People make mistakes, which means accidents happen, but we expect people to own up to them and do what is required of them afterward. With a hit and run, we now have to deal with someone intentionally making things that much more frustrating. A St. George hit and run accident lawyer can help you deal with these added frustrations by fighting for you in court to be awarded compensation for damages.
After being in business for over 30 years, we understand the devastation a hit and run accident can have on victims. A St. George car accident lawyer from Siegfried & Jensen is prepared to guide you through your case and argue on your behalf in court. Together, we can negotiate a settlement or fight for a verdict in your favor.
Ways That a Hit and Run Accident Lawyer in St. George Can Help You
Being the victim of a hit and run accident does not automatically entitle you to recovery for your damages. You will need to venture into the legal system in order to give yourself a shot at compensation.
To do this, you will need a St. George personal injury lawyer who knows what counts as a hit and run accident in Utah and how to get awarded for damages from it.
To start, we will discuss all the details of your accident with you to determine if you do, in fact, have a case and what our point of attack will be in building and arguing it. Once that is figured out, we will ensure that we file the right paperwork with the right entities to file your lawsuit. Then, the real work of compiling your evidence begins.
Depending on what you already have on hand, we may need to do some extensive investigation to gather all the evidence we will need to successfully argue your case.
We will try to talk to witnesses, track down pictures or footage of your accident, and seek any evidence that connects all the pieces of your case, including establishing where everyone was and when.
For a free legal consultation with a hit and run accident lawyer serving St. George, call (801) 266-0999
Evidence Needed for a Hit and Run
Proving a hit and run accident is not as clear-cut as other types of accidents. There is a variable of whether the driver who hit your vehicle has been found or not. Even if they have been found, your hit and run accident attorney in St. George, UT, will need several elements to make sure that the court believes, without doubt, that the account we give is accurate.
- Photographs, video, and documents like auto repair garage receipts to prove your vehicle was damaged
- Materials or official testimony that places the defendant at the scene at the time
- Something that ties the defendant to the vehicle we think hit yours, like their vehicle registration
- A compelling account that says the defendant fled without doing what Utah Code § 41-6a-401 requires of them
The best-case scenario is that police were able to catch the person who hit your vehicle, and that person complied by providing the information they should have provided to begin with. Otherwise, your lawyer will investigate to find what we need to prove these points. We will also answer any questions you may have along the way.
St. George Hit and Run Accident Lawyer Near Me (801) 266-0999
Options Available to You if The Hit and Run Driver is Not Found
While we hunt for the suspect during our filing window, we will need to make sure that we talk with your insurance company to see what kind of coverage you have.
If your policy includes uninsured motorist coverage, we can likely make a claim with your insurance to get you covered by that in the meantime. If it does not, your next option may be health insurance if you are injured.
It is important to note that while many states have set up funds for victims of crimes, hit and run accidents do not qualify for this assistance. The application process for help from the Utah Office for Victims of Crime clearly states that their assistance is for several categories of victims, but not hit and runs. If your case ends up including a DUI or vehicular assault, that could change your eligibility, however.
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Who Can File a Claim for Hit and Run Damages
If your vehicle was damaged, you can file a claim to recover the damages. However, if the hit and run resulted in a death, we have to look elsewhere for filing a claim. Make sure that if you are filing on someone else’s behalf, you have the legal right to do so.
The Utah Code § 78B-3-107 says that the personal representatives or heirs of the deceased are qualified to file on behalf of whoever died in the hit and run accident. In order of legal priority, a personal representative is specifically the spouse, an adult child, or a parent of the deceased, according to Utah Code § 78B-3-106.5. If these are not you, you either need to find the right person, or you cannot file.
Siegfried & Jensen can help you figure all of this out. The main thing to take away here is that you cannot file for a hit and run claim that you are not directly involved in. To know more clearly, let us take the time to discuss your unique case.
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Hire a St. George Hit and Run Accident Attorney for Your Lawsuit
Siegfried & Jensen stands ready to help you with your hit and run accident. If you need to recover damages, join our over 35,000 clients who have used us for exactly that.
Get in touch today to discuss what to do if someone hits your car with a hit and run accident lawyer in St. George, UT.
Call or text (801) 266-0999 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
