Seeking Compensation in a North Carolina Hit-and-Run Car Accident

While all car accidents are stressful, hit-and-run accidents are particularly frustrating. If you have suffered an injury in a hit-and-run accident, you may be concerned about how to seek compensation for your injuries. At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we have successfully helped many clients recover compensation in car accidents. We fight hard for North Carolina hit-and-run car accident victims. It is wise to contact a skilled attorney soon after your hit-and-run accident to help with the evidence gathering process as well as to assist with the insurance claims process. Contact our Charlotte personal injury law firm today to schedule your free initial consultation.

In most cases, your uninsured motorist insurance from your vehicle insurance policy will cover your bodily injuries and vehicle damages up to your policy limits. Unfortunately, insurance companies do not shy away from trying to deny insurance claims whenever possible as they are a for-profit entity. If you were at fault in any way for your car accident, an insurance company might bar your claim due to contributory negligence, a law that residents of North Carolina must always content with in the aftermath of a car accident.

Additionally, North Carolina statutory law imposes additional requirements when filing an insurance claim after a hit-and-run accident. The following criteria must be met to succeed in an accident claim:

• You must report the car accident to law enforcement within 24 hours so that an investigation can take place.
• You must notify your insurance company of the accident within a reasonable time. Notifying them within a few days of the accident usually constitutes a reasonable timeframe.
• Only people involved in accidents that result in an actual collision between two vehicles may file an uninsured motorist claim with their insurance company.

Proving that a collision took place during your hit-and-run accident can be challenging. If your vehicle does not make contact with the phantom vehicle who fled the scene, you cannot file an uninsured motorist claim. If another driver's negligence causes you to drive off the road, the contact requirement is not met. In that situation, an insurance company will deny your claim.

Unfortunately, insurance companies sometimes deny claims even when two cars made contact. If there is a lack of evidence that a collision occurred, an insurance company may deny the request. For example, if two vehicles collided at a low speed and no damage happened to the car, an insurance company could deny your claim. Companies could deny your claim even if you suffered a bodily injury such as whiplash.

At Arnold & Smith PLLC, our experienced personal injury attorneys are aware of how insurance companies process claims. Founding attorney Matt Arnold began his career representing insurance companies and defendants in personal injury lawsuits. He is extremely familiar with the tactics insurance companies use to deny hit-and-run claims.

Our attorneys use their experience to assertively advocate on behalf of our clients. We understand that filing an insurance claim may be the only way for our clients to receive compensation for their injuries. That is why we fight so hard on their behalf.

Drivers who flee the scene of an accident they caused can face severe legal penalties in North Carolina. If the car accident results in wrongful death, the driver who flees the scene could face jail time. Those in a car accident must stop and provide assistance and exchange information with the other parties involved in the crash.

In some cases, it might be possible to track down the driver in your hit-and-run accident. If security cameras captured the accident, our attorneys can help you acquire the footage. We help our clients track down witnesses to the accident when available.

Our attorneys can also investigate your hit-and-run accident to determine whether any other parties may be at fault. For example, if a city or municipality failed to maintain its traffic lights or post the proper traffic signs, you may be able to bring a suit against the government.

Hit-and-run accidents happen too frequently in North Carolina. Victims of hit-and-run car accidents often feel the stress of being unable to track down the at-fault driver to recover compensation for the damage caused. The attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC have helped North Carolina clients successfully recover compensation in hit-and-run accidents. Contact our law firm today to schedule your free initial consultation.