
Accident victims turn to personal injury lawyers for answers. Most know the party who is responsible for the accident is the one who pays for it. However, hit-and-run drivers leave their victims with total uncertainty. And that’s not right.
Sam & Ash Injury Law represent these victims in Nevada and California because they deserve answers. If you have been in a hit-and-run accident, you can turn to us with your questions. We’ll help you develop a plan to pursue your compensation.
A Hit-and-Run Accident is a Crime
As recently as 2018, Nevada was fourth in the nation among states with the most deadly hit-and-run accidents per capita.
Nevada law imposes a duty on all drivers involved in an accident that results in injury or death to immediately stop at the scene. A driver who commits a hit-and-run is guilty of a felony and may spend between 2 and 20 years in prison for their crime.
A hit-and-run driver should face justice. The driver should also pay for your losses as a victim. That is why it is critical to call 911 after the accident and cooperate with a police investigation to identify the driver of the hit-and-run vehicle.
How Can I Help Find the Driver?
Provide your statement of the accident to the police. No accident victim’s recollection is ever perfect, but even partial descriptions of the driver and the vehicle will further the investigation.
Passengers and bystanders are witnesses who may provide another perspective. Ultimately, an investigation may uncover surveillance or other evidence that identifies the driver.
Filing a police report is important for another reason. Insurance policies that may cover your losses will require documentation of the accident as a hit-and-run.
How Do I Get Compensation for a Hit-and-Run Accident?
The at-fault driver’s liability insurance is generally first to pay compensation after an accident. However, you do not have to wait for the police to locate the driver if you have uninsured motorist coverage.
In Nevada, UM coverage compensates for your injury and property losses—as well as losses suffered by any passengers—in an accident with an uninsured driver. As defined in the policy, a hit-and-run driver is considered “uninsured.”
Therefore, it is important to have a police report that officially classifies your accident as a hit-and-run to receive this compensation.
In very serious accidents, your bills can exceed policy limits even if you can also pursue a claim with the at-fault driver. You can turn to the Nevada Victims of Crime Program for further compensation for your losses.
Prosecution of the hit-and-run driver is not required, but you must report the accident to the police immediately. The Nevada Victims of Crime Program is a “payer of last resort”, so first pursue the at-fault driver’s insurance and your own UM coverage.
Your insurance claims will also pay for pain and suffering, which the Nevada Victims of Crime Program do not.
Get More Support from Sam & Ash Injury Law
A hit-and-run injury is not a separate type of claim. It is a personal injury claim that requires the right lawyer to get you fair compensation. That is why you deserve Sam & Ash Injury Law as your personal injury lawyer. We are smart, we are creative, and we always do What’s Right.
Don’t be left uncertain after a hit-and-run accident. While the police work to determine who the hit-and-run driver was, let us pursue the compensation to make you whole again. We are available 24 hours because an accident can happen at any hour. Call us at 1 (800) 304-2000.