Hit and Run Accident Lawyer Houston, TX
Being involved in any accident can be traumatic. Not only can you face significant pain and stress, but you might also be faced with surmounting medical bills. When an accident involves negligence, you might understand that you will likely have the right to pursue compensation for these bills and other relevant losses. That is, if you know who is responsible. However, what happens when the liable party left the scene? In this case, as a hit and run accident lawyer in Houston, TX may tell you, there could be various challenges to overcome. This is not to say that you don’t have the ability to recover your losses, but you should try to do so with the help of a car accident lawyer Houston, TX has to offer, such as one from John K. Zaid & Associates.
In all states, there are laws that explicitly require all parties to take certain steps after a car accident. These include:
- Stopping
- Checking to see that everyone is okay, or calling for help if they are not
- Exchanging truthful information
- Contacting the police
If this does not happen, on the part of at least one of the parties involved, it may be a traffic violation. Should there be injured victims, and the negligent party does not stop, they could be charged with a criminal act of a hit and run, as well as other offenses.
Apart from the criminal charges the negligent party might face, the victim may be able to recover damages. As a hit and run accident lawyer in Houston, TX, we know that doing so is not always easy. This is where it can be highly beneficial to have a good law firm to help you.
The First Step…
As soon as you reach out to a Houston, Texas hit and run accident lawyer, he or she will try their best to identify the liable party. This could be done alongside a police investigation; however, the later may take significantly more time – of which is of the essence. Your hit and run accident lawyer in Houston, TX can utilize their resources to hire a private investigator who may turn to witness statements, surveillance footage, and other crucial pieces of evidence.
Typically, the reason a person will leave the scene, or fail to stop at all, is because one of the following applies:
- The did not have insurance
- They did not have a license
- They were driving on a suspended license
- They were intoxicated
- The vehicle was stolen
As much as your lawyer would like to identify this person, sometimes it never happens. In this case, you might not be able to file a claim against them. Furthermore, if you do find this party, and it turns out they were uninsured, filing a lawsuit against them might be futile due to the fact that they likely could not afford insurance. Thus, it is likely they will not have assets to pursue in a civil lawsuit.
Assuming the above pertains to your case, a hit and run accident lawyer in Houston, TX might explore your other options. Often, this will involve filing a claim with your insurance company. It is important to understand that this can be just as complicated as filing a claim against another liable party. It is not uncommon for insurance companies to deny you compensation, even when you have the correct coverage.
Realistically, if you’ve been in a hit and run accident and were injured, you should not hesitate in consulting a hit and run accident lawyer in Houston, TX. Call John K. Zaid & Associates.