Ylla Gosney, Attorneys at Law helps people through the confusion and uncertainty of a hit-and-run car accident in Norman. Any car accident is frustrating, and they can come at the absolute worst time for you and your family. But when it’s a hit-and-run, it’s a whole different level of frustrating. Our team can help make sure you have what you need to file a claim and get financial support. Set up a free consultation today.
Should I Get a Lawyer After a Hit-and-Run Accident in Norman?
What really separates a hit-and-run from all the other types of car accidents comes down to one thing: unanswered questions. Who was the driver? Where did they go? How are you supposed to deal with your injuries and vehicle damage when you don’t even have their insurance information?
Even still, you aren’t required to get a lawyer when the other driver flees the scene after they collide with you.
But that doesn’t mean you won’t need some help—especially when it comes to getting what you need to move forward with your life and take care of your injuries. That’s where our team at Ylla Gosney can step in and help by:
- Looking into what happened and piecing together what we can about the other driver
- Making sure important evidence doesn’t get lost or overlooked
- Handling conversations and negotiations with the insurance companies, including your own
- Looking at all of your options for covering medical bills, lost income, vehicle damage, and other losses
Perhaps most importantly, having our team on your side lets you focus on getting better while someone else handles the paperwork, deadlines, insurance companies, and everything else that tends to come with a serious car accident.
What Information Helps a Hit-and-Run Car Accident Claim?
Another thing that’s at a premium in hit-and-run car accident claims is information. The problem is that it’s a little different than a normal car accident. Normally, you’d exchange information with the other driver, and that gives you a starting point for dealing with insurance. You obviously don’t have that in a hit-and-run. But you’re not stuck.
Instead, you have to focus on what you can get at the scene and shortly afterward, like:
- The color, make, and model of the other car
- A full or partial license plate number
- The direction it went
- Any visible damage to the other car
- Contact information for any bystanders
- Pictures and videos from the scene
- Surveillance footage from nearby businesses, homes, or other buildings
- Police reports and medical records
Basically, the scope gets widened when there’s a hit-and-run. Something that might seem minor—like the color of the car or which direction it went—could end up making a big difference in tracking the driver down.
That can be especially important in Norman. A hit-and-run might happen near the University of Oklahoma, around Campus Corner, in a busy parking lot, or on one of the roads that sees a lot of traffic coming in and out of campus. On game days, you also have people coming into Norman from all over the place, which can make finding the driver even harder. But ultimately, the more information you have, the better your chances are.
Damages That You Can Get in a Hit-and-Run Accident Claim
At its core, a hit-and-run accident is still a car accident. That means you’re left dealing with all the typical things that come with one.
Injuries, car repairs, missed work, and pain are all still part of what you’re going through. So a lot of people in this situation are surprised to learn that the basic process for recovering damages is still similar to any other car accident. It usually comes down to filing:
- An insurance claim outside of court
- A personal injury lawsuit in court
With the claim filed, your “damages” are going to involve costs relating to your:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Current lost wages or future lost earning potential if your injuries affect your ability to work
- Repair or replacement costs for your vehicle
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Changes to your quality of life
And there are still deadlines for filing a claim. The exact deadline can depend on the type of claim and the circumstances, so it’s important to find out what applies to your situation rather than waiting too long. The biggest difference with a hit-and-run usually isn’t the damages—it’s figuring out where that financial support is going to come from.
How Damages Are Paid For With a Hit-and-Run Accident
One of the biggest questions many people ask after a hit-and-run accident is pretty simple: If the driver left the scene, who pays for everything?
And it’s a fair question. Normally, the person who caused the collision is responsible for paying damages. When that person takes off, it can feel like you’re suddenly left carrying all of the financial burden yourself. Fortunately, that isn’t necessarily the case.
The easiest way things play out is if police are able to find the driver. But you also have to be prepared for the possibility that they never do. That’s when your own insurance coverage can become especially important. Depending on your policy, that can include:
- Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM/UIM). A hit-and-run driver may be treated similarly to an uninsured driver because you don’t know who they are or what insurance coverage they have. If you have uninsured motorist coverage, it may help pay for injury-related losses from the accident.
- Collision coverage. Collision coverage can help pay to repair or replace your vehicle even if the driver who caused the accident is never found. Whether and how it applies depends on whatever your policy is, but it’s at least there to help with repairs.
- Health insurance. It’s not ideal, but you can use your own health insurance or MedPay coverage to take care of your medical bills from the accident.
A lot of drivers don’t realize that the coverage they’ve been paying for may actually help them in a situation like this. That’s why it’s worth looking at your policy and figuring out what protections you have.
Why Hit-and-Run Accidents Happen in Norman
There’s never a good reason for leaving the scene of an accident. Unfortunately, people still do it. Usually, there’s some fear behind the decision. The driver may be worried about:
- Getting arrested for driving under the influence
- Not having insurance
- Driving with a suspended license or no license at all
- Getting in trouble for some other legal issue
Sometimes, though, there isn’t much of a reason beyond panic. A collision happens, the driver gets scared, and they make a bad decision in the moment instead of stopping and taking responsibility. And in Norman, these accidents can happen in a lot of different places. You might be dealing with a hit-and-run:
- Around OU and nearby student housing. There’s a lot of traffic coming and going around campus, especially when classes are in session.
- Around Campus Corner. Restaurants, bars, pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles all share a relatively busy area, particularly in the evenings.
- In parking lots. Restaurants, apartments, shopping centers, and other places where people are constantly pulling in and out can be easy places for a driver to hit someone and take off.
- On busy roads around Norman. Roads like Lindsey Street and Main Street see plenty of traffic, including people who may not be familiar with the area.
- On OU game days. Norman can get a lot busier when there’s a big game. You have students, families, visitors, and other drivers all trying to get around at the same time.
- Around pedestrians and bicyclists. With so many people walking and biking around campus and nearby neighborhoods, a hit-and-run doesn’t always involve two vehicles.
Again, none of these things excuse leaving the scene. If you hit another driver, you’re supposed to stop and take responsibility. You expect other people to do the same for you. But that doesn’t always happen. When you’re the one dealing with a hit-and-run, at least one thing doesn’t have to be a question: you don’t have to go through it alone.
Ylla Gosney Is On Your Side With a Hit-and-Run Accident in Norman
Being involved in a hit-and-run accident can leave you feeling stuck. You may know you’re injured. You may know your vehicle needs repairs. What you may not know is where the financial support is going to come from or what you’re supposed to do next. That’s especially frustrating when the person who caused the accident is the one who disappeared.
At Ylla Gosney, Attorneys at Law, we understand what you’re going through, and we’ll be there to help you sort through it. We can help you figure out what information matters, what insurance coverage may apply, and what options you have for moving forward. Set up a free consultation today, and let us help you.