Recovering Compensation in a Las Vegas Hit-and-Run Accident

A trip to Las Vegas should be filled with fun and excitement. Unfortunately, accidents can happen even in Sin City. Whether you’re a resident or visiting, the last thing you want is to be involved in a hit-and-run accident. Unfortunately, this type of accident happens and it can leave you with skyrocketing costs.

Suddenly, you’re dealing with medical costs and property damage expenses, and you may even be losing income due to missed work. This means understanding compensation for hit-and-run victims. However, how do you file an insurance claim when you don’t know who’s responsible for causing your damages?

Steps for Recovering Compensation in a Hit-and-Run Accident

Since Nevada is an at-fault state, you file a claim with the liable party’s insurance provider. This gets a little tricky in a hit-and-run accident. The responsible party has fled the scene and this means you don’t have any information. If you don’t even know their name, how can you file an insurance claim?

Even though you may not know who you’ll eventually file a claim with, you still want to get started on the legal process.

Immediately Report the Accident

Leaving the scene of an accident, also known as a hit-and-run is illegal in Nevada. Penalties can range from monetary fines to potential jail time. The severity of the accident often determines the extent of the penalties.

Reporting the accident immediately significantly increases your chances of eventually locating the at-fault party. Nevada law also requires you to immediately report any hit-and-run collision.

Your accident report is usually ready for pickup within about ten business days. Since you immediately reported the incident, there’s a chance your report may name the liable driver. If not, don’t worry, you should still be able to recover at least some compensation.

Document the Accident Scene

If your injuries are severe, seek immediate medical care. Don’t worry about playing an amateur detective. Remember, your accident report should contain most if not all of the necessary information. Documenting the accident scene can help speed up the claim process. You may also find evidence overlooked by the responding authorities.

Take pictures of any visible injuries and your property damage. Look around for any surveillance cameras. Pretty much every Las Vegas business has some type of surveillance system. The same also applies to traffic lights. Nevada has red light cameras installed across the state, one may have captured your accident. If so, you may be able to use the footage to track the fleeing driver.

Don’t wander around to the various businesses asking to see their surveillance footage. Leave this to your accident attorney. They can subpoena the footage, along with any video traffic cameras may have captured.

Gather Your Evidence

Your evidence typically includes things like your accident report and medical records. Surveillance footage, if any is found, should also be submitted with your claim.

Save all receipts relating to your property damage. This includes any repair or replacement estimates. A quick tip, if your vehicle is damaged beyond repair, check the Kelley Blue Book for its pre-accident value. This is usually what the insurance adjuster uses for references. Don’t be surprised if the insurance adjuster tries to reduce the value of your vehicle. This is normal and be ready to negotiate.

File Your Insurance Claim

You have all of your evidence ready to go, but who do you submit your claim with? If the authorities have located the hit-and-run driver, you file your claim with their insurance provider. Unfortunately, hit-and-run drivers aren’t always located and this makes it impossible to file a claim with their insurance company.

If this applies to your accident, you’ll probably need to turn to your insurance company. This is when it can get a little tricky. The type of auto insurance you’re carrying will affect your ability to file a compensation claim. If you’re only carrying liability insurance, you can’t recover compensation through your provider. This type of insurance only covers damages you cause to someone else.

However, if you have full coverage auto insurance, things like your property damage and medical costs should be at least partially covered. This also applies if you have add-on policies like uninsured motorist or collision insurance.

Recovering Compensation in a Hit-and-Run Accident

You may be able to recover compensation after a hit-and-run accident, but it can be complicated. To help ensure you’re not responsible for covering all of your damages, it’s a good idea to consult with an experienced Vegas accident attorney. Your attorney can work to help ensure you at least some compensation for your losses.

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Adam Regan

Deputy Editor

Features and account management. 3 years media experience. Previously covered features for online and print editions.

Email Adam@MarkMeets.com