What to Do After a Hit-and-Run Crash in Anchorage
A hit-and-run accident occurs when a negligent driver causes an accident and then flees the scene without stopping to render aid or wait for the police to arrive. If you find yourself in this unfortunate predicament, the following information will help you to react accordingly. It was the negligent driver’s decisions that put you in this position. Unfortunately, once they leave the scene, it is then up to you to carry out the appropriate actions in order to ensure that your legal rights are protected, especially those toward collecting financial compensation.
In the moments following the incident, if you are physically able to act, then it is important to carry out the following steps following your hit-and-run crash:
Immediately dial the police. Tell the dispatcher where you are and what has just happened. If you are able to provide them with a description of the vehicle that struck you in as much detail as possible.
Don’t leave the crash scene until police advise. Get the contact info of any witnesses present at the time of the accident, as well as their statements pertaining to what happened. Also ask them if they have any information or memory of the vehicle that struck you, the physical appearance of the driver, or their license plate number.
Snap photos. If you can, take pictures of the damage done to your vehicle as well as the location of the crash. If your photos are time-stamped, even better.
Notify your insurance company. Call your insurance company, but do not speculate about the reason the accident took place. Simply relay to them the date, location, and time of the accident.
Seek medical attention. If your injuries are not obviously severe, you should still seek medical attention in order to ensure that your health and wellbeing are not at risk. Some injuries sustained in accidents do not fully present symptoms until hours or days after they are incurred. A doctor will be able to inform you of whether or not any of your injuries are severe enough to need further treatment.
Seek the assistance of an Anchorage personal injury lawyer. If you have been injured in a car accident in Anchorage, specifically a hit-and-run, the lawyers at the Law Office of Jason Skala will be able to inform you of and help you exercise your existing legal right toward financial compensation. You may be suffering in more ways than one after sustaining injuries in a negligently caused accident. Allowing a skilled and experienced car accident attorney in Anchorage may help you get back on the right track after your crash by assisting you in collecting full and fair financial compensation for your injuries and incurred losses.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage May Be Helpful.
The law in Alaska, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, requires insurance companies to offer drivers uninsured motorist coverage. This means that if you carry this type of coverage at the time of a hit-and-run accident, your insurance company may be held liable to cover the cost of your injuries and losses that resulted. A personal injury attorney in Anchorage will be able to help you better understand how to go about collecting compensation from your insurance company as well as other sources depending on the circumstances of your accident.
The Law Office of Jason Skala has been successfully helping injured crash victims in Anchorage and the surrounding cities collect the maximum financial compensation amount available for over a decade. Jason Skala is a skilled and compassionate personal injury lawyer who will work diligently on your behalf in order to ensure that your legal rights are protected at all costs. Call our law firm today for a free consultation and case evaluation. You pay nothing unless awarded full and fair financial compensation.