When a car accident occurs, both parties have a responsibility to stop. According to the Texas Transportation Code, § 550.023, a driver who is involved in a collision that causes injuries or death to another person is required to provide their:
- Name
- Address
- Vehicle registration number
- Insurance company’s name
- Driver’s license
If asked, they also have to help a victim obtain medical treatment. That may include transporting the individual to a hospital or arranging for transportation.
Sometimes, however, a driver who causes an accident flees the scene, either because of panic or because of a desire to evade responsibility. The individual may have a suspended license or an outstanding arrest warrant. The driver may be uninsured or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The person may be driving a company vehicle and may not want to get in trouble, or the car may be stolen.
If you were involved in a hit and run accident, you might have experienced severe injuries. You may have been taken to the hospital in an ambulance and may have needed one or more surgeries. You may now be going through treatments or physical therapy.
The medical bills may be staggering. If you are unable to work because of your injuries, your family may be struggling to make ends meet. You may be feeling the emotional effects of the accident as well, or are worried about the future.
A Houston hit and run accident lawyer may be able to find out who caused the crash and hold that person accountable. The team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, can work to identify the driver and file a personal injury lawsuit to seek compensation for your losses, as well as punitive damages. Call our office at (844) 730-0233 to speak with a member of our staff.
When a Hit and Run Driver Is Not Identified
In many cases, a hit and run driver cannot be found. A victim may then file a claim with their own auto insurance policy if it includes uninsured motorist coverage. The insurance company may cover vehicle repairs and medical bills related to the collision, up to the policy’s coverage limits.
For a free legal consultation with a hit and run accidents lawyer serving Houston, call (844) 730-0233
What a Houston Hit and Run Accident Lawyer Can Do to Try to Find the Driver
Ben Crump Law, PLLC, may be able to track down the driver who caused the collision. We can start with any descriptions of the vehicle that may be available. Those may come from you, your passengers, or eyewitnesses who were in the area. Even a partial plate number, whether the vehicle was a sedan or a truck, or whether it was a light or a dark color, can help us start to narrow down the possibilities.
Our team can review any available video of the accident, of the moments leading up to it, or immediately after it. That may include footage from a nearby traffic camera, a surveillance camera at a local business, or a security camera at a house. We may also learn that a person who was nearby and who was recording something with a cellphone accidentally captured footage of the collision in the background.
Once we have a general description of the vehicle, we can work to track it down. If the vehicle was seriously damaged, the driver might have taken it to a body shop for repairs. We can check with local businesses to try to find a vehicle that matches the description we have, and that has damage consistent with the accident.
If the driver was injured, they might have sought treatment at a hospital. We can try to find records of a person who was treated for injuries that were consistent with the collision.
When people take a vehicle for repairs or go to the hospital to have an injury treated, they typically submit an insurance claim. A driver who caused a hit and run accident will most likely want to avoid using insurance. That may raise suspicions in the minds of employees at an auto repair shop or a hospital and may help us find the hit and run driver.
Houston Hit and Run Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
How an Attorney Can Seek Justice
If we can locate the driver who caused the accident, we may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against that individual. Ben Crump Law, PLLC, may seek a financial award to compensate you for the medical expenses that you have incurred so far, plus costs for the care you will need in the future, lost income, and pain and suffering.
You may also be entitled to punitive damages. Those are additional damages that are designed to punish a defendant for particularly negligent behavior, such as fleeing the scene of a crash without stopping to find out if the victim was injured and in need of medical treatment. Punitive damages are also meant to serve as a warning to others that engaging in similar actions can have significant consequences.
We may be able to negotiate a settlement on your behalf without going to court. If that is not possible, our team will go to trial to seek a financial award that will fairly compensate you for what you have experienced so far and for what you will continue to endure because of the collision.
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Hire a Houston Hit and Run Accident Lawyer
People who have been hurt in car crashes sometimes do not seek help from an attorney because they think they could not afford legal fees. That should not concern you because Ben Crump Law, PLLC, does not charge personal injury clients any money up front. We only collect a fee if we recover a financial award on a victim’s behalf.
The statute of limitations to file a personal injury lawsuit is two years from the date of the accident, according to the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. It may be difficult for our team to track down a hit and run driver and build a case. The sooner you contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC, the sooner we will be able to get to work. Call our office today at (844) 730-0233.
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