Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “May I choose my own doctor in a personal injury case?”
In recent years, hit-and-run car accidents have been on the rise in Charlotte and other parts of North Carolina. Many victims of hit-and-run crashes realize that the worst thing about the accident is not the fact that they were injured (though this is definitely frustrating), but rather that it is difficult – and, in some cases, even impossible – to seek justice and obtain compensation.
According to the AAA Foundation, one hit-and-run accident occurs every minute on our roads. Collisions in which a driver flees the scene of the accident account for over 2,000 fatalities every year. The danger of hit-and-run accidents was evident in a recent collision in north Charlotte.
Motorist Flees the Scene of a Crash in Charlotte, North Carolina
As reported by WCNC, a man was severely injured in a hit-and-run collision on Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte, North Carolina. The driver rear-ended another vehicle before he was struck by a third car that fled the scene. When Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers arrived, they saw evidence of three separate collisions and a man lying in the road.
How can victims of hit-and-run accidents recover damages if the at-fault driver is nowhere to be found? The victim’s compensation depends on a variety of factors, which is why it is vital to speak with a knowledgeable auto accident attorney.
The bad news is that the driver who fled the scene is unlikely to be ever found. The good news is that you can still recover damages since North Carolina requires all motorists to purchase uninsured motorist (UIM) coverage. For insurance purposes, being injured in a crash involving a driver who cannot be identified or located is the same as being injured by an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UIM) in North Carolina
Since UIM coverage is mandatory in North Carolina, you can seek compensation for your damages and losses sustained in a hit-and-run collision through your own insurance company. In North Carolina, all motorists must carry auto liability coverage with at least:
- $30,000 for bodily injury liability per person;
- $60,000 for total bodily injury liability per accident; and
- $25,000 for property damage liability.
While your insurance company has an obligation to cover your damages and losses, you are still required to demonstrate evidence that the collision occurred, that the other motorist fled the scene, and that the crash was not your fault. For this reason, being represented by a car accident attorney would help you build a hit-and-run case.
How a Hit-and-Run Attorney in North Carolina can Help
Many drivers in North Carolina do not realize they have uninsured motorist coverage as part of their auto insurance policy. If you were hurt in a hit-and-run accident, contact your insurer or let a skilled attorney review your insurance policy to determine whether or not it includes UIM coverage.
You could seek compensation for your damages and losses if you were injured in a car crash caused by an uninsured motorist. Also, UIM coverage is available in hit-and-run accidents when the at-fault motorist flees the scene and cannot be identified or found.
However, if the motorist is eventually identified and found, your hit-and-run accident lawyer will help pursue compensation through their auto insurance policy. If the driver turns out to be uninsured, your attorney will go after their assets or other insurance policies to recover damages on your behalf.
Contact our car accident lawyers in North Carolina to discuss your case. Reach out to Arnold & Smith, PLLC, to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys. Call (704) 370-2828 to receive a consultation with our lawyers to explore your legal options or fill out our contact form. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville and Monroe.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
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