A hit and run accident is one of the worst kinds of injustices. You were not responsible for the car accident, you may have suffered injuries, and now you have to pay out of pocket for your medical bills and to repair property damage. Hit and run drivers may maim or even kill innocent parties and then flee the scene, avoiding justice and liability for their actions.
The good news is that victims of hit and run accidents in Maryland have rights, and can recover damages thanks to the state’s hit and run laws – with help from the accident attorney Randolph Rice.
Insurance Coverage for Hit and Run Accidents
Maryland law helps victims of hit and run accidents by enabling them to recover for damages through automobile insurance coverage. If you have car insurance in Maryland, as the law stipulates, your insurance company protects you from paying if someone hits you and flees the scene.
It does this with uninsured motorist coverage. For all intents and purposes, the motorist who hit you may as well have not had insurance. Your insurance company will step in, in place of the motorist who left the scene. While this gives victims a means of recovering for damages, it, in essence, pits you against your own insurance company. Your insurance company will reimburse you for your medical bills and property damage expenses, but you still must prove that another driver negligently caused your accident and injuries.
You must have a viable claim against the responsible party for your insurance company to cover damages. Your insurance company can use the same range of possible defenses the at-fault party might have during negotiations, such as that you were partially responsible for the crash. To handle these negotiations and fight for the compensation you deserve, retain a lawyer to represent your interests.
Do You Need an Accident Lawyer?
In many hit and run cases, no physical contact ever occurs between the two vehicles. For example, one car may have merged into a lane on top of another, causing the second vehicle to swerve and hit a light pole.
In this situation, it can be even more difficult to prove fault, as the “phantom vehicle” never struck the victim’s car. the goal in these types of claims is to prove that the other driver more likely than not knew he or she had caused an accident. In any hit and run accident case, it is the victim’s burden to prove that another driver caused a crash or damages.
Also, frequent instances of hit and runs are the result of the driver being uninsured or undersinsured, and your attorney will be an invaluable asset to help your case. A hit and run attorney can increase your chances of securing a settlement from your insurance company. An attorney will investigate your accident, obtain eyewitness statements, get expert key witnesses to testify on your behalf, and recreate the crash in front of a judge and jury, if necessary.
In most cases, an attorney can reach a satisfactory settlement with an insurance company without ever having to go to court – saving the victim time and money. If the case does have to go to trial, an experienced attorney can help you prove your side of the case.
What to Do After a Hit and Run
Victims of hit and run accidents in Maryland are often left hurt and confused. Contacting injury attorneys Randolph Rice can give victims peace of mind. While you focus on recovering from your injuries, we’ll focus on recovering your damages from your insurance company or a third party.
Our car accident attorneys can interview witnesses and review any available security footage to try to find the person responsible for your hit and run.
Call Our Hit and Run Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
We know a hit and run accident can be frightening. You can trust our Maryland law firm at Rice, Murtha & Psoras to take the burden off your shoulders and represent your rights during negotiations with an insurance company.
Call us in Baltimore (410) 694-7291 today for a free consultation!