Hit-and-Run Accidents
Protect Your Rights with a Chicago Car Accident Lawyer
Victims injured in auto accidents caused by the negligent and wrongful acts of other drivers have the right to hold at-fault motorists liable for their damages. By pursuing a personal injury case against the at-fault driver, victims put themselves in position to recover financial compensation for any economic and non-economic damages they incurred as a result of the crash, including their medical bills, lost wages, physical pain, and emotional suffering. Unfortunately, car accident cases are not easy, especially when they involve hit-and-run accidents.
Hit-and-run accidents present a number of unique concerns for injured victims. Not only does fleeing the scene of a crash put victims at risk of not receiving the medical attention they may need, it also puts them at risk of not being able to recover the financial compensation needed to cover their losses and damages when a driver cannot be located, or when they are uninsured.
Morici, Longo & Associates has been dedicated to fighting on behalf of the injured since 1998. Throughout the years, we have secured millions of dollars in compensation for our clients, including those who were injured in car accidents in which the at-fault driver fled the scene. We understand the challenges in hit-and-run accident cases, as well as the options victims may have to pursue the financial compensation.
Compensation After a Hit-and-Run
Hit-and-run accidents can entail a range of unique circumstances. By personally reviewing the individual facts of your case, our legal team works to assess the situation, determine your available options, and work toward pursuing the most appropriate avenue for compensation. When it comes to hit-and-run cases, there are a few common scenarios:
- The driver is located and has insurance – Fleeing the scene is a crime, which means that law enforcement works diligently to find hit-and-run drivers. Often, police are able to locate the driver who caused a hit-and-run accident. This is great news for victims, especially when the driver is adequately insured. When this is the case, victims can pursue compensation just as they would had the at-fault driver stopped at the scene of the crash. The additional act of fleeing can speak to their fault for causing the accident and their liability for victims’ damages.
- The driver is located but does not have insurance – Drivers who flee the scene of accidents often do so because they are driving unlawfully. This means they may not be properly licensed or are uninsured. Although locating the hit-and-run driver is generally a good thing, locating a driver who is uninsured raises additional concerns for victims. While there are criminal ramifications and restitution to be paid by hit-and-run drivers to victims, this restitution often falls short in compensating victims, if it is ever truly or fully paid at all. As such, victims hurt by uninsured drivers may have limited options for pursuing compensation. Our legal team explores all of these options to determine the best path for helping our clients obtain compensation. Depending on the situation, these options may include filing an uninsured motorist claim with the victim’s own insurance company (provided that they have uninsured motorist coverage), seeking compensation from an employer if the hit-and-run driver was operating a company vehicle, or in the case of a drunk driving accidents, applying dram shop liability to seek compensation from drinking establishments that provided the driver with alcohol.
- The driver is never located – It is an unfortunate truth that some criminals get away, and that includes hit-and-run drivers. Even when law enforcement and witnesses work together, some hit-and-run drivers may never be located. This further limits a victim’s options for pursuing compensation. While the situation can be evaluated by an experienced attorney to determine if liability may exist elsewhere, options are generally limited to filing an uninsured motorist claim with the victim’s own insurance provider. However, victims must have purchased UM/UIM coverage on their policies, otherwise they may have few options for ever securing the compensation they need. This is why it is strongly advised that all drivers purchase uninsured motorist coverage. It can make the difference when they need it most.
Discuss Your Case with a Seasoned Trial Lawyer
Our Chicago car accident attorneys know that hit-and-run accidents can create additional fears during a patient’s recovery and their personal injury case. This is why we work diligently to evaluate accidents, fully explain victims’ rights and options, and discuss whether we are able to help. If you would like to discuss a potential car accident case involving a driver who fled the scene, do not hesitate to reach out to Morici, Longo & Associates for the award-winning representation you deserve.
For a FREE consultation, call (312) 779-0366.
Hundreds of Millions Recovered for Our Clients
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$15,000,000 Settlement-Construction Site Crane Accident
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$7,500,000 Settlement-Chicago Construction Site Injury
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$5,000,000 Settlement-Amputation Case
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$4,900,000 Settlement-Refinery Accident
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$2,500,000 Verdict-Construction Accident
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$2,500,000 Settlement-Interstate Trucking Wrongful Death
What Our Clients Have to Say
Real Stories from Real People
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Morici, Longo & Associates are the best personal injury and workers' comp attorneys in the industry! Brian Shallcross and his team took great care of me. They always answered any questions or concerns I had and walked me through the whole process. Brian settled my case and got me the most compensation for my injury. I highly recommend Morici, Longo & Associates. They will be by your side every step of the way and get you the highest settlement possible!- Augusto G.
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If your looking for experienced, dedicated, firm that will treat you right ... Hire these guys!! They fought for me and made sure I was being treated fair, got me justice , and this was some 20 years ago. As I had a situation that arose, I recently called to speak to James, He remembered me, and we talked like we were family, he gave me a few points that helped and would help if he could, but my situation wasn't valid .. I always tell friends that if they need an attorney, I give them this firms number!!! Super nice people, AAA+++- Joe M.
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MLA is an extremely professional law firm that treats people with care. I was injured on a construction site with spinal damage and was on workman's compensation for 5 long years. There were times my comp checks were delayed and Bob Butzow called and got them released for me, any medical bill issues were handled by MLA . I feel that I truly made the right choice when I was referred to Jim Morici and still feel that MLA was my security blanket that I needed throughout this painful time in my life. I stand by Morici & Longo and you bet I refer them to any and all injured people!- Mike B.