- November 20, 2022
In almost every car accident, both drivers dutifully stick around and wait for the police to show up. Nobody wants to do this. This is especially true if the crash was minor. If nobody was hurt, you’re so tempted to just switch insurance information with the other driver. However, in the back part of your brain, you know this isn’t an option. You have to call the cops immediately after your crash. Not only do you need to protect yourself, but you need to make sure your Greenville car wreck lawyer has access to the police report. This report will have information vital to your case. If the other driver took off after your accident, the police report may be your most valuable piece of evidence.
The police report could have contact information for any witnesses to the crash. These are people who may have caught the whole thing on their cell phones. Or they may have taken a picture of the other driver’s license plate when they realized they were taking off. This could be due to the witness’ curiosity or willingness to help a fellow driver. If they have information critical to your case, you want to make sure your Greenville accident lawyer can talk to them. They won’t be able to do this if you never called 911.
The First Thing You Need to Do is Call 911
Once the impact is over and you are somewhat settled, you need to call a Greenville car wreck lawyer. Even before the police arrive on the scene, you should call and let one of our attorneys know what’s going on. We can send someone to the scene if necessary. Or we can always meet you at the hospital. It depends on the facts of your case. It also depends on how serious your injuries are.
When 911 comes, they’ll make sure you’re taken to the emergency room in an ambulance. They will also do their best to track down the other driver. They’ll look to see if any intersection cameras caught their vehicle on tape. They can also talk to other drivers who may have caught something on their phones or dash cams. This information could be extremely valuable in helping you prove who hit your car.
Do You Remember Anything About the Other Driver’s Vehicle?
While you’re waiting for the cops to show up, try to think of any details you remember about the other driver. If you have your phone nearby, you can text these notes to yourself. Or you can use a “notes” section of your phone. As long as you can get your thoughts down on paper (or digitally), you’ll have a chance of helping your Greenville accident lawyer catch the defendant. Some of the information your attorney and the police will use to track down the other driver include:
- Video or Cameras – Footage from any intersection camera, business camera, or toll booth videos
- Information from third parties and eyewitnesses – An eyewitness may have caught the other driver’s license plate on their phone
- Statements made by people at the scene – There are times when the other driver takes off and leaves a passenger behind at the scene. If this is the case, the cops will try to get additional information from the passenger.
Any one of these things can help our Greenville car wreck lawyers find the culprit. If we are unable to do this, we’ll have no choice but to help you file a claim with your uninsured motorist’s policy.
Worst Case, You Can File a Claim Against Your Uninsured Motorist’s Policy
While it is good news that you can file a claim with your uninsured motorist’s policy, the bad news is that it doesn’t pay much. The average uninsured motorist’s policy pays about $20,000 or $30,000. It is very rare that you would collect more than this. Sadly, this won’t even cover the repairs to your vehicle. If your car wasn’t badly damaged, the $30,000 may cover your trip to the hospital and a couple of doctors’ visits. This is why your Greenville car wreck lawyer will continue to search for the other driver.
Your Greenville Accident Lawyer Will Go Over Your Options
Whenever you get into a motor vehicle accident, you should talk to an attorney. This is the case whether the crash is minor or serious. If you were injured in the crash, you may be entitled to compensation. This can come directly from the defendant’s insurance company. Or, if they refuse to pay your claim, your Greenville car wreck lawyer can file suit against the other driver. As long as they can prove that the other driver caused the crash, you’ll have a good chance of recovering damages. But what do you do when the other driver doesn’t stick around?
It can be so frustrating to learn that the person who caused the accident took off. This is never a good sign. Even if the cops were to find the other driver, there’s a good chance they don’t have insurance. Why would they run away from the scene in the first place? They could’ve been driving a stolen car. Or they may have been in the middle of committing some other crime at the time of the crash. Regardless of the reason, you may have no choice but to file a claim against your uninsured motorist’s policy. Sadly, this won’t cover all of your damages.
All we can say is that our Greenville accident lawyers work tirelessly to make sure our clients get what is coming to them. What we do is offer new clients a free, initial consultation. This gives them a chance to sit down with a seasoned Greenville car wreck lawyer. Our associates have decades of combined experience handling these types of cases. Not only do we know the law, but we also know how to deal with the insurance companies.
Since the consultation is free and since you pay nothing upfront, you have nothing to lose.
