As a Tennessee motorist, you may be well aware of the dangers you face while traveling along state roadways. Not only do you face hazards while you are on the road, but you are at risk of being injured while walking alongside the street as well. A number of motorists who are involved in car, bicycle and pedestrian collisions actually flee from the scene of the accident before aide can arrive. Not only can hit-and-run accidents cause problems when it comes to charging and convicting the person responsible for the collision, but it also means that you could have trouble recovering money from the auto insurance company.
According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, one out of every five pedestrian fatalities involve a hit-and-run motorist. This means that once the motorist has hit another vehicle, person or bicyclist, he or she fails to stop and render help to the injured person. In fact, bicycle and pedestrian fatalities across the nation are on the rise, causing great concern to U.S. law enforcement officials.
If you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident, you may not be able to recover damages from the other party’s insurance company unless you know the identity of the driver who fled the scene of the accident, according to Esurance.com. Your personal insurance company may be left paying for any injury expenses and property damage, which could come out of the uninsured motorist coverage depending on your specific insurance plan.
This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.