Being involved in a car accident is all but an inevitability for the majority of Americans. However, a hit and run accident is even more frightening. Particularly if somebody suffers injury, watching the perpetrator go speeding off can be infuriating.
It is important to know what to do in the event that you are an injured victim of a hit and run accident. According to State Farm Insurance, the first thing you should do is stay put at the scene of the accident.
Why should I not try to catch the perpetrator?
Particularly if there are any witnesses, driving off after the person who hit you can cause conflicting eyewitness accounts. You want to make it very clear that the other person is the perpetrator and you are the victim. If you or anybody else in the car has suffered an injury in the hit and run accident, you should instead focus on calling 911.
What can I do?
Try to gain as much information about the offending vehicle as possible. Of particular importance is the license plate.Try to focus on remembering the license plate number if at all possible. If you have time, you may also want to try and take a photo as it is leaving the scene.
Other important information to gather includes the make, model and color of the vehicle. If a vehicle has any additional identifying characteristics such as rust spots or dents, make note of these as well. You may also be able to ask eyewitnesses if they were able to gain any information. Since most people have cell phones these days, it is not uncommon for bystanders to take photos of accidents.