We will also investigate your case, handle all talks with the insurance company, and fight for the money you are owed.