Hit & Run Accident Injury Lawyer in Greenville, TX

Getting hurt by someone who is not only negligent but also flees the scene makes it much harder to cover adequate compensation for your medical expenses and other bills. Fortunately, you can put an experienced personal injury attorney on your side to help you understand all your options when it comes to insurance claims and lawsuits.

The Greenville, TX car accident lawyers at Smith & Lee will work with authorities to identify the hit and run driver whenever possible. They can also assist you in pursuing any available avenues to recover the financial losses you suffer.

Our law firm is here to do right by you. For a free case review with our hit-and-run accident lawyers in Greenville, contact our law firm online. You can also call us at (972) 771-2579.

What to Do Immediately After a Hit and Run in Greenville

If you are seriously injured and other people come to your aid, ask someone to call 911 for medical and police assistance. However, if you can physically do so, follow these steps:

Call 911
Take photos of your vehicle and injuries
Ask paramedics to examine and document your injuries
Talk to the police
Ask any witnesses for their contact information
Call your insurance provider to report the crash

Pedestrian victims of hit and run drivers must get medical attention immediately. According to the State of Texas Open Data Portal, 1 in every 6 traffic accident deaths involves a pedestrian. Once you are medically stable, you should contact a hit and run accident injury lawyer to discuss the details of your crash.

How Texas Hit and Run Laws Work

Under Texas Transportation Code § 550.021, drivers must stop at the scene to render aid, exchange information with other parties, and remain until released by authorities. If they don’t, they can be charged with a felony if apprehended, even if they stopped initially before leaving.

Suppose the other driver stops and calls the authorities so you can get help, but they are also driving on a suspended license. If they decide to drive off before the police arrive, it is still considered a hit and run accident.

Your Financial Recovery Options When the Driver Isn’t Found

Texas is an at-fault state, requiring that drivers carry liability insurance to pay for bodily injury and property damage. If the police cannot find the driver, you have other options for financial recovery to pay for your bills through optional policies:

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist insurance (UM/UIM): UM/UIM insurance pays bills when you’re hit by someone with no insurance or too little, and you can use it after a hit and run accident.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP): Under Texas Insurance Code § 1952.001, all insurance providers must offer at least $2,500 of PIP coverage, regardless of fault. To decline this insurance, you must do so in writing.
MedPay: MedPay works like PIP, except insurers do not have to provide it. PIP pays bills up to 3 years after the crash, but MedPay only pays up to 1 year and may not cover everything.
Personal health insurance: You can submit your medical bills to your medical insurance provider so you can get the care you need until you identify the other driver.

Negotiating for the maximum available compensation can be complicated when you do not have someone else to hold accountable. The best way to do this is to work with a hit and run accident injury attorney with a strong background and knowledge of how the insurance industry works.

Building Proof in a Hit and Run Claim

In a hit and run case, it’s difficult to establish who’s at fault since the negligent driver left before you could exchange insurance details. Yet there are still some potential sources your hit and run injury lawyer can use to build your claim, including:

Police Reports: A crash report includes all information the police recorded about your crash.
Witness Statements: Other drivers or pedestrians may have noted or photographed the hit and run driver’s license plate or details about their vehicle.
Video Footage: Your attorney can request footage from other drivers’ dashcams, traffic surveillance cameras, and security cameras to help identify the hit and run motorist.
Vehicle Damage: Using paint left by another vehicle, specialists may be able to determine the make, model, and year by comparing it to paint from recent auto shop repairs.

This material demonstrates to insurance companies that you were hit by someone else and not at fault for your injuries or property damage. If you locate the hit and run motorist, your attorney can use this evidence to establish negligence against them and prepare your case for trial, if appropriate.

Common Injuries and Damages in Hit and Run Cases

You may experience immediate injury or have conditions that don’t show up until later, putting your life at risk. Here are some of the most common hit and run injuries:

Traumatic brain injuries
Broken bones and fractures
Cuts, bruises, and lacerations
Internal bleeding and organ damage
Spine, neck, and spinal cord injuries
Puncture wounds

You have the right to seek compensation for all your damages in a personal injury case, even if you can’t locate the at-fault party immediately. Many of the items in this list are catastrophic injuries that can have lasting effects. We will help you calculate damages such as:

Coverage for all your medical costs
Travel costs for care
Lost income
Projected value of lost bonuses, promotions, and earning capacity
Future projected care costs
Property damage and replacement costs

For many hit and run accident victims, the effect of their pain and suffering is tremendous. Your non-economic damages may include mental anguish, isolation, diminished quality of life, anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

What Can I Expect From a Local Hit and Run Injury Lawyer in Greenville?

Whether you are a vehicle passenger or a pedestrian, you deserve someone on your case who will listen to your situation with compassion and commitment. They should recognize the difficulties you will face trying to find the wrongdoer and make every effort to locate that person. Your hit and run injury attorney should work diligently to secure all available compensation so you aren’t left with overwhelming bills.

At Smith & Lee, our Hunt County personal injury attorneys can interpret the law to your advantage whenever possible. We can connect you with experts in many fields, prepare powerful evidence, and present your claim to insurance providers. We can complete a thorough investigation to uncover every detail that might help us find the driver.

We also hold strong against insurance companies that might deny your claim or offer too little. Our attorneys strive to make recovering from a hit and run accident as comfortable and stress-free as possible.

Deadlines and Pitfalls in Texas Hit and Run Injury Claims

After a hit and run accident, the statute of limitations only gives you two years to file a lawsuit. You can improve your chances of finding the driver to file your case against them by working with an experienced hit and run accident injury lawyer.

To avoid a dispute with your insurance company about when you contacted them to report your accident, call them at the scene or as soon as you get home. Each company has a different timeframe, so the sooner, the better. Otherwise, they may try to deny your claim.

When you call the insurance provider, they may ask to record your statement. You may not have all the details, your memory may be unreliable, or you could accidentally admit fault. None of those will help your case, so it’s wise to talk to your hit and run injury lawyer first and let them handle the insurance conversations on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Hit and Run Accidents

Do I Still Have a Case If The Hit-And-Run Driver Is Never Identified?

If no one ever locates the at-fault driver, you still have hope when you work with Smith & Lee. Our attorneys will assist you with identifying your compensation options, and we will partner with law enforcement to continue trying to find the driver. Ultimately, we will do all we can with the information we can gather, which is why it’s vital to contact us as soon as you can after your crash.

Will My Own Insurance Company Fight My Uninsured Motorist (UM) Hit-And-Run Claim?

Insurance companies are businesses and may push back on your claim, but if you have purchased UM insurance, you have the right to seek payment. Your Smith & Lee attorney knows insurance law and will fight back for what you deserve.

What if The Driver “Ran Me Off The Road” But Didn’t Actually Hit My Car?

According to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), around 80% of drivers report engaging in aggressive driving actions. This includes tailgating, intentionally bumping another vehicle, cutting others off, or brandishing a weapon. If another driver ran you off the road, but didn’t actually hit you, you still may have a case for filing a hit and run claim under your UM insurance.

Contact Our Greenville Hit and Run Accident Injury Attorneys

Our hit and run accident injury attorneys are dedicated to helping you get the best available outcome for your case, no matter the circumstances. We offer free initial consultations so we can assess your circumstances and provide advice. When we accept your case, our contingency fee plan means you don’t pay our fees if we don’t obtain a settlement for you.

You don’t have to face a hit and run injury alone. Contact our law firm to arrange a free case review and learn more.