Ohio car accident victims usually have a lot to deal with. They have to try to recover from their injuries and come to terms with an accident that might have even left them suffering from a permanent disability. Holding the negligent party accountable for their actions is one way Ohio victims can receive compensation to help cover their medical bills so they can focus on rehabilitation. However, what happens when the irresponsible driver tries to escape responsibility by running from the scene of the crime, as the driver tried to do in the post from last week?
Unfortunately, there has been a steady increase in the number of hit-and-run accidents over the last few years. In fact, around one in every five pedestrian accident involves a hit and run driver. Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime. But criminal charges do not compensate accident victims. So, this brings us back to the question-how does one hold such a driver responsible for economic and noneconomic losses?
Lawyers at our firm understand the challenges accidents pose and work with a number of parties to identify the driver at fault. We try to use important information such as license plate numbers, driver descriptions from witnesses and even security camera feeds to help track down the driver. Then, regardless of whether criminal charges are filed, we competently work to try to recover damages through the civil legal system.
Despite all this, it is still possible that the at-fault driver is not found. In this situation, it may be possible to recover compensation from the victim’s own auto-insurance company, under the protection offered by the uninsured motorist insurance. For more information on steps that could be taken in such a situation, visit our hit-and-run accidents page.