Van Sant Law has represented Georgia injury victims since 2008. Our Union City hit and run accident lawyers bring decades of combined experience to serious car accident claims.
Because founding attorney David M. Van Sant previously worked for a large insurance firm, we understand how insurers review these claims and where they often try to limit payment. If you were hurt in a crash, we can investigate the collision, identify available insurance coverage, and pursue every available source of compensation.
Contact Van Sant Law for a free consultation and let our Union City car accident lawyers help you Make the Right Call.
What to Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident in Union City
Your safety and medical care come first. Move out of traffic if you can do so safely, call 911, and request medical help if anyone is injured. Do not chase the fleeing driver. A pursuit can put you and others in more danger.
If you are able, preserve details such as:
- The fleeing vehicle’s color, make, model, body type, or damage.
- Any part of the license plate number.
- The direction the vehicle traveled.
- The time and exact location of the crash.
- Nearby businesses, homes, apartments, or traffic cameras.
- Names and contact information for witnesses.
- Photos of vehicle damage, debris, skid marks, and injuries.
Prompt reporting can also affect insurance coverage. In Georgia, an unknown-driver uninsured motorist claim may require accident reporting, and your policy may impose additional notice duties.
Our Union City personal injury lawyers can help you gather the details and evidence needed to build a strong claim.
Who Our Union City Hit and Run Accident Lawyers Represent
Hit-and-run accidents harm more than drivers. A fleeing motorist may strike a stopped vehicle, sideswipe a bicyclist, hit a pedestrian in a parking lot, or injure a passenger who had no control over either vehicle.
We represent:
- Drivers hit by fleeing motorists.
- Passengers injured in hit-and-run crashes.
- Pedestrians struck near roads, parking lots, and crosswalks.
- Bicyclists and motorcyclists.
- Families who lost a loved one in a fatal hit-and-run.
- People injured by an unknown vehicle that forced a crash.
If a family member died, Georgia law may allow a wrongful death claim for the full value of the life of the person who died.
A separate estate claim may also seek certain losses tied to the injury and death, including final medical bills, funeral expenses, and conscious pain and suffering before death.
How Insurance May Apply When the Driver Is Unknown
Insurance is often the central issue in a hit-and-run claim. If the fleeing driver is never found, the claim may proceed through your own auto policy, depending on the coverage you purchased and the terms of the policy.
Potential sources of payment may include:
- Uninsured motorist coverage.
- Underinsured motorist coverage, if the driver is found but has too little insurance.
- Medical payments coverage.
- Collision coverage for vehicle damage.
- Health insurance for treatment while the injury claim is pending.
- Other household policies, depending on the facts.
Keep in mind that even your own insurer may question how the crash happened and whether the unknown driver truly caused it. Our Union City hit and run accident attorneys prepare these claims with that resistance in mind.
Available Compensation After an Accident
The value of your hit-and-run claim depends on the injuries, available coverage, evidence, and long-term effects of the crash.
Depending on your case, the compensation could cover the following:
- Emergency care and hospital bills
- Doctor visits, surgery, imaging, and medication
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Vehicle repair or replacement
- Rental car and transportation expenses
- Out-of-pocket costs tied to the crash
No lawyer can promise what an insurer or jury will award. What we can do is build the claim around the evidence, the available insurance, and the actual effect the crash has had on your health, work, and home life.
Georgia Deadlines and Insurance Notice Rules
Georgia generally gives injured people two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Wrongful death claims are also generally subject to a two-year deadline, usually measured from the date of death.
Hit-and-run claims can involve shorter insurance notice requirements. Your policy may require prompt reporting, cooperation with the insurer, medical records, sworn statements, or other documents. Missing a policy deadline can give the insurer another argument against payment.
You should not wait to see whether the police find the driver before asking for legal advice. Early action gives us a better chance to preserve video, confirm coverage, and protect the claim.
How Van Sant Law Can Help
Van Sant Law is a Georgia personal injury firm with direct insight into insurance defense. David M. Van Sant previously represented insurance companies, giving our team a clear understanding of how carriers evaluate claims, search for weaknesses, and try to reduce payouts.
We can help by:
- Investigating the crash.
- Requesting video and records before they disappear.
- Reviewing police reports and witness statements.
- Identifying all available insurance coverage.
- Handling communications with insurers.
- Documenting medical care, lost income, and future losses.
- Filing suit against a known driver or a John Doe defendant when appropriate.
- Preparing the case for court if fair payment is not offered.
We are fully equipped to sign your case electronically without an office visit. If you prefer an in-home visit, we are happy to discuss that option.
We can also connect you with resources that may help with medical or financial pressure while your claim is pending.
Schedule a FREE Consultation with a Hit and Run Accident Attorney in Union City
At Van Sant Law, we know how to pursue hit-and-run claims when the driver has not been identified or when the insurer is already looking for a reason to limit payment. We can review your crash report, examine available coverage, and begin working to preserve the evidence that may support your claim.
Call today to schedule a free consultation with a hit and run accident attorney in Union City.
