Being injured in a hit-and-run accident is a disorienting and deeply frustrating experience. In the moments after impact, the driver who caused your injuries is already gone, leaving you to deal with pain, shock, and the immediate question of what to do next.
Hit-and-run accidents create unique legal challenges that standard car accident claims do not. Injured victims in Virginia Beach still have real options for pursuing compensation, whether or not the responsible driver is ever identified. Deering Hedrick, P.C. represents hit-and-run accident victims throughout Virginia Beach and the surrounding Hampton Roads area. Call us at (757) 383-6848 for a free consultation today.
What Is Considered a Hit and Run Accident?
A hit-and-run accident occurs when a driver involved in a collision leaves the scene without stopping to identify themselves, provide insurance information, or render reasonable aid to anyone who was injured.
Under Virginia Code § 46.2-894, drivers involved in accidents causing injury, death, or damage to attended property must immediately stop, provide identifying information, and render reasonable assistance to any injured person.
Common Types of Hit and Run Accidents
Hit-and-run accidents occur across a wide range of circumstances, including:
- Rear-end collisions where the striking driver flees before the victim can record their information.
- Intersection crashes where a driver runs a red light or stop sign and immediately leaves the scene.
- Pedestrian accidents where a driver strikes someone on foot and does not stop
- Bicycle accidents involving a fleeing driver.
- Sideswipe accidents on highways or surface streets where the responsible driver accelerates away.
- Parking lot incidents where a driver damages a parked vehicle and leaves without leaving contact information.
- Accidents involving commercial or delivery vehicles that leave the scene.
Each scenario presents different evidence challenges and different legal strategies for pursuing compensation.
Injuries Commonly Seen in Hit and Run Accidents
Hit-and-run accidents produce the same range of serious injuries as other motor vehicle collisions, and in some cases the injuries are more severe because victims may not receive prompt assistance at the scene.
Commonly seen injuries in hit-and-run accidents include:
Many of these injuries require extensive medical treatment and produce lasting limitations that affect employment, daily functioning, and quality of life.
What to Do After a Hit and Run Accident
The steps taken immediately after a hit-and-run accident are critical for both your health and your ability to pursue a claim:
- Call 911 immediately and request police and emergency medical services.
- Seek medical attention even if injuries seem minor, as symptoms often develop hours or days after the accident.
- Document the scene thoroughly with photographs of your vehicle, any debris, skid marks, and surrounding conditions.
- Write down or record everything you remember about the fleeing vehicle including make, model, color, partial license plate, and direction of travel.
- Collect contact information from any witnesses who observed the accident or the fleeing vehicle.
- Look for nearby surveillance cameras at businesses, traffic intersections, or residences that may have captured the incident.
- Report the accident to your own insurance company promptly as required by your policy.
- Contact Deering Hedrick, P.C. at (757) 383-6848 before providing any detailed statements to insurance adjusters.
Challenges That Can Make Hit and Run Claims More Complicated
Hit-and-run claims are inherently more complex than standard car accident claims because the most straightforward source of compensation, the at-fault driver’s liability insurance, may be unavailable if the driver is never identified.
Can You Recover Compensation If the Driver Is Never Found?
Yes. Virginia law requires auto insurance policies to include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, which applies in hit-and-run situations where the responsible driver cannot be identified. Your own UM coverage becomes the primary avenue for compensation when the at-fault driver is unknown. The amount available depends on the limits of your policy, and claims made against your own insurer can still involve disputes over the value of your damages that require legal representation to resolve effectively.
If the hit-and-run driver is eventually identified, their liability coverage becomes available and you may be able to pursue a claim directly against them. Virginia’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years from the date of the accident, which creates a defined window within which legal action must be initiated.
How Often Are Hit-and-Run Cases Solved?
Hit-and-run cases are solved at varying rates depending on the availability of witness accounts, surveillance footage, and physical evidence left at the scene. Urban areas like Virginia Beach with more extensive camera coverage at intersections and commercial areas tend to have higher identification rates than rural locations.
Law enforcement investigations, combined with the investigative efforts of a personal injury attorney who can independently gather and preserve evidence, improve the likelihood of identifying the responsible driver.
However, the legal strategy for a hit-and-run claim must account for the realistic possibility that the driver may not be found, which is why understanding your uninsured motorist coverage from the outset is essential.
Compensation Available After a Hit and Run Accident
A hit-and-run accident claim can recover compensation for medical expenses including:
- Emergency treatment
- Surgery
- Hospitalization
- Ongoing rehabilitation
- Lost wages for time missed from work during recovery
- Reduced earning capacity if injuries cause lasting limitations on your ability to work
- Pain and suffering for the physical and emotional consequences of the accident
- Property damage for vehicle repair or replacement
- In cases involving fatalities, wrongful death damages for surviving family members
Average Settlements for Hit and Run Accidents
There is no reliable average settlement figure for hit-and-run accident cases because the value of each claim depends on the severity and permanence of the injuries, the total economic losses including future medical expenses and lost income, the available insurance coverage whether through the identified driver or your own UM policy, and how effectively the claim is built and presented.
Cases involving serious or permanent injuries with strong documentation of damages and clear liability consistently produce larger recoveries than those involving minor injuries with limited supporting evidence. The most important factor in any case is not a statistical average but whether your specific damages are fully identified and aggressively pursued.
Is It Worth Suing for a Hit and Run?
In most cases, yes, particularly when injuries are significant. The primary question in a hit-and-run lawsuit is who can be sued and whether that party has the ability to satisfy a judgment. If the driver is identified and carries liability insurance, a lawsuit or pre-suit claim against their insurer is generally the most direct path to meaningful compensation. If the driver is identified but uninsured, a lawsuit may result in a judgment that is difficult to collect against a person with limited assets.
When the driver is never identified, the claim proceeds through your own UM coverage rather than through a traditional lawsuit against the driver. An attorney can evaluate all available sources of recovery in your specific situation and recommend the most effective strategy for achieving the best possible outcome.
Why Choose Our Virginia Beach Hit and Run Accident Attorneys
Deering Hedrick, P.C. is a Virginia Beach personal injury firm with experience handling the full range of motor vehicle accident claims, including the unique legal and investigative challenges that hit-and-run cases present. Our car accident attorneys understand how to investigate these cases, preserve critical evidence, navigate uninsured motorist claims, and fight for full compensation whether through negotiation or litigation.
We handle hit-and-run accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Consultations are free, and there is no obligation to proceed after speaking with our team.
If you were injured in a hit-and-run accident in Virginia Beach or the surrounding Hampton Roads area, contact us at (757) 383-6848 today to speak with a dedicated Virginia Beach hit-and-run accident lawyer.
