Hit And Run Accidents in Idaho

If you have been injured in an accident and the other driver fled the scene, contact us today for a free and confidential consultation. We are experienced Idaho car accident lawyers. CCD Law has been practicing since 1948 and has obtained millions in compensation for our clients.

Hit and Run Accidents in CDA & Post Falls

Like every other state, Idaho has its share of uninsured drivers. According to the Insurance Information Institute, about one out of every 18 drivers in Idaho has no liability insurance at all. And, the actual number might be closer to one out of every 12.

Like all other states, Idaho requires its drivers to be financially responsible, so it has set minimum liability limits for anybody who operates a vehicle on Idaho roadways. Those limits are:

  • $25,000 for one person injured in an accident
  • $50,000 total for more than one person injured in an accident
  • $15,000 for property damage

Drivers aren’t required to carry uninsured motorist insurance in Idaho, but the coverage is available. All liability policies must provide uninsured motorist coverage, but if the insured person wants to, he or she can decline the coverage by signing a written waiver.

What does uninsured motorist insurance cover?

If you are injured in a motor vehicle collision that was the fault of a driver who had no liability insurance, uninsured motorist insurance would likely cover your medical bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering and permanent disfigurement or disability. The coverage limit is up to the amount of uninsured motorist insurance that you buy. If you buy it, and you have $25,000 of liability insurance, you’ll have $25,000 of uninsured motorist insurance. If you buy $100,000 of liability coverage, you’ll have $100,000 of uninsured motorist insurance.

Who is covered?

The wording varies from insurer to insurer, but the general rule is that you or any resident of your household who is a blood relative is insured for purposes of uninsured motorists. It even covers you or them as bicyclists or pedestrians.

How is an uninsured motorist claim made?

The Idaho legislature enacted specific requirements to make a hit-and-run claim. Those are that:

  • There must be physical contact between both vehicles
  • A police report must be made within 24 hours of the crash
  • An uninsured motorist claim must be made within 30 days of the crash

In addition to the statutory requirements, your auto insurer might have other of its own requirements. A careful policy examination must be made.

A hit-and-run driver is an uninsured motorist

A hit-and-run driver is designated as an uninsured motorist under nearly all auto policies. We recommend that you retain us on a timely basis to make that claim. That’s because once you make it, your own insurer is going to be your adversary.

An adjuster from your insurance company might contact you soon after the accident and ask for a recorded statement. It’s extremely important that you talk with us first before giving any kind of a statement to any insurance company that might be connected with your case. Questions will probably be asked of you that ordinarily wouldn’t be permitted in court, and you can expect that your answers to those questions will be used against you in the future to attack your credibility. If we’re representing you, we won’t allow anything like that to happen.

Underinsured motorist insurance

Here’s another reason why you want to have sufficient uninsured motorist coverage. That’s called underinsured motorist coverage. If a driver who only has $25,000 of liability coverage breaks your leg, and you’re required to have surgery, his or her $25,000 of coverage isn’t going to be enough to cover your damages. Your uninsured motorist coverage also has underinsured motorist coverage. If your damages exceed the amount of liability insurance of the negligent party who hurt you, a claim can be made by you for the balance of your damages on your underinsured coverage. That’s a meaningful amount of money after you’ve been out of work for two months. The same rule applies though. Your insurer turns into your opponent, you’ll be needing us.

Insurance companies take premium payments, and they make money by paying out as little as possible or nothing at all on claims. Don’t be surprised if your car insurer tries to blame you for a hit-and-run so it can avoid paying anything. Hit-and-runs are difficult cases, and with Idaho’s 30 day claim deadline, victims can’t delay.

Contact us right away for a free consultation and case evaluation after being injured in any hit-and-run accident.

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