Hit-and-Run Accident Injury Lawyer in Rockwall, TX
Being injured in a car accident is bad enough, but when those responsible flee the scene, it can be extremely difficult to know what to do next. For help in protecting your legal rights and finding those responsible, you need to work with a hit-and-run injury lawyer in Rockwall, TX.
At Smith & Lee, our local Rockwall car accident lawyers understand the crisis you are going through and are dedicated to getting you justice. We can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. And we will be here to walk with you every step of the way.
Why Work With Our Rockwall Hit-and-Run Injury Lawyers?
After a hit-and-run accident, you need a legal team that will stop at nothing in pursuit of those who hurt you. At Smith & Lee, we are driven by the belief that wrongdoers must be held accountable and injury victims deserve the fullest protection and financial recovery that the law offers.
A Fixture of Rockwall County’s Legal Community
For over a decade, we have been a fixture in the Rockwall legal landscape, consistently achieving high-value results for our clients. Our local knowledge of Rockwall County gives your case a distinct advantage. We possess the litigation experience necessary to track down unknown drivers and stand up to major insurance carriers focused on their bottom line. We deliver personalized service, addressing the full scope of your losses, physical, emotional, and financial.
We Strive to Do Right by You
Our team is deeply committed to our neighbors in the Rockwall community and surrounding areas. Our motto is “Right by You,” and we work every case as if you were a part of our family, relentlessly pursuing the maximum financial recovery possible so you can focus on healing and moving forward. We handle the complex legal work so you don’t have to carry the burden alone. Look at our client reviews to learn more.
Hit-and-Run Negligence Against Vulnerable Victims
While many hit-and-run accidents involve vehicles of the same size, hit-and-run accidents often impact bicyclists and pedestrians as well. Without the protection of a car, victims of these accidents can experience catastrophic injuries with life-long consequences or even result in death.
In Rockwall, our scenic downtown square and residential streets see heavy foot and bicycle traffic. Children playing near schools and parks are also vulnerable. The elderly in our community, too, are more likely to rely on these methods of transportation. A panicked driver may be more likely to flee if they expect they can get away from the resulting tragedy that robs a child of life or permanently impacts a pedestrian or cyclist’s life.
Whether your accident involved vulnerable factors like this, establishing negligence for hit-and-run accident drivers is important to bringing them to justice and making an example for others to heed in the future. At Smith & Lee, we see every accident as a way to strategically build a case for justice and raise the overall safety of our community.
Our Lawyers Build a Case for Our Community Safety
Our legal approach goes beyond filing a simple claim. At Smith & Lee, our hit-and-run accident injury attorneys believe in holding negligent parties personally accountable for their actions, not just for our client’s sake, but for the entire Rockwall community. We consider the trauma and losses of your specific case, but also build in the empathetic appeal that the negligent person’s actions could have occurred to anyone.
We Make Juries Consider the Bigger Picture of a Hit-and-Run
Our strategic litigation methods build a case that your child, an elderly relative, your neighbor, or anyone else in the community could have been involved. We give the jury perspective so that they can consider why it is important to hold people accountable when they hurt others.
The driver who fled the scene made a selfish choice that put the community at risk. By pursuing maximum compensation and demanding justice, we send a clear message that this behavior is unacceptable in Rockwall County. Your case becomes not just about recovering compensation for your losses, but a force for public safety and personal accountability.
Recovering Maximum Compensation for Hit-and-Run Injuries
Whether we are able to successfully track down the driver responsible or need to pursue a claim through your own policy, Smith & Lee is focused on securing the full financial settlement you need. We will take into account current financial losses, as well as any in the future caused by your continued recovery or necessary adjustments in life, if your injuries cause lifelong issues.
Compensation in a hit-and-run accident may cover:
- Current and Future Medical Expenses: Hospital stays, doctor visits, surgeries, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and long-term care
- Lost Paychecks and Reduced Earning Capacity: Income lost due to time off work, and compensation for any reduced ability to earn money in the future
- Vehicle Damage and Personal Property Loss: Cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle and any significant items damaged in the crash
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for psychological trauma and emotional turmoil caused by your accident and exacerbated by the fact that the at-fault driver fled the scene
- Impact on Overall Happiness in Life: Compensation for the diminished quality of life and ability to enjoy past hobbies due to your injuries
While rarely seen in other types of personal injury cases, if we are able to locate the at-fault driver, we may be able to seek punitive or exemplary damages. These damages are not awarded as compensation for a specific loss, but rather are intended to punish a wrongdoer for gross negligence, such as fleeing the scene. The Rockwall civil court will award these damages at its own discretion.
The Trauma of a Hit-and-Run Accident
It is profoundly irresponsible, not to mention illegal, for a driver to flee the scene of an accident they caused. It forces the injury victim, rather than the at-fault party, to shoulder the immediate stress and uncertainty of the aftermath. While all car accidents are traumatic experiences, a hit-and-run adds layers of psychological distress.
These feelings of abandonment and uncertainty in the future should be calculated into your non-economic losses. If the driver is able to be located, they not only need to compensate you for the physical damage they caused to your body and your vehicle, but also the trauma they caused as well. Our hit-and-run accident injury lawyer will help you calculate the total value of your case, including these losses.
Gather Evidence for Your Hit-and-Run Injury Lawyer Immediately
After a hit-and-run accident, the responsibility to collect initial evidence often falls on you or any witnesses to the crash in the surrounding area. The actions in the resulting minutes can greatly impact your ability to pursue a case. If possible, collect evidence yourself or request assistance from any witnesses if you are too injured to do so yourself.
Information on the Vehicle(s) in the Hit-and-Run Accident
Vehicle details and identification are the most critical pieces of evidence. While it may be difficult to get detailed information with a car speeding away from the scene of the accident, even a partial license plate number can help. Record make, model, color, and any identifying features of the car, such as loud exhausts, specific damage, faded paint, or bumper stickers.
Take Photos and Video of the Hit-and-Run Accident Site
Using your phone, take pictures and videos of the scene of the accident, any injuries, damage to your vehicle or bicycle, debris, tire markings on the pavement, or any forensic details that could be helpful. Collect all names, phone numbers, and addresses of anyone who saw the accident or the fleeing car, even if they only saw it seconds before or after the crash.
How Our Hit-and-Run Injury Attorneys Investigate an Accident
Once retained, a hit-and-run accident injury attorney from Smith & Lee will launch an independent investigation to identify the at-fault driver. This often supports local police investigations as well. We work closely with experts to analyze any physical or digital evidence, such as:
- Paint and Debris: Paint chips and broken pieces of the car may be used to determine the make, model, and year range of the striking vehicle.
- Surveillance Footage: Investigators will canvass the area surrounding the crash for any private security cameras, smart doorbell footage, and traffic cameras on nearby roads that the fleeing vehicle likely used.
- Witness Interviewing: Our team will interview witnesses and may run public appeals on local news or social media with the description of the car to find new leads.
- Cell Phone Location Data: If a suspect is identified, we can work with local law enforcement to subpoena records that show the location of a suspect’s phone near the time or place of the crash.
- Police Database Checks: Investigators cross-reference the description of the suspected vehicle against local police records of vehicles matching that description.
If the case involves serious injury or death, an accident reconstruction specialist may be called in. They will use computing models to determine the speed, trajectory, and angle of impact, which can back up witness accounts and narrow the search for the at-fault driver. Rest assured, our investigative team will stop at nothing to gather all available evidence to attempt to identify those responsible.
What Happens If the Hit-and-Run Driver Is Found?
The ultimate goal of our investigation is to identify the driver so a personal injury claim can be filed against their insurance policy or a civil personal injury lawsuit against them personally.
If the driver is able to be located, criminal charges will be filed by the local law enforcement at either a misdemeanor or felony level. Smith & Lee will help you file a civil lawsuit against the driver for negligence. We will pursue comprehensive compensation covering all damages, including current and future medical bills, impact on your pay, chronic pain, and lasting trauma.
What Happens If the Hit-and-Run Driver Cannot Be Found?
If the driver cannot be located through the thorough means described above, Smith & Lee are still here to help. We will work with your insurance company to maximize the recovery amount available, covering the same types of damages as above. Depending on your coverage, we may be able to file a claim with Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage as well as general Collision Coverage.
By immediately launching a detailed and aggressive investigation, you can significantly increase the chances of identifying the responsible party and holding them accountable for their reckless and criminal conduct.
Texas Statute of Limitations’ Strict Timing
Under Texas law, there is a strict time limit, known as the statute of limitations, for filing a personal injury lawsuit. In most auto accidents, you generally have two years from the date the accident occurred to take legal action. Some exceptions apply, but the sooner you get started, the better chance you have, since your lawyers will need time to complete a full investigation.
With hit-and-run accidents, the more time you have to track down the person who fled the scene of the accident, the better. Our hit-and-run accident injury attorney will need to gather evidence at the scene and then work to identify and track down those responsible. The sooner you get started, the fresher the evidence will be, any eyewitness memories will be more detailed, and there will be more time to pursue those responsible.
Do not allow delays or uncertainty to cost you your right to compensation for your losses. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can begin the critical work of investigation, evidence preparation, and tracking down those responsible.
Contact Our Rockwall Hit-and-Run Injury Accident Attorneys
If you have been victimized by a hit-and-run, you need an advocate who is prepared to aggressively pursue every lead. Smith & Lee is committed to helping those in our community find justice and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. You are not alone in this fight. For a free, confidential consultation with experienced hit-and-run accident lawyers, contact our Rockwall, TX law firm today. You can also reach us by phone at (972) 771-2579.