INSURANCE COVERAGE AFTER A HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT
It is sad and frustrating that someone could cause a car accident and then flee the scene to avoid responsibility. Unfortunately, hit and run is something our Minnesota car accident attorneys have to deal with for injury clients.
Why does someone hit and run? It may be because the other driver was driving drunk, or possibly because the other driver had no insurance or has had too many accidents. Usually they are worried about losing their license or insurance.
Whatever the reason, it puts the car crash victim in a bad position. It basically makes you a victim a second time – first because of being hit, and then second because the other driver fled without paying for the damage.
STEP ONE: REPORT THE CRASH
If you are the victim of a hit and run accident, the first thing to do is to call the police or MN State Patrol. If possible, stay at the scene until the police get there and cooperate in every way possible.
Our attorneys had one client who chased after the hit and run driver and called the police on her cell phone while she was driving. It worked in that case and the police caught the driver that had tried to run. However, that is obviously dangerous and not something we recommend. The best thing you can do is get the other driver’s license plate number and give that to the police. For more information about reporting a Minnesota crash, click here.
FULL COVERAGE OPTIONAL, NO-FAULT COVERAGE MANDATORY
If your car has collision coverage, your auto insurance company will pay for the damage to your vehicle. Collision coverage is optional, so check your policy.
However, No-Fault coverage is mandatory with every auto insurance policy in MN. If you or someone in your car was injured in the crash, your insurance will pay for medical bills and lost wages. Plus, you may get other compensation – such as pain and suffering – through the Uninsured Motorist coverage. Again, that is part of every auto insurance policy in Minnesota.
There is only one catch in a hit and run insurance claim. You have to demonstrate that you tried to get the other driver’s license plate number or other information. For example, by trying to write down the license plate number and vehicle description. You also have to cooperate with the responding police. Of course, sometimes this is impossible because of your injuries. However, if it was possible and you didn’t do it, your insurance company may try to deny your uninsured motorist claim. This is an uninsured vehicle insurance issue our attorneys deal with pretty frequently.
If you or a family member are injured in a hit and run car crash in MN, please call our office and speak with a lawyer for a free consultation. One of our car accident attorneys will explain your rights to you and go through the insurance coverage issues. If we take your case, we never charge anything unless we get compensation for you.