How to Prove Your Burbank Hit-and-Run Car Accident Case

How to Prove Your Burbank Hit-and-Run Car Accident Case

Jun 28, 2023

Hit-and-run car accidents can be both dangerous as well serious inconveniences for drivers. In Los Angeles County, a recent report from local NBC 4 highlighted a hit-and-run “epidemic.” In fact, according to data from the California Highway Patrol, a hit-and-run car accident happens in the Los Angeles-area approximately every 18 minutes.

4 Steps To Win a Hit-and-Run Case in Burbank

• What to Do After a Los Angeles Hit-and-Run Car Accident
• Why Seeking Medical Treatment After a Hit-and-Run Car Accident is So Important
• Types of Injuries That May Not be Apparent After a Burbank Hit-and-Run
• Injured in a Burbank Hit-and-Run? Contact the Car Accident Experts at DLG

Furthermore, in 2015, NBC Los Angeles confirmed the following the following car accident statistics:

• Over 28,000 reported hit-and-run crashes occurred over a widespread area of L.A. County.
• 50% of all car crashes occurring in Los Angeles County are hit-and-runs.

A hit-and-run car accident can leave you with serious injuries as well as physical damage to your vehicle. Ensuring that you recover the financial compensation you need for things like hospital bills, medical care costs, pain and suffering, lost wages, and property damage to your car can be challenging without being able to identify a negligent party who has fled the crash scene.

Fortunately, however, Dordulian Law Group has put together four steps to help you win your hit-and-run case and secure both justice as well as maximum financial compensation.

What to Do After a Los Angeles Hit-and-Run Car Accident

– Step I – Report the Incident to Police: A hit-and-run is a crime, and such incidents should be reported immediately to police. If anyone was injured in the hit-and-run car accident, contact the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) immediately by calling 911. If there were no major injuries sustained in the traffic collision, you may report the incident to the LAPD by calling 877-ASK-LAPD (877-275-5273). Once you report the hit-and-run incident, it’s important to receive a traffic collision printout from the police. This will be part of any civil claim you may wish to file to recover financial compensation for various damages.

– Step II – Gather Evidence: Obtaining evidence after any type of car accident is always important. But when a hit-and-run occurs, the evidence you gather may help determine whether the at-fault individual is ever brought to justice as well as whether you’re able to successfully secure financial damages for things like lost wages or medical bills. After a Burbank hit-and run, if you aren’t too severely injured, it is recommended that you take as many of the following steps as possible to secure valuable evidence that may be used in your claim:

• Take photos and videos of the accident scene
• Take photos and videos of any damage to your vehicle
• Take photos and videos of any physical injuries
• Gather witness statements from anyone who may help identify the hit-and-run perpetrator (take a photo of the witness’s driver’s license, take down phone numbers, physical addresses, and email addresses)
• Obtain any closed-circuit or security video from the hit-and-run scene (*a Dordulian Law Group car accident lawyer will be able to assist you with this step after the initial free consultation phase)

– Step III – Contact a Car Accident Lawyer: Dordulian Law Group (DLG) is an experienced car accident law firm representing clients in the Burbank and greater Los Angeles-area. We have more than 25 years of experience helping car accident and personal injury victims secure justice. With over $100,000,000.00 in settlements and verdicts obbtained for clients like you while maintaining a near-perfect 98% winning record, DLG’s car accident attorneys will give you peace of mind and confidence throughout the entire legal process. Contact us today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for a free car accident or hit-and-run collision consultation with one of our experienced and dedicated team members.

– Step IV – File an Uninsured Motorist Claim: If you have uninsured motorist coverage (UM coverage), you will likely be able to file a claim for financial compensation without having to identify the hit-and-run driver. Through UM coverage, when a hit-and-run occurs, your insurer will actually step in and serve as the insurance company of the at-fault driver. With this type of auto insurance coverage, you can make a claim to your insurer even if you are injured by a hit-and-run driver.

Uninsured Motorist coverage is usually divided into two categories:

• Uninsured motor vehicle bodily injury (UMBI)
• Uninsured motor vehicle property damage (UMPD)

UMBI typically includes:

• Medical care costs or hospital expenses
• Lost income/wages
• Pain and discomfort
• Lost future earning capacity
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Various additional damages resulting from the accident

UMPD, by contrast, will cover you for any physical damage caused to your car or property by a hit-and-run driver

Why Seeking Medical Treatment After a Hit-and-Run Car Accident is So Important

Additionally, it’s important to note that seeking medical treatment after any type of Burbank car accident – whether a hit-and-run, a minor fender bender, or a serious crash – is always recommended.

Even if you seem fine after your car accident or hit-and-run crash, certain injuries may be latent in the hours or even days after a motor vehicle collision. As a result, any car accident injury could cause complications which may not be apparent at the scene of the crash.

Additionally, seeking medical attention will help you document your injuries and create a record of the medical treatment you received – all of which can serve as evidence in an eventual car accident civil claim. In fact, medical documentation can be some of the most useful type of evidence if you choose to file a claim with your insurance company or take legal action after a hit-and-run accident.

Types of Injuries That May Not be Apparent After a Burbank Hit-and-Run

Untreated injuries such as concussions or whiplash may not cause symptoms immediately, but they can still lead to long-term damage. After a hit-and-run crash, a doctor can assess you for hidden injuries and prescribe appropriate treatment such as medication, physical therapy, or rest.

Some of the more common types of car accident injuries that can lead to delayed symptoms include:

1. Back Pain/Spinal Cord Damage: These types of injuries can often be due to rear-end collisions or a side-impact collision (T-bone). Any pain, tingling, numbness, or strain in the back after a car accident can be an initial indicator of a more troubling condition, such as a herniated disc, whiplash, a spinal cord injury, or even soft tissue damage. Undergoing a full examination by a licensed physician is strongly recommended in order to screen for these injuries.
2. Headaches: A head injury can commonly occur after a hit-and-run car accident, but headaches are often ignored by victims. Headaches can be benign but also indicate more serious conditions requiring medical attention – including concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). A persistent headache should be examined by a physician rather than taking painkillers over the counter.
3. Abdominal Pain/Cramping: Stomach pain is a common symptom after hit-and-run car accidents. While frequent, this type of pain should never be ignored, as it can indicate a serious condition such as internal bleeding.
4. Neck/Shoulder Pain: Although seatbelts save thousands of lives in car accidents annually, they can also cause neck and shoulders pain in various collisions – including hit-and-runs. It’s not uncommon for neck and shoulder pain to persist after an accident, and this type of trauma can be a sign of whiplash, a serious condition requiring a full medical exam.
5. Numbness or Tingling in the Extremities: Numbness in the extremities may take a prolonged period of time to appear after a car accident, but that does not mean such symptoms are not serious. Numbness or tingling could actually indicate a spinal cord injury, which requires immediate medical attention. Herniated discs can also be signaled by by numbness and tingling of the limbs.
6. Emotional, Behavioral, or Mood Changes: A car accident is often a traumatic experience, leaving the victim with a long road to recovery – both physically and emotionally. Behavioral or mood shifts immediately following a car accident should be reviewed thoroughly with your physician. If you notice that these symptoms persist for an extended period of time, it could be a sign either of a mild traumatic injury (MTBI), such as a concussion or even a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

After any type of car accident, it is vital to seek medical care as soon as you can. Delaying treatment may worsen your injuries, but even more troubling is the fact that a lack of medical documentation after a hit-and-run or other type of car accident can make your case much more difficult to prove.

Injured in a Burbank Hit-and-Run? Contact the Car Accident Experts at DLG

If you’ve been injured in a Burbank or Los Angeles-area hit-and-run car accident, the team of experienced attorneys at DLG encourages you to contact us immediately for a free consultation before:

• Speaking to the at-fault party or their insurance company

Making any statement regarding your car accident

• Signing any official documents
• Accepting any type of settlement offer

Ready to file a claim and pursue justice through a financial damages award? Our expert attorneys are available online or by phone now.

Reach out to us today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM. We’ll review the facts of your case and provide you with all available legal options to ensure that your rights are protected and the maximum financial damages award you deserve is pursued. With the experienced Burbank hit-and-run lawyers at DLG, your personal injury consultation is always free and confidential. Our No Win/No Fee Guarantee means you never have to worry about paying upfront for our expert legal services. We don’t charge anything until after you recover a cash settlement. With DLG’s Burbank car accident lawyers, we don’t get paid until you get paid – it’s that simple.

Contact us today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for your free car accident or hit-and-run crash consultation.