Uninsured-Motorist Accidents a Common Cause of Hit-and-Run in Tuscaloosa

Dec 27, 2013 - Car Accidents by Cross & Smith

An Alabama man is facing charges of leaving the scene of an accident after allegedly hitting a car with mother and child inside before fleeing, according to news reports.

A witness to the crash called police and followed the 35-year-old Limestone County man onto Highway 252, where he was stopped by the Alabama State Patrol.

Our Tuscaloosa car accident lawyers understand that hit-and-run car accidents are on the rise nationwide for a number of reasons. According to USA Today, hit-and-run accidents are on the rise in many areas across the nation. And these crimes often complicate financial recovery for victims and can prove difficult for law enforcement to investigate and solve.

According to Alabama law, any driver who is involved in an accident is required to immediately stop the vehicle at the scene, or as close thereto as possible, and shall then forthwith return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of the accident. Every such stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.

Officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report that there were roughly 1,275 hit-and-run car accidents reported in 2009 and nearly 1,500 reported in 2011.

And most of these drivers are running for a reason, and in far too many cases they lack adequate insurance coverage, even if they are ultimately identified and arrested.

“Drivers are more likely to run if they feel there is a reason to do so,” said Peter Kissinger with AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “They’re more likely to have high blood-alcohol content, or they’re driving without a license, or they’re very young drivers.”

Payment for hit-and-run accident claims typically come through your personal car insurance. In most states, the coverages in question are uninsured motorist bodily injury and uninsured motorist property damage, which essentially act as the at-fault (in this case, hit-and-run) driver’s liability coverage. Uninsured motorist bodily injury helps pay for injuries that are caused by a hit-and-run accident, while uninsured motorist property damage covers damages that have been done to your car or personal property.

Making a car insurance claim for a hit and run is not as complicated as you might think. As long as you convey all the necessary information in a timely manner, chances are good that you will be on your way to compensation for any damages received at the hands of a hit and run driver… IF you carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in sufficient amounts under your own policy.

But it’s a process that puts you and your insurance company in adversarial positions. From the point you make a claim, you are well served to have an experienced personal injury law firm represent you — just as you are when making a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier.

More Blog Entries:

Alabama Traffic Safety – Combatting Known Risks for Teens, Alabama Injury Attorneys Blog, October 30, 2013
Tuscaloosa Traffic Accidents – Cell Phones Not Only Distraction, Alabama Injury Attorneys Blog, October 16, 2013