Getting into an accident is already terrifying enough. Yet roughly 9% of New York car accident victims will be involved in a hit-and-run accident, which is even more stressful.
Fortunately, you can still recover compensation in a hit-and-run. You’ll need to move quickly to get the help you deserve, but it can be done.
Vehicle vs. Vehicle
If you were hit by another vehicle, one of three things would happen.
The first and most common is that you will suffer less than $50,000 in economic losses and minor injuries. In that case, you’d make a claim with your own insurance company, which would pay out the losses.
If you suffer more than $50,000 in losses, you’ll need to move quickly to claim with MVAIC, the Motor Vehicle Accident and Indemnification Corporation. You must report the accident to the police within 24 hours and have your lawyer file with MVAIC within 90 days. MVAIC will pay up to $200,000 in losses. In addition, your uninsured/underinsured motorist policy may kick in and cover some of the losses.
If the other driver gets found, MVAIC may pay if they have no insurance, or the claim may turn into a lawsuit against the other driver. MVAIC requires a good-faith effort to find the other driver. Your lawyer will typically engage in that effort by requesting evidence and having investigators do some footwork. The police, of course, are likely looking for the driver as well since fleeing the scene of an accident is a crime in New York.
Hit & Run for Pedestrians & Cyclists
Some pedestrians and cyclists have car insurance, even if they weren’t driving on the day of the accident. When that is the case, the process is much the same as it is for drivers. You can still make a claim with your own insurance company.
If you have no insurance because you have no car, then you’d make the claim with MVAIC, too, and you’d have the same deadlines to follow. You’ll have just 90 days to make your claim or to lose it forever.
Get Help Today
In either case, if your injuries are severe enough to meet the severe injury threshold, you’ll need a highly qualified personal injury attorney on your side to ensure that your rights are protected, and you get the compensation you need and deserve.
If you’ve been injured in a hit-and-run, don’t delay. Call RLF to get help today.
See also:
Who Pays for Bicycle Accidents in NYC?
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Meet Mr. Richman
SCOTT B. RICHMAN, ESQ.
Mr. Richman is the Managing Member and Founder of Richman Law Firm PLLC. In his role as Managing Member, Mr. Richman oversees the day-to-day operations of the firm and handles the litigation of the most complex legal matters across a vast array of practice areas and disciplines.
