Rockford Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer
Getting hit by a driver who takes off is frightening and infuriating. You’re hurt, the car is damaged, and the person responsible is gone. Many people assume that without the other driver, there’s no one to pay. That’s often not true. In Illinois, your own auto policy includes uninsured motorist coverage, and that coverage may pay for your injuries after a hit-and-run.
Attorney Paul Marriett is a Rockford native who has handled crash cases all over the city and northern Illinois. Our office is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you’ve just been hit, call us.
What to Do After a Hit-and-Run
- Call 911 and get medical care. Your health comes first, and a police report is critical to any hit-and-run claim.
- Write down everything you remember about the other vehicle: color, make, model, partial plate, damage, direction of travel.
- Get witness names and phone numbers. Witnesses often leave before police arrive.
- Take photos of your vehicle, the scene, debris, and paint transfer.
- Tell your own insurance company promptly. Policies usually set deadlines for reporting a hit-and-run to police and to the insurer. Missing them can put coverage at risk.
- Don’t give a recorded statement about your injuries until you’ve talked to a lawyer.
How Uninsured Motorist Coverage Works in a Hit-and-Run
Illinois requires auto policies to include uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage, at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. When the at-fault driver can’t be identified, that coverage may step in as if the driver were uninsured. It can cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The catch: an uninsured motorist claim is a claim against your own insurance company, and your insurer will look for reasons to pay less. Policies have specific terms that affect hit-and-run claims, such as reporting requirements, proof that another vehicle caused the crash, and rules about how disputes are resolved. We read your policy line by line and hold your insurer to it.
This is also why we tell everyone who can afford it to carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage well above $100,000. It’s the safety net for exactly this situation.
We Try to Find the Driver
A hit-and-run driver who is identified may have insurance and assets of their own. We move quickly to look for video from businesses, homes, traffic cameras, and buses before it’s recorded over, follow up on witnesses and partial plates, and work with police on the investigation. Leaving the scene of a crash involving injury is a crime in Illinois, and a criminal case can help the civil case.
Hit-and-Runs Involving Pedestrians and Cyclists
If you were walking or biking when a driver hit you and fled, your household’s auto policy may still provide uninsured motorist coverage. See our pedestrian accident and bicycle accident pages, and our article on insurance coverage in a pedestrian hit-and-run.
Quick Answers for Hit-and-Run Victims
Will my insurance cover a hit-and-run in Illinois?
Often, yes. Illinois auto policies include uninsured motorist coverage, which may apply when the at-fault driver can’t be identified. Your policy’s specific terms control, so report the crash to police and your insurer right away.
Will a hit-and-run claim raise my rates?
An uninsured motorist claim for a crash that wasn’t your fault shouldn’t be treated like an at-fault accident. Ask us about your specific policy.
What if the police never find the driver?
You may still be able to recover through your own uninsured motorist coverage. Many hit-and-run cases are resolved this way.
How long do I have?
Deadlines depend on your policy and on whether the driver is later identified. Most Illinois personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years (735 ILCS 5/13-202), and insurance policies often have shorter notice deadlines. Call now.
Call (815) 964-8303 for a free consultation. Related: uninsured motorist claims | underinsured motorist claims | Rockford car accident lawyer
Reviewed by Attorney Paul M. Marriett, Rockford Injury Lawyers.