A hit-and-run accident can leave you without even the other driver’s name or insurance information. While police search for the person who fled, you may be facing medical bills, vehicle repairs, and time away from work. Fortunately, you may still have options for recovering compensation.
Our car accident attorneys at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law represent injured motorists throughout St. Louis, Missouri, and surrounding communities. Founding Partner Dan Brown has handled several thousand personal injury and workers’ compensation cases since establishing the firm in 1993. Our team also includes Ely Hadowsky, who has been with Brown & Brown since 2000 and regularly takes personal injury cases to trial.
We can help you understand what happens when the responsible motorist cannot be identified and which insurance policies could apply.
What Is Considered a Hit-and-Run Accident in Missouri?
Under Missouri Revised Statute 577.060 (opens in new tab), knowingly leaving an accident involving injury, death, or another person’s property damage without stopping and sharing the required identifying information can constitute a criminal offense.
These incidents can happen in several ways, including:
- A driver rear-ending another vehicle and speeding away
- A motorist leaving after an intersection collision
- Someone striking a pedestrian and failing to stop
- A vehicle forcing another driver off the road before disappearing
Leaving the scene can carry criminal penalties, but it does not automatically establish who caused the collision. For a personal injury claim, evidence must still connect the other motorist’s actions to the harm suffered.
What Should You Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident?
Your first concern should be getting to safety. Avoid chasing the fleeing vehicle, even if you believe you can identify the person behind the wheel.
Once you are somewhere safe, these steps can help protect your health and preserve important information:
- Contact the police. Report the collision and share whatever you remember about the other automobile.
- Seek medical attention. Some symptoms become more noticeable hours or days after a crash. Prompt care also creates a record of your injuries.
- Write down identifying details. Note the vehicle’s color, make, model, license plate information, and direction of travel.
- Document the scene. Photograph damaged vehicles, debris, traffic signals, and nearby road conditions.
- Gather witness information. Ask anyone who saw what happened for their name and contact details.
Notify your insurance company promptly and ask about any reporting requirements in your policy.
If a nearby business or home has security cameras, make a note of the location. Recordings may be deleted or overwritten, so identifying possible footage early can help the investigation.
How Does Insurance Work When the Driver Is Never Found?
Missouri law recognizes that an injured person may have no way to identify the motorist who caused the collision.
Under Missouri Revised Statute 379.203 (opens in new tab), uninsured motorist coverage can apply to qualifying bodily injury claims when the responsible driver leaves before being identified.
The statute also recognizes qualifying accidents without physical contact. For example, if another motorist forces your vehicle off the road and disappears, you may still have a claim even though the two automobiles never collided. Evidence must support that driver’s involvement and responsibility.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage for Injuries
The Missouri Department of Insurance (opens in new tab) explains that uninsured motorist coverage applies to bodily injuries, including those caused by qualifying hit-and-run incidents.
Depending on your available coverage and documented losses, compensation could include medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other bodily injury damages.
Our article about uninsured drivers in Missouri explains additional insurance considerations when the responsible motorist lacks coverage.
Collision Coverage for Vehicle Damage
Uninsured motorist coverage in Missouri does not pay for damage to your automobile.
If you purchased collision coverage, that portion of your policy may help pay for repairs or replacement, subject to its terms and deductible.
Understanding which protection applies can help you avoid confusion when reporting losses to your insurer.
What Evidence Can Help Prove a Hit-and-Run Claim?
When the responsible motorist is missing, the investigation may depend heavily on what can be established through physical evidence and independent accounts.
The location and pattern of vehicle damage can help explain how the impact occurred. Surveillance footage may show the fleeing automobile, its direction of travel, or the moments leading up to the crash. Witness statements can support details that photographs alone cannot establish.
Medical records serve a different purpose. They help connect your injuries and treatment to the collision.
When several vehicles are involved, determining which motorist caused the initial impact can become more difficult. Our article on multi-vehicle accident claims explains how insurers investigate collisions involving multiple drivers.
Our attorneys can examine the available documentation, review the insurance policies involved, and help determine what additional information could strengthen your case.
What Compensation May Be Available After a Hit-and-Run?
An unexpected injury can affect much more than your immediate medical bills. Some people require ongoing treatment, miss weeks of work, or experience lasting physical limitations.
Depending on the circumstances, recoverable bodily injury damages may include:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Hospitalization and rehabilitation
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
Vehicle repairs and other property losses are handled separately through applicable insurance coverage or a claim against the responsible person if identified.
There is no standard settlement amount for a hit-and-run accident. The available compensation depends on the injuries, supporting evidence, applicable policies, and other facts.
Why Choose Brown & Brown for a Hit-and-Run Accident Case in St. Louis?
When the responsible motorist disappears, insurance companies may question how the crash occurred, whether another vehicle was involved, or which policy should cover the losses.
Brown & Brown has represented injured people throughout the St. Louis area for more than 30 years. Our experience handling personal injury claims and courtroom litigation allows us to approach disputed insurance matters with an understanding of the evidence needed to support a case.
We can help review accident reports, examine available insurance protection, assess witness information, and pursue a claim against the appropriate party or insurer. If a dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation, our attorneys have experience taking personal injury matters to court.
We also recognize that an unexpected injury can create immediate financial concerns. It costs nothing to discuss your situation with our team. Our contingency-fee structure means you owe no attorney fees unless we achieve a successful outcome.
Simply put, we don’t get paid unless you do.
And if an injury or lack of transportation makes visiting our office difficult, if you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you.
Selected Brown & Brown Motor Vehicle Accident Results
Our firm’s published personal injury results include:
- $250,000 policy-limits settlement: A 48-year-old woman suffered a closed head injury, neck and back strain, shoulder injury, and knee injury in a motor vehicle collision.
- $137,000 settlement: A 51-year-old man suffered a torn rotator cuff in a multi-vehicle accident.
These examples illustrate our experience representing people injured in motor vehicle collisions. They are not identified as hit-and-run cases.
Previous results do not guarantee future case outcomes. However, they showcase the results we have obtained for our clients. Every case depends on its own facts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hit-and-Run Accidents
Speak With Our St. Louis Hit-and-Run Accident Attorneys
If you were injured in a hit-and-run, our team can help investigate what happened, examine the available insurance policies, and explain your legal options.
For a free case review with Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law in St. Louis, MO, call (314) 333-3333 or contact us online. For assistance in nearby Illinois, reach our team at 618-888-8888. Different state laws may apply to accidents occurring outside Missouri.
