What Should I Do If I Am in an Illinois Hit-and-Run Car Accident?

 Posted on October 11, 2019 in Personal Injury

Being in a car accident can be a very stressful and traumatic experience, especially if you are injured. If you are involved in a car accident, Illinois law states that you must stop to see if others who are involved are okay and to exchange insurance information. People who do not do so face fines, jail time, and even a driver’s license revocation. If you are in a vehicle collision, and the other person does not stop to stay at the scene or does not exchange information with you, that is called a hit-and-run crash. Being in a hit-and-run accident can cause serious stress and anxiety on your part, because you are probably worried about the financial ramifications of the accident. If you are in a hit-and-run collision, you should take certain steps to increase your chances of recovering compensation.

Call For Help

The first step you should take if you get into a car accident is to call for emergency services if you or anyone else are hurt. Even if you do not think you are injured, you should call 911 if you were inside of your vehicle when it was hit. Once help is on the way, you should try to move your vehicle to a safe spot if you are able to do so without risk of injury.

Write Down Details of the Accident

If the other driver did not stop and get out of his or her vehicle or left the scene before exchanging information, try to write down as many details as possible. This can help the police look for the offender. Helpful information may include:

• The time and location of the accident

• The other vehicle’s license plate number or as much of it as you can remember

• The other vehicle’s color, make, and model

• A description of the damage to the other vehicle

• The direction the vehicle was going when it left

Look For Potential Witnesses

In hit-and-run accidents, witnesses can be crucial to your case. If you can, look for any people near the scene of the accident and ask them if they saw what happened during the crash. If you find witnesses, be sure to write down their names and contact information. If the police came to the scene of the accident, they will also look for witnesses to gather statements from, but you should do the same no matter what.

Take Photos

Taking photos of the scene of the accident can help immensely. If you have time, try to capture a photo of the other vehicle. Take photos of your vehicle, any visible injuries you have, any damage to your vehicle, any road signs or traffic signals near the scene. Try to document the aftermath of the accident as a whole.

Contact a Naperville Personal Injury Attorney

If you are involved in a hit-and-run car accident, you may be able to recover damages. Before you talk to your insurance agency, you should seek the help of a skilled DuPage County car accident lawyer. At Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices, we can help you recover compensation for any injuries or damage that you might have sustained during a car accident. We handle all of our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay a dime unless you win your case. If you have been injured in an auto accident, or if your vehicle has sustained extensive damage, call our office today at 630-932-9100 to schedule a free consultation.