Were you hurt in a collision with another driver who drove away after hitting you? As the victim of the crash, Chaikin Trial Group Personal Injury Lawyers can handle your case and take legal action on your behalf. You deserve compensation, and we’ll help you pursue just that.
With 50 years of combined experience, our attorneys have recovered $100 million for our clients. As your Long Island car accident lawyer, our attorneys treat every client as their own family, and we work with a sense of urgency rarely found with other firms in the industry.
We have what it takes to represent you as your hit and run accident lawyer in Long Island by moving quickly, preparing your case for trial, and being honest about what you can realistically expect throughout the legal process. The sooner you call, the sooner we can help.
Are Hit And Run Accidents Life-Altering?
After a hit and run incident, victims can end up getting hurt in many life-altering ways. While physical injuries are to be expected, injured parties are also left with unanswered questions and no immediate way to hold the at-fault driver accountable for their behavior.
In the moments immediately after the collision, it’s common for people to feel scared, stressed, and overwhelmed. Some victims suffer from serious injuries without the ability to collect evidence or speak to witnesses who were at the scene when the collision occurred.
Others don’t realize that nearby surveillance cameras, vehicle debris, and witness statements can help them identify the driver who left the scene of the incident, but a Long Island personal injury lawyer can help you. After all, these accidents can happen anywhere on Long Island:
- Busy highways
- Major intersections
- Residential streets
- Parking lots
Drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists can all end up being victims of a hit and run crash. Under New York state laws, drivers who are involved in an incident like this are required to stop at the scene, exchange information, and report the incident if needed.
Leaving the scene after damaging property or causing injuries can result in you facing serious criminal consequences. However, charges against a fleeing driver don’t automatically compensate those who were hurt.
Instead, victims usually have to pursue insurance claims or civil lawsuits in an effort to recover compensation for their losses. In many cases, Long Island hit and run accident attorneys can investigate the crash, figure out who the driver was, and explore all sources of compensation.
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What Long Island Hit and Run Accident Attorneys Can Do For You
Before talking to a hit and run accident attorney in Long Island, many victims assume they are out of luck if the driver is never identified or located. However, there are still ways to pursue compensation, namely through uninsured motorist coverage and other legal avenues.
A lawyer can investigate the accident thoroughly and work to uncover evidence that may identify the fleeing driver. Legal teams move quickly because important evidence can disappear within days or even hours after a crash.
Here’s what a hit and run car accident lawyer in Long Island can investigate on your behalf:
- Surveillance footage from nearby businesses
- Traffic camera recordings
- Witness statements
- Police reports
- Vehicle debris left at the scene
- License plate information
- Cell phone footage from bystanders
- Accident reconstruction evidence
The firm can also help victims deal with insurance companies that may try to deny or reduce valid claims. Insurance carriers often become even more difficult when a hit and run driver cannot be identified.
Understanding Uninsured Motorist Coverage in New York
We can help you understand what happens if you’re hit by an uninsured driver in New York. In the state of New York, drivers are generally required to carry this type of coverage as part of their auto insurance policy. It can provide benefits under these two conditions:
- When the at-fault driver has no insurance
- If the driver cannot be identified because they fled the scene
Even when insurance coverage is available, obtaining fair compensation is not always as simple as filing a claim. Insurance companies are known for challenging aspects of these cases in the following ways:
- Questioning how the accident occurred
- Arguing that there is insufficient evidence
- Disputing the severity of the injuries involved
These issues can be particularly frustrating after a hit-and-run accident, especially when victims are already coping with medical appointments, lost income, and uncertainty about the identity of the driver who fled the scene.
Questions similar to “How much auto insurance must I carry?” are common after serious collisions, but many accident victims are more immediately concerned with whether the available coverage will fully compensate them for their losses.
Insurance companies may also prolong investigations or offer settlements that fail to account for the full extent of a victim’s damages. A hit and run lawyer in Long Island can protect an injured person’s interests by communicating with insurers and challenging unfair denials.
Why Insurance Companies Fight Claims Like Yours
Insurance companies sometimes treat hit and run claims with extra skepticism because the at-fault driver is not immediately available to provide their version of events. Even honest victims may face unfair questioning from insurers looking for ways to reduce payouts.
These are examples of tactics commonly implemented by insurance companies:
- Claiming there is not enough evidence
- Arguing injuries are exaggerated
- Delaying investigations
- Requesting unnecessary paperwork
- Pressuring victims into quick settlements
- Disputing medical treatment
- Suggesting the victim caused the crash
This is why it’s important to work with Long Island hit and run accident law firms that provide clients with straightforward guidance and realistic expectations from the beginning.
Your legal team should believe in transparency throughout the entire process. That way, you, as their client, can understand what is happening with your case at all times.
Contact Chaikin Trial Group Personal Injury Lawyers for Help From Our Hit and Run Accident Law Firm in Long Island
Many people who are injured in hit and run collisions feel frustrated when they can’t reach their lawyers or don’t receive regular updates about their case. At Chaikin Trial Group Injury Lawyers, we provide our clients with direct access to their attorneys.
Additionally, our law firm is home to bilingual lawyers who can give you support in both Spanish and English. That way, you’ll feel comfortable asking questions in your preferred language, helping you better understand the process as we fight for favorable results in your case.
In an effort to make it easier for you to access legal representation, we provide car service to our clients for their initial intakes. That said, if you can’t make it to our office, we’ll come to you. Call us today to learn what we can do for you. Come in as a client, leave as a friend.