A hit-and-run accident in New York State is a very serious incident and crime. It is a serious incident because if someone is injured, then it becomes necessary to try and determine who will pay for the victim's medical cost. It is a serious crime because people need to be held accountable for the damage they do and the injuries they cause. If you ever get injured in a hit-and-run accident, there are some steps you should follow to help with your claim.
Aside from getting out of the way of traffic, you should remain at the scene of the accident. If you are seriously injured, then you should call 911 emergency services and get help. The responding emergency medical technicians will include the location of the accident in their report.
As we mentioned, you should call for emergency medical treatment once you are out of the way of moving traffic. You should also call the police to ask them to generate a report. Since you are injured, you might have to be taken from the scene before the police arrive. If that is the case, then give the 911 dispatcher a quick description of the vehicle that hit you.
Once you have been treated and can move around freely, you should contact the police to get a copy of the police report. That police report will have witness accounts of the accident that you can use in your claim.
As you wait for the police and medical personnel to show up, start taking pictures of the accident scene and reaching out to witnesses. If you are too injured to move, then do not attempt to approach anyone. It is entirely possible that witnesses will come to you with information. You should attempt to gather that information for use later in your claim. You should look for information such as the make of the vehicle, the color, the license plate number, a description of the driver, and any other details witnesses can provide.
Once a police report has been filed about your hit-and-run accident, the police will start an investigation. You would be surprised how many of these types of incidents get solved in New York State. As you wait for the investigation to conclude, you should hire the services of an experienced personal injury attorney.
Your attorney will know exactly what to do if the offending driver is caught, and if the investigation turns up no drivers. In either case, you will want to make sure your medical expenses and lost wages are covered from your accident.
A hit-and-run accident can get a driver arrested and charged with a variety of offenses. Along with criminal charges, you will want to make sure that your injury claim for the damage you sustained from this inconsiderate and reckless driver is paid for in full.
