To report a hit and run incident, call 911 and provide as much detail as possible to law enforcement, including copies of photographs, contact information, and witness details, if applicable.
It is also critical to seek medical attention. A South Carolina hit and run accident lawyer can help you navigate what to do next.
Call 911
The most important first step you can take is to call 911. This alerts the police to your location, and they can both attend to your needs and seek out the other driver if they remain in the area. The sooner the police arrive, the better the opportunity is for identifying those responsible.
Even if the incident seems minor, do not leave the scene. Call 911, report what occurred, inform the dispatcher if you need medical care, and then ask for a police officer to come to the location. The officer will then go to work collecting evidence in your case.
This solidifies the details of where the incident occurred and gives the police the opportunity to speak to any witnesses who may be available in the immediate area. It also provides an opportunity for you to provide details that the police may need to identify the at-fault party.
Police Reports at the Scene
In some situations, you can file a police report with the North Charleston Police Department for a hit and run, and at this time, when the police arrive. Doing so now ensures you can document all information possible, and with police on the scene, that can be an excellent first step in finding out what happened.
If the police do not come or you do not provide a statement at the time, you will need to go to the police station to file your claim directly or use the city’s online accident reporting tool.
Capture Any Details You Can
Always prioritize your health and safety first. If it is safe for you to do so, capture all information you can from the scene. Since you likely have a cell phone available, use it to gather as much detail as possible before leaving the area. Capture information such as the following:
- Photos of the damage to your car
- Photos of the other driver fleeing the scene, if you can do so soon enough
- Video of the surrounding area
- Images of your injuries
- Details about the location, such as where the intersection and lights sit
- Record yourself stating what you remember, if possible, such as the color and type of vehicle, the direction they went, what the person looked like, and what they may have been doing before the accident
The more information you have, the easier it is for the police as well as for the insurance company to best understand your situation. These details are fleeting, and once they are gone, it will be difficult for you to demonstrate what occurred.
The smallest information, such as the piece of bumper left behind by the car that struck you, can be valuable evidence when reporting a hit and run.
Get Witness Information
Witnesses are another important avenue of information for you in this case. That includes anyone who may have seen what occurred. Some examples of helpful witnesses include:
- Your passengers
- A person who stopped to help you
- Someone who was in a vehicle close by when the incident occurred
- A person looking out their window
- A party at a bus stop
Ask witnesses to provide their name and contact information to you so that police and your South Carolina car accident lawyer can use it if necessary. That information will then help the police to get answers to key questions. Even if they say they did not see anything, it is worth requesting their contact information just in case you need them to assist with your report of a hit and run.
Get Medical Care
The sooner you seek medical care, the better. Going to the local urgent care or emergency room, depending on your injuries, provides several benefits. The most important first step is to protect your health and well-being. You want to be sure your life is not at further risk in any way.
The second benefit of receiving medical care immediately after the accident is that it enables clear documentation of the injuries. That means they can be easily associated with the hit and run accident you were in. This way, it is hard for anyone, including the insurance company, to deny that your injuries came from the accident itself.
Follow up with your doctors, keep appointments, and avoid going to work if they tell you not to do so. You may need to remain in the hospital, and if so, do not try to leave early. Keep a log of your injuries, the types of treatments you have received, and their outcomes.
Complete a Police Report
If you did not file a hit and run report with the police at the time of the accident, such as due to your injuries, you will need to do so in person or online, depending on the services provided in the area where the accident took place. To file a police report:
- Provide only the facts about the case.
- Include all information you are confident in, including what you experienced, where it took place, what the other vehicle looked like, and any details.
- Avoid speculation on cause or anything you cannot verify. Doing so could create doubt if there are inaccuracies.
When you take this step, you ensure the insurance company has the information it needs to act. However, that is far from getting the settlement you are owed. To do that, you will need to document losses, prove fault, and pursue the right insurance company. Be sure you provide all of this information to your South Carolina personal injury lawyer as well.
Set Up a Consultation with an Attorney for Help
An attorney will guide you through the rest of the legal process, including filing a police report, answering questions, and pursuing evidence to back up your claim.
By taking these steps and including an attorney, you ensure you will get full protection under the law. After a hit and run accident, hiring an attorney from Shelly Leeke Law Firm to help you after you file a hit and run report is essential.
