What should I do after getting involved in the hit & run in Texas?
Texas has the highest rate of hit-and-runs in the country. Unfortunately, hit-and-run incidents are all too common in Texas. Survivors of these crashes may feel isolated, powerless, and unclear about what to do now. Is this good to hire a Truck Accident Attorney or not immediately? In the following blog post, we’ll go through Texas hit-and-run cases and what you can do to protect yourself and get compensation after a hit-and-run accident.
What Are the Steps to Do After a Hit-and-Run in Texas?
The most important things to do after a hit-and-run truck accident are as follows:
- Stay calm and call the right authorities:
If you are harmed, the initial call would be to 911 for medical assistance, such as ambulances and police. Even if your injuries are minimal, contact law police to record and document the accident. Take your images and notes of the occurrence while you’re there if you can make an accurate record.
- Seek expert medical evaluation:
This is a clear requirement for emergency injuries such as bone fractures, head trauma, or burns. However, even if your injuries are small or you feel entirely unharmed, you should still seek medical attention. Medics or physicians can detect “invisible” ailments such as brain damage or internal bleeding, which can develop to dangerous levels if not addressed immediately.
- Contact an expert hit-and-run accident lawyer:
The responsible driver should be punished and accountable for their actions. A Truck Accident Attorney can assist in locating vital evidence to identify this individual. A lawyer can negotiate with your truck insurance agency if the individual who injured you is never discovered.
Do not leave the site of a hit-and-run accident to track down the other driver. They might be drunk, extremely distracted, or equipped and wanted by police – whatever their motivation for breaching the law by leaving an accident may make them anxious and potentially dangerous to you at the time.
- Include critical information.
Details must be revealed and transferred to the other party in a truck collision. This contains your and the other driver’s names, residential addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and basic insurance information. Also, don’t forget to request license and license plate numbers. Passengers must also provide their names, residences, and contact information. If there are transparent witnesses, obtaining their addresses and contact information is beneficial to confirm your claim assessment later on.
Remember to provide correct information to the Truck accident Attorney & police. It is an offense to provide wrong information, ambiguous or misleading information. If you aren’t the actual proprietor of the truck, notify the other party. After you’ve noted down any pertinent information, try to photograph the accident site.
In most circumstances, the driver who committed the collision is held legally liable for any truck accident-related losses. If they are discovered, your lawyer can assist you in holding them liable in court for compensation. If they are not discovered, your insurance policy may cover the costs of repairs and injuries.
- Check to see if the insurance company is up to date.
You may believe that a truck accident will significantly impact your insurance price. Nonetheless, if you are unwilling to be left without adequate payment, you must tell the insurance company. You’ll be surprised to realize that your insurance company will eventually learn about the accident since another party would if you fail to disclose it. When retelling the accident, maintain collaboration and honesty. To have a smoother and speedier claim review procedure, provide all relevant facts, papers, bills, and images requested by your insurance.
Keep an eye on your medical therapy.
Did you sustain any bodily injuries that necessitated hospitalization? If this is the case, you must gather all pertinent information, such as the contact details of doctors, health records, invoices, and receipts. Aside from physical ailments, your emotional and mental health is important. Keep a daily record, especially if you skipped work or could not conduct routine tasks for an extended period of days or weeks due to illness or mental/emotional distress.
Texas Hit-and-Run Laws: Statistics
Based to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the following statistics show the frequency of hit-and-run accidents in Texas:
- Texas has experienced the eighth-highest amount of hit-and-run incidents in recent years.
- In the recent year, 3,896 individuals were killed in vehicle accidents in Texas, a 7.54% rise from the prior year. During the same time frame, the number of fatalities on Texas highways jumped by a startling 18.94%.
- Over 530 of those deceased were killed in head-on crashes, and 865 have died at or near junctions.
- In Texas traffic collisions last year, over 200,000 persons were hurt, with over 14,000 injured suffering catastrophic injuries.
These collisions occur in all major Texas cities, especially Austin, San Antonio, Beaumont, & Houston.
After a vehicle accident, it might be tough to know what to do. In the event of a hit-and-run, the most effective strategy is to stay seated and contact law enforcement assistance or a Truck Accident Attorney as needed.
