All car accidents are disruptive, but hit-and-run accidents are especially stressful. You might be angry at the irresponsible driver who fled and concerned about who will pay your losses.
Phillips Law Group has been representing accident victims in this community for years. We know how to ensure you receive appropriate compensation for your injuries, even when the driver fled. Reach out today to speak with a trusted auto collision attorney when you are hurt in any hit and run car accidents in Flagstaff.
Negligent Drivers Are Financially Responsible for the Harm They Cause
Arizona uses a fault-based system for managing car accident claims. When a driver’s negligence causes an accident, that driver must compensate any losses others sustain. These losses can include medical expenses, reduced income, and diminished quality of life.
Negligence is the failure to take reasonable care to prevent harm to others. Breaking the law is negligent, and Arizona Statute § 28-661 makes leaving the scene of an accident with injuries a crime. Thus, a driver who flees after an accident is automatically negligent.
The negligent driver’s insurance company covers losses related to the accident up to the driver’s coverage limits. However, they often resist paying injured people reasonable compensation despite their obligation to do so. Our Flagstaff hit and run accident attorneys are tough negotiators who are always ready to take a case to court when an insurer does not offer a fair sum.
Other Sources of Coverage When the Driver Is Not Found
When an accident victim makes a prompt report to the police, there is a good chance they will identify the driver, especially if witnesses can provide a description of the vehicle and at least a partial license plate number. However, sometimes hit and run drivers are never caught.
When the accident victim has uninsured motorist coverage, that insurance should pay their losses, minus their deductible and up to coverage limits. In many cases, someone hurt in a hit and run does not have the optional uninsured motorist coverage, or their losses exceed their policy’s limits.
Working with a skilled legal professional can make a big difference in these cases. Our Flagstaff attorneys will review police reports, witness statements, traffic cam footage, surveillance video, and other relevant evidence to find indications others might have contributed to the hit and run incident. Vehicle manufacturers, local governments, property owners, and other motorists might have partial responsibility for the crash, and their insurance could contribute to a settlement.
Proving Damages in a Hit and Run Case
An injured person must document the losses they expect the driver or other responsible parties to pay. Our Flagstaff attorneys can explain to an injured person and their family what documentation they will need after a hit-and-run wreck.
Documentation of medical expenses can include Explanation of Benefits forms (EOBs), invoices from healthcare professionals, and pharmacy bills. Injured people should keep receipts for expenses like parking at medical appointments, babysitters, and others they may hire to do household tasks the injured person cannot perform because of the accident. Employment records, bank statements, and tax returns can document the family’s lost income.
In addition to damages for financial losses, accident victims are also entitled to compensation for their pain, mental distress, disability, scarring, and other negative experiences resulting from the accident. Depending on the circumstances, photographs, videos, journals, mental health records, and statements from the injured person and their family can establish how the accident impacted their quality of life.
Pursue Compensation After a Hit and Run With a Flagstaff Attorney
Hit and run accidents are even more jarring than other wrecks. You will need the guidance of an experienced legal professional to help you through the claims process.
The attorneys at Phillips Law Group have over three decades of experience helping victims of hit and run car accidents in Flagstaff get reasonable compensation for their losses. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation. You are under no obligation to work with us after this initial visit, but we think we can prove why our team is the right one to partner with after any hit and run accidents in Flagstaff. Call now to learn more.
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