Imagine being hit by another car and that car leaves the scene of the accident. While these are a small percentage of all motor vehicle accidents they do occur with some frequency. The last analysis of this issue was conducted in 2001 by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The graph below details the percentage of fatal accidents caused by hit and run drivers and the State of California more specifically. In New Jersey, the percentage was between 4-6%.

Once you get over the shock of being involved in an accident what steps should you take to protect yourself from further harm? First thing to do is obtain information about the other car. Get the make and model of the car. Get the color of the car. You should not chase after the other car. This may do more harm than good and lead to further injuries.

You should then immediately call the police. This is important for two reasons: 1) try to get the police to locate the other car, and 2) Your insurance company will request that you file a police report anyway.

The next action to take is to seek medical treatment, if needed. If your car is drivable and you are physically able to, drive yourself to the nearest emergency room. Medical care for yourself and/or others in your car should be of paramount concern.

Even though you may have called the police, you need to file a police report. This may require you to actually go the police department in the municipality where the accident happened.  There may be a few days before the final police report may be available for pick-up. You should file a claim with your insurance company. You should not wait to get the police report before you file the claim. You can always submit the police report when you receive it. Provide the insurance company with as much detail as possible. You should ask questions about your coverages for the property damage to your vehicle and about uninsured motorist’s coverage.

Take pictures of the damage to your motor vehicle. You should obtain three estimates for the repair of the damage and submit them to you insurance company.

You should also seek advice of legal counsel. I hope you do not get involved in a hit and run accident but if you do, hopefully this helps.

Sources:

U.S. Department of Transporation