A silver 2008 Chevrolet Aveo struck a Ford Explorer and then fled the scene Friday night, December 14, 2018. The Aveo was driving westbound on Trent Ave. near South Rancher in the turn lane when it turned in front of the Explorer. The driver of the Aveo kept on driving leaving the passenger of the Explorer injured.

Police at the scene say that they found the Aveo damaged and abandoned about a block from the scene. The investigation is still ongoing, and once complete, the driver will face several charges.

Hit-and-Run Accidents

Being a victim of a hit-and-run actually increases your risk of serious injury. In a typical accident, the injured will often get help from the other driver. However, if that driver runs, then help can be delayed. This can turn moderate injuries into more serious or deadly injuries.The injured often feels twice victimized, first by the accident and then again when the other driver flees.

Also, this presents problems for the police investigators to determine what happened as the other car is gone. If it was still at the scene, investigators can more accurately process the accident scene to determine what happened.

Insurance Issues

The victim is often left holding the full financial loss of the accident when the driver flees. Even if the hit-and-run driver is found, then money covering some of the costs is delayed. One option is for your own insurance to cover some of the losses, however, this leaves the victim with many unanswered questions:

• Does my policy cover my own injuries?
• What injuries can I claim?
• Will my insurance pay for just damages to my car or for medical bills and lost wages too?
• What happens if my insurance pays me for my medical injury and then they find the hit-and-run driver? Do I have to pay my insurance company back?
• Is my Insurance company no longer on my side? Are they going to try and say it was my fault?
• What if they don’t believe me?

Do I need an Attorney for a Hit-and-Run?

Most of these questions can be answered by a competent attorney, one who knows the law regarding hit-and-run accidents and one that is experienced with insurance companies.

Talk to an attorney who will represent your interests and be on your side. At Crary, Clark, Domanico, & Chuang, P.S., has experienced attorneys trained in the law dealing with drunk driving and personal injury. They can go toe-to-toe with the insurance companies and their lawyers to get you fair compensation for your injuries. Call them at (509) 926 4900 or send them a message.