Hit-And-Run Injury Claims In Illinois: What Are Your Options?

In this article, you will discover:

• The most effective evidence to support your hit-and-run injury claim in Illinois.
• Whether you can pursue damages if the driver who hit you is never identified.
• How to pay your medical bills if the driver who hit you is never identified.

What Types Of Evidence Are Most Effective In Proving A Hit-And-Run Injury Claim?

In a hit-and-run case, the most effective evidence proves who it was that hit you. That might be a license plate number, a description of the driver, or the make and model of the car.

One of the best ways to obtain that evidence is via video. Whoever’s handling your case should understand the importance of video evidence.

In the digital age, we have many different cameras everywhere on the streets and highways. The city, county or state manages some of those cameras. Video from private citizens, shop owners or doorbell cameras may also be useful sources of evidence. Hopefully, you can request that type of evidence from them.

Keep in mind that those videos are often destroyed or overwritten after a certain period. That’s why it’s essential to request that evidence as quickly as possible.

Can I Still Pursue Compensation If The At-Fault Driver Is Never Identified?

That’s most often the case because people hit-and-run when they don’t have insurance. If that happens, you can use your own insurance to make an uninsured motorist claim. In other words, your own insurance would step into the shoes of the other driver by acting as if it were the other driver’s insurer.

While that may be hard to understand, it makes sense because the law and insurance contracts anticipate that you might be hit by someone who has no insurance. In that instance, you have insurance that will cover you and provide the same types of damages in the same amounts as if the other driver’s insurance were paying you. Specifically, your uninsured motorist coverage will cover pain and suffering, loss of normal life, wage loss, and medical bills.

Will Filing An Uninsured Motorist Claim Increase My Insurance Premiums In Illinois?

Even if filing an uninsured motorist claim increases your premiums slightly, the money you would recover in a claim like this would be much more than any increase in your premiums.

How Can I Pay My Medical Bills If The Driver In an Accident Is Unknown?

If you have no health insurance to cover your medical bills and the driver is unknown, hopefully, your insurance will pay for them. That’s why it’s important to carry uninsured motorist coverage in an amount greater than the state minimum of $25,000.

You should carry at least $50,000 because, if you are hit by somebody and badly injured, your medical bills can easily reach that mark.

Why Is Working With A Personal Injury Attorney Especially Important In Hit-And-Run Cases?

The reason for working with a personal injury attorney in a hit-and-run case is the same as it would be if you had found the other driver. The arbitration process is not quite as complicated as litigation. However, it is still complex enough that an average person who’s not legally trained wouldn’t be able to handle it on their own.

Arbitration has specific rules and deadlines. You must adhere to those rules and deadlines to maintain your claim. Even if you have a hit-and-run case, you need a lawyer to help you navigate that.

A respected attorney will also get you a better result. Your insurance company is going to behave just like it were the defendant’s insurance company, meaning it’s not going to offer you a big money settlement unless competent counsel represents you.

Still Have Questions? Ready To Get Started?

For more information about hit-and-run injury claims in Illinois, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (312) 210-7229 today.