Drivers who flee the scene always produce reasons—they don’t have insurance, they have prior legal trouble, they were drunk and didn’t want to get caught. However, the bottom line is they only thought of themselves.
At Loncar Lyon Jenkins, our Decatur hit and run accident lawyers only think of you. Our team acts not only to track down the person who hit you but also to find other compensation options for you in the meantime. Even if we never discover the driver’s identity, we’ll seek damages elsewhere through an insurance claim or a lawsuit against another party.
Why an Injury Lawyer After a Hit and Run Accident in Decatur?
When someone leaves the scene of an accident that caused injuries and property damage, they commit a crime. Thus, your case will likely involve the police, and if they locate the driver, they’ll face criminal repercussions.
However, that process—while an important part of the justice system—doesn’t help you address the fallout from the crash: hospital bills, time off work to recover, and repairs to your car. That’s when a car accident lawyer steps in.
We Examine Your Options for Getting Help Now
Hit and run collisions can make you feel like your life has been put on hold until police find the perpetrator, but you need financial support now. That’s why our attorneys will do the following while we wait:
- Go over your insurance coverage to see if you can file a claim.
- File the paperwork for you, providing the necessary evidence.
- Help you access care, repairs, and other resources you may need.
- Explore the possibility of additional negligent parties who contributed.
Per the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), unless you stipulated in writing that you didn’t want uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage or personal injury protection (PIP), you likely have these options in your policy. We can file these claims for you, so you access compensation now for medical bills, lost income, and even pain and suffering.
However, since your policy limits sometimes don’t cover all your accident expenses—especially if you suffered severe or catastrophic injuries—we will also expand our view to look for other liable parties. For instance, if your airbag didn’t deploy, your seatbelt failed, or your brakes malfunctioned, we could hold a product manufacturer responsible for some of your expenses, providing you with more financial options.
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What Damages Are Possible From Insurance and Lawsuits in a Hit and Run?
First, you deserve damages for whatever expenses, bills, and losses you’ve incurred from this accident. Where that compensation comes from depends on the case, but our Decatur personal injury attorneys advocate for you to receive payment for the following:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation bills
- Ongoing expenses like prescriptions or physical therapy
- Past and future lost income
- Diminished earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished enjoyment of life
You may not receive all of this compensation from one liable party, and that’s OK. Part of our job is looking for every opportunity to maximize what you receive, and that often means pursuing multiple paths.
Can You Get Pain and Suffering Compensation?
For insurance claims, the answer depends on your coverage. While UM/UIM could provide some pain and suffering compensation, a PIP claim does not. Additionally, insurance may only cover some of your other damages up to a certain point, and you will only recover up to your policy limits.
However, pain and suffering and other noneconomic damages are important compensation that insurers often undervalue. You may not realize that you qualify for these damages:
- Developing mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, insomnia, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Missing out on hobbies, volunteering, or other activities you enjoy
- Changes to personal relationships due to your injuries
- Disfiguring injuries that harm your self-esteem
- Losing your independence and having to rely on others for everyday tasks
Therefore, how much you should ask for pain and suffering from a car accident depends on your unique situation.
Third Parties Could Owe You Compensation
Even if your insurance policy doesn’t provide for noneconomic damages, you could still recover them through a personal injury lawsuit against another party like a product manufacturer. Unlike insurance claims, policy limits don’t affect lawsuit settlements. Thus, we’ll fight for the maximum possible amount.
What If We Locate the Driver?
If our investigation or the police determine the hit and run driver’s identity, we could pursue compensation through a claim against their insurance for all your crash-related losses. However, if they didn’t carry insurance—which is sometimes why they flee the scene—you could still file a lawsuit.
Additionally, even if we find the driver, you could still recover damages through insurance and lawsuits against third parties. Your compensation options aren’t mutually exclusive.
Does a Hit and Run Collision Affect the Decatur Statute of Limitations?
Yes, this is one of the consequences of a hit and run accident in Wise County. Our car accident lawyers can look into tolling (pausing) the deadline for filing a lawsuit.
Typically, you have two years for a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, according to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. However, it’s not fair to you to have the clock ticking on your case while you don’t even know who to file against. The law recognizes this conundrum and allows you to wait until we identify the perpetrator before the statutory clock restarts.
Sometimes, you can file many years after the crash, but we don’t wait until then to start working on your case. One reason for the statute of limitations is to ensure evidence isn’t lost. So, while we work on getting you immediate care and compensation, we also gather the information we need to preserve for a future claim or suit against the driver.
877-239-4878Available 24/7 | 356 Days | se habla español
Don’t Wait Until We Find the Driver—Get Help After a Texas Hit and Run Now
At Loncar Lyon Jenkins, we focus on practical, achievable solutions. After the driver fled the scene of your crash, our Decatur hit and run accident attorneys can start taking steps right away to get you support and compensation. Contact us today for your free car accident case review.
