Under New Jersey law, anyone who’s involved in a traffic collision has to stop at the scene, make sure everyone else involved is okay, and provide their contact and insurance details to all those involved. Failing to do any of these things is against the law and can be prosecuted criminally as leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident—or, as it’s more commonly known, hit and run.
Unfortunately, some people break this law on purpose, sometimes getting away with it because the police aren’t able to track them down afterward. As an experienced car crash attorney will tell you, you may still have options for seeking financial recovery in this kind of situation. Contacting an Eatontown hit and run accident lawyer should be your top priority after a wreck like this.
Getting Paid Fairly If a Hit and Run Driver Isn’t Found
New Jersey law requires you to buy personal injury protection (PIP) coverage for yourself before you can legally drive on public roads. Because PIP coverage should pay for your crash-related medical bills and certain other losses on a fault-free basis, filing a PIP claim is the first step you should take after an auto accident, including one caused by someone who then illegally fled the scene.
If you can’t find and identify the person who caused your crash, you can’t file a claim against their liability insurance coverage or sue them directly. This kind of scenario is what uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is designed for. While it can increase your insurance premiums a little, UIM coverage is an add-on that any Eatontown hit and run accident attorney would recommend.
Holding a Hit and Run Driver at Fault for a Wreck
Even if you know who committed a hit and run, the fact that they broke the law doesn’t automatically make them at fault for causing your injuries under New Jersey civil law. You still need to prove that before they illegally fled the scene of the wreck, they did something reckless or careless behind the wheel that directly caused that wreck to happen in the first place—for example, speeding, driving drunk, or not paying attention to the road around them.
This can require evidence from multiple sources, including the report generated by the police officers who responded to the crash scene, witness testimony, crash scene photos, and even videos from nearby surveillance or dashboard cameras. Support from a seasoned lawyer can be vital to collecting all this information efficiently while also handling all the other complicated parts of a hit and run accident lawsuit in Eatontown.
Consider Working with an Eatontown Hit and Run Accident Attorney
Police officers in New Jersey take hit and run offenses very seriously, and courts tend to be fairly harsh when it comes to prosecuting and sentencing people who commit this crime. While the criminal court system is handling that, it falls to you to enforce your right to civil recovery for the injuries that law-breaking driver caused you.
An Eatontown hit and run accident lawyer will be the ally you need to get yourself paid fairly through insurance, a civil lawsuit, or potentially a combination of both. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to discuss your options.
