A car accident can become even more stressful when the other driver leaves before exchanging information or speaking with police. In Colorado Springs, a hit-and-run can leave an injured person wondering how to identify the driver, how medical bills will be paid, and whether compensation is still available.
Leaving the scene does not eliminate an injured person's legal options. Evidence from the crash, insurance coverage, witnesses, and an investigation may provide ways to identify the responsible driver or pursue compensation through other sources. At Pribila & Fields, P.C., we help Colorado Springs accident victims understand their options after serious crashes, including accidents where the other driver cannot immediately be located.
Safety and medical care should come first. If anyone has been injured, seek emergency assistance and report the accident to law enforcement.
If circumstances allow, try to remember as much as possible about the fleeing vehicle without putting yourself in danger by following it.
Useful details may include:
Even a partial description may help investigators.
Someone injured in a Colorado Springs hit-and-run should not attempt to chase the fleeing vehicle. Doing so could create another collision or dangerous confrontation.
Colorado law imposes responsibilities on drivers involved in motor vehicle accidents. The precise requirements and potential consequences depend on circumstances such as whether the crash caused property damage, injury, serious bodily injury, or death.
A driver involved in an accident may be required to stop, provide identifying information, and take other legally required steps.
Leaving the scene can therefore create consequences separate from responsibility for causing the original collision.
For an injured person, however, the immediate concern is often different: determining how to recover compensation when the driver responsible for the Colorado Springs crash has disappeared.
Our Colorado Springs car accident attorneys can investigate the accident, address insurance issues, and help identify potential sources of compensation.
A driver leaving the scene does not necessarily mean that person will remain unidentified.
Colorado Springs police may investigate available evidence from the accident scene and surrounding area. An injured person's attorney may also investigate potential sources of information relevant to a civil injury claim.
Evidence that could help identify a fleeing driver includes:
Timing can matter. Some businesses and property owners retain surveillance recordings for only a limited period before the footage is overwritten.
Prompt investigation after a Colorado Springs hit-and-run can therefore make a meaningful difference in the amount of evidence available.
Failing to identify the other driver does not necessarily mean an injured person has no way to seek compensation.
One potential source may be the injured person's own auto insurance policy.
Uninsured motorist coverage can become particularly important after certain hit-and-run accidents. Whether coverage applies depends on the policy, the circumstances of the crash, and Colorado insurance law.
An insurance claim involving your own carrier can still involve questions about:
Drivers should not assume that their own insurance company will automatically pay everything requested simply because the other motorist fled.
A Colorado Springs personal injury attorney can review the applicable policy and determine what insurance coverage may be available.
If an investigation identifies the fleeing driver, the injured person may be able to pursue a claim against that driver's applicable insurance coverage or, depending on the circumstances, against the driver personally.
Identifying the driver may also reveal why the person left.
Some hit-and-run drivers may flee because they:
The reason someone left does not necessarily determine who caused the original accident. Liability for the collision still needs to be investigated.
For example, evidence may show that the fleeing driver ran a red light before striking another vehicle. The fact that the driver then left the scene can become part of the overall investigation, but evidence concerning the initial collision remains important.
Reporting a hit-and-run promptly creates an official record of the accident and gives law enforcement an opportunity to investigate.
When speaking with officers, provide the information you actually remember. Avoid guessing about details such as a license plate number, vehicle model, or driver description if you are uncertain.
A police report may document:
The report itself may not resolve every question about fault, but it can provide an important starting point for a personal injury investigation.
Hit-and-run cases can depend heavily on evidence because the other driver may not be available to provide information immediately after the collision.
If possible, photograph the entire accident scene before vehicles are moved or conditions change.
Preserve evidence such as:
If your vehicle contains a dashboard camera, save the relevant recording as soon as possible.
Someone injured in Colorado Springs should also write down what they remember about the fleeing vehicle while the details are still fresh.
A hit-and-run accident should generally be reported to the appropriate insurance carrier promptly.
Insurance policies can contain requirements concerning notice and cooperation. Waiting too long to report an accident could create unnecessary disputes.
However, injured people should also understand that conversations with insurance companies can affect their claims.
An adjuster may request a recorded statement or detailed information about the accident and injuries. Before providing extensive statements, an injured person may want to understand what coverage applies and what information is being requested.
This can be particularly important in a Colorado Springs hit-and-run where an uninsured motorist claim may eventually involve the injured person's own carrier.
A hit-and-run can cause the same serious injuries as any other motor vehicle collision.
Depending on the facts and available insurance coverage, a personal injury claim may involve compensation for losses such as:
The amount available will depend on the injuries, evidence of fault, applicable insurance coverage, and other circumstances.
When the fleeing driver remains unidentified, determining available insurance coverage becomes an especially important part of the case.
Time can work against an injured person after a hit-and-run.
The vehicle that fled may be repaired. Surveillance footage may disappear. Witnesses may become harder to locate, and memories can fade.
An early investigation may help identify evidence that would otherwise be lost.
For Colorado Springs accident victims, that can include contacting nearby businesses about security recordings, locating witnesses, examining vehicle debris, reviewing insurance coverage, and preserving documentation of injuries and financial losses.
Even when the driver cannot immediately be identified, taking these steps can help protect a potential claim.
If you are dealing with injuries after a driver left the scene of an accident in Colorado Springs, our attorneys are here to help. Pribila & Fields, P.C. can investigate the crash, search for evidence identifying the responsible driver, review available insurance coverage, and help you pursue compensation.
Call us today at (719) 888-3720 or connect with us online to schedule a free consultation.
Pribila and Fields, P.C. has successfully handled thousands of personal injury cases and tried scores of cases where an insurance carrier refused to pay fair compensation for injuries, losses or damages.
18 E. Monument Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
reception@pribila.com
Phone: (719) 888-3720
Fax: (719) 473-2542
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