El Paso Car Accident Claim: Hit and Run
Driving on El Paso roads can turn dangerous when least expected. Accidents are common on the highways and roads of West Texas, and unfortunately, not everyone involved in an accident always follows the law. Sometimes the driver of the vehicle that struck you doesn’t even stop, a situation commonly referred to as a hit and run. If you’ve been in a hit and run accident, read on to find out if an attorney at Carabin Shaw can help you file a car accident injury lawsuit to help you get your car fixed and get you back on your feet.
The Basics of a Hit and Run AccidentThe Texas Transportation Code requires drivers in an accident to stop and provide contact and insurance information to each other and to render aid in the form of transportation or calling the police or an ambulance, if needed. If you are hit while you’re in your car and the other driver fails to stop and provide you with this information or render aid to you, you’ve been in a hit and run accident.
Similarly, if your car is hit when you are not in it and the other driver fails to provide contact and insurance information by either finding you or leaving that information in a conspicuous place on your vehicle, the other driver is also in violation of the law. An El Paso auto accident attorney can assist you in finding the other driver, and if the other driver cannot be located, in filing a claim with your own insurance company.
What Victims Can Do After a Hit and RunThere are several things you can do after a hit and run accident that will help car wreck lawyers in El Paso find the driver of the vehicle that hit you. Immediately after a hit and run accident in El Paso, you should gather as much information as you are able to in order to facilitate your car accident lawsuit in Texas.
First, you should call the police and look around to see if there are any security cameras in the area that might have recorded the accident. You should also write down any of the following information you were able to obtain before the other driver fled the scene:
- Make, model, and color of the other vehicle
- License plate of the other vehicle
- Description of the other driver and any passengers
- Circumstances and location of the accident
- Any particular identifying markings on the other vehicle, including any damage that may have occurred as a result of the accident
If you were injured in the accident, you should seek medical attention. If you are not sure if you’re injured, it is always safest to see a doctor. A lawyer will be better able to parse through the specifics of your car accident claim injury if you have done this. Once you are safe and have sought medical treatment, the next step is to contact a personal injury lawyer in El Paso. If your attorney is able to locate the other driver with the information you gathered, you will be able to file a claim with that driver’s insurance company instead of your own.
If the other driver is not located, your El Paso car accident claim: hit and run may still be best resolved with legal help. If this is the case, you will likely file a claim with your own insurance company. Usually these claims are filed under either your collision coverage or uninsured motorists coverage. If you don’t have either of those coverages on your policy, an attorney will be able to help you figure out how to deal with the ramifications of your hit and run accident.
Free Consultation with an Experienced El Paso LawyerIf you’ve been hurt or your car has been damaged in a hit and run accident, be sure to call Carabin Shaw’s El Paso car accident lawyers at 915-779-2301. Our attorneys are experts in hit and run claims and can help you cut through the red tape to move forward with the compensation you deserve.