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All car accidents are traumatic, especially when they cause painful injuries that result in temporary medical problems, permanent disability, or fatalities. Car accident injuries in New Haven are expensive as well as distressing. Sometimes they are life-altering, with impacts on the ability to earn a living or accomplish daily routines. When an at-fault driver flees the scene after causing an accident, the trauma becomes even more distressing. In a fault-based insurance state like Connecticut, an accident caused by a hit-and-run driver leaves accident victims unsure of where to turn. How do you recover compensation for damages like medical expenses, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering after a hit-and-run accident in New Haven?
Hit-and-run accidents occur when at least one driver involved in a car accident or pedestrian accident leaves the scene before police arrival or leaves the scene without leaving any contact information. National data shows a hit-and-run accident occurs an average of every 43 seconds in the United States. There were nearly four million hit-and-run accidents in the U.S. in a single recent year. About 70% of these accidents involve only property damage, but 30% result in serious injuries or fatalities. An alarming one in five pedestrian accidents are hit-and-runs.
Sadly, hit-and-run accidents are not uncommon in Connecticut, including a recent hit-and-run accident in New Haven that resulted in the death of a 23-year-old woman.
Connecticut’s car accident insurance laws work on a modified comparison negligence system, allowing car accident victims to recover compensation from an at-fault party as long as the injury victim didn’t contribute to the fault in the accident by more than 50%. In most hit-and-run accidents, the at-fault driver flees the scene because they caused the accident, in which case an injury victim would recover full compensation—if law enforcement identifies and apprehends the driver and they have insurance. Otherwise, a car accident attorney can guide an injury victim through their options which could include filing against their own personal injury protection policy, uninsured motorist coverage, or collision coverage, depending on the terms of their insurance policy.
Naturally, some car accident victims are unable to do anything to help themselves after an accident if it’s severe and they are seriously injured. But in some cases, an accident victim can safely use their cell phone—or hand it to an uninjured person to use for them while they wait for help. A cell phone becomes an important tool after a hit-and-run accident in New Haven or elsewhere. Use the phone to do the following:
Always go directly to the hospital after an accident and have a thorough medical examination after they treat emergency injuries. Have the doctor document all of your injuries in a detailed medical report. Be sure to report the hit-and-run accident to your insurance company.
Car accident claims are always challenging when insurance companies commonly protect their profits at the victim’s expense, but a hit-and-run accident is especially complex. A car accident attorney in New Haven from Weber & Rubano is ready to protect your rights and seek the most compensation available for your damages. Call Weber & Rubano today so we can hear the details of your unique New Haven hit-and-run case and formulate a strong strategy to obtain compensation.