What Legal Actions Can Pedestrian Hit and Run Victims Take?

If you’ve been injured in a hit and run accident, here’s what you need to know

Hit and run accidents are frustrating events. Not only has there been an accident, with people possibly hurt or dead, but the person responsible for the accident has fled the scene, making it harder for others to get both justice and proper compensation. For pedestrians, the damage can be particularly bad; they have to deal with what could be extensive injuries, and the emotional trauma could linger well after those injuries have healed. Pedestrians do have some recourse if they’ve been injured in a hit and run accident.

Hit and run accidents can be misdemeanors or felonies. If someone was injured in the accident, fleeing the scene is a felony; otherwise the accident is typically treated as a misdemeanor. Note that this is only the basic legal division between the two, and additional circumstances could affect the actual charge.

One option that pedestrians have after they’ve been hit by a driver who fled the scene is to try to locate the owner of the vehicle. Wisconsin law allows the owner — who might not have been the actual driver — to be held liable for the accident. This is because security footage and witnesses may have gotten the vehicle’s license plate number, which helps police locate the car, but not necessarily the person who drove it at the time of the accident.

Pedestrians can also sue the insurance company of the owner or driver for not only medical bills, but also for emotional distress, pain and suffering, and lost wages. The injured party should not immediately settle for whatever is offered but instead should speak with a lawyer about getting compensation for all damages incurred.

If you’ve been injured by a hit and run driver, contact Eisenberg Law Offices at 608-256-8356 to speak with an attorney about your options. You shouldn’t have to suffer financially because a driver fled the scene of an accident.