After you have suffered an injury as a result of a hit-and-run case, you might assume that you cannot collect damages because you cannot find the driver responsible. However, this is not necessarily the case. There are still options available that will allow you to avoid paying for your injuries.

Contact Your Insurer

If you have very high limits for your uninsured motorist policy, you may be able to recover a large sum of money, especially if multiple individuals are involved.

However, you must cope with adjusters who will try to limit the amount that you will be able to recover. Under these circumstances, you would benefit from working with a personal injury lawyer specializing in car accidents.

Get the Police Involved

Unfortunately, a large number of hit-and-run drivers are never caught or prosecuted. However, you may still want to get the police involved. If you do not have a good lead for who might have hit you, it's unlikely that the police will be able to identify the driver. However, obtaining an accident report may be useful for insurance purposes.

If you were present for the accident, then immediately write down the color and make and model of the vehicle, and try to remember the physical appearance of the driver. Ideally, you should write down the license plate number. Even if it's a partial number the police will be more likely to track down the culprit. 

Talk to Witnesses

Obtain the contact information of any witnesses who saw the accident. This group can include both drivers and bystanders.

If you are not severely injured, consider going to nearby homes or businesses to see if anyone observed the accident. You may get lucky and discover a surveillance camera recorded the accident.

Take Photographs

Take pictures of the damage. You may be able to identify the paint color from paint left on the car. Photographs also assist in supporting your version of the events. Make sure to take both an up-close shot and shots from farther away, and take pictures of the damage from multiple angles.

Act Quickly If the Culprit Is Found

In some cases, the hit-and-run driver might be found and criminally prosecuted. If the driver is found to be not guilty, you may still have grounds for a lawsuit since the requirements for convicting a defendant of a crime are higher than the circumstances required in a civil lawsuit.

When the driver is found and it's discovered that he or she had insurance, you would then want to seek compensation from his or her insurance provider.

Unfortunately, you may find that the driver drove away because they were uninsured, did not have the funds to pay for damages, or may be undocumented. As a result, you may struggle to recover damages.

But, if the driver claims that he or she was not responsible for the accident or if his or her insurance provider refuses to compensate you, a lawyer can assist you in crafting your case.

Record Your Damages

The extent to where you will be able to receive compensation for your injuries is based on the circumstances of the accident. These will include any medical expenses, emotional distress, pain and suffering, lost wages, or whether you have suffered permanent injuries or disabilities.

If the injuries you suffer from are ongoing, you will need a lawyer not only to assist you in seeking compensation for current damages, but also for future damages. Now that you're prepared to begin the process of seeking compensation for your damages, contact the Law Offices of Burton J. Hass for cases involving car accidents in Massachusetts.