Shook & Stone has been part of the Nevada community since 1997. We care about our fellow Nevadans. When someone in our community is the victim of another party’s negligence, we want to help set things right. If you’re the victim of a hit and run driver, reach out to a Sun Valley car accident lawyer from our team.
Hit and run accidents come with specific considerations and frustrations, but you are not without options for securing compensation. A Hit and run accident lawyer in Sun Valley is here to help you find a path to justice.
How to Protect Yourself After a Hit and Run Accident
Hit and run accidents bring an extra layer of disbelief. That sense of confusion and shock can leave you unsure of what to do. Ultimately, follow the same steps to take after a car accident that isn’t a hit and run, to the extent possible.
Call the police so they can make an official accident report. If you were present during the hit and run, give as much of a description of the offender and vehicle as you can. Bystanders may have witnessed the incident. Get their contact information and ask them to email or text you an account of what they saw.
It’s important to take pictures after a car accident. Document the car’s location and the damage sustained. Cover the entire area, noting the locations of mounted cameras. Those devices may have captured the incident.
Get Medical and Legal Help
If you were in the vehicle during the crash and do not require emergency medical care, go to a doctor after leaving the scene. Have your injuries diagnosed, documented, and treated early.
Some injury symptoms may take time to appear or be masked by shock. Delaying care can put your health at risk and lead insurance companies to question your claim.
Then, connect with a Sun Valley hit and run accident lawyer. Though hit and run accidents present particular complications, you are not without recourse. We can help you explore potential paths to compensation.
A Sun Valley Hit and Run Accident Lawyer Can Explain Your Options
Once we form a partnership, the Sun Valley personal injury lawyers at Shook & Stone can get to work investigating the accident. Photo and video footage, witness statements, and physical evidence from the accident scene and your vehicle can help us determine what happened. We also have connections with accident reconstructionists who can provide valuable insight.
These investigations help determine the liable party. If the offender is located and caused the crash, we can file your claim against that party’s insurance company. Unfortunately, hit and run drivers often leave the scene because they don’t have insurance. Other times, the drivers are never found.
Our investigation may show that other factors contributed to your accident. A broken traffic signal could have led to an intersection crash, for example. The government agency responsible for the signal’s operation may bear liability. If any other party’s negligence played a role in your hit and run, we can work to hold them accountable for paying damages.
Insurance Possibilities
The Nevada Division of Insurance’s explanation of understanding auto insurance shows that Nevada drivers only have to carry liability policies. These policies cover damage to third parties caused by the policyholder. Drivers can include other optional coverage, such as collision, medical payments (MedPay), and Underinsured/Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM/UIM).
MedPay pays for injuries you or your passengers sustain, and collision pays for vehicle damage, no matter who is at fault. UM/UIM covers medical costs and other losses when the party who caused your accident doesn’t have insurance or your losses exceed their policy limits. These forms of coverage extend to hit and run scenarios.
An experienced Sun Valley hit and run accident attorney can review your policies and deal with your insurance representatives if they prove uncooperative.
There are recovery requirements under UM/UIM policies in Nevada, and sometimes, insurance companies challenge your claim, saying you don’t meet those requirements. We will fight to get you every dollar your policy warrants.
Damages You May Collect After a Hit and Run
If the liable party is identified and insured, the damages you can recover after a car accident typically fall into the categories of economic and non-economic. They address your financial and quality of life losses, respectively, including coverage for or acknowledgment of your:
- Medical expenses
- Income lost during recovery
- Damage to your vehicle
- Additional accident-incurred costs
- Physical and emotional suffering
- Reduced enjoyment of life
We also factor in your future needs. Your injuries could be severe, requiring long-term care and keeping you out of work permanently. A hit and run accident attorney in Sun Valley can determine the amount of those future costs and losses and include them in the settlement demand.
Free Consultation We’ll help you win the benefits you need to get your life back.
Nevada’s Laws and Hit and Run Accidents
The Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 484EÂ establishes laws governing what drivers involved in accidents must do. Drivers who leave the scene of a crash violate these laws. If found, the offenders can face criminal penalties, but those consequences do not compensate you for your losses. You pursue compensation through the civil system by filing a personal injury claim.
The State’s personal injury laws affect your civil claim. Per NRS 41.141, you can only file a claim for damages if you are 50% or less to blame for the accident. If you bear a smaller percentage of blame, your compensation is reduced by that same percentage.
These laws highlight the importance of having a skilled team investigate your accident. We can collect evidence to show your lack of culpability and emphasize the at-fault party’s negligence. Per NRS 11.190, you have a 2-year deadline for filing your civil claim. Connect with us quickly to ensure prompt filing.
We Know What It Takes to Get Results
Shook & Stone is here for your toughest moments. The hit and run driver may have left the scene, but our loyal, compassionate, effective team walks through the legal process every step of the way.
Connect for a free case review with a Sun Valley hit and run accident lawyer. We know what it takes to get results and are ready to get to work.
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