Hunt for Suspect Continues After Hit-and-Run Accident

Police in Horry County are looking for a suspect involved in a hit-and-run accident that injured one individual on Tuesday, February 23. The accident occurred in Myrtle Beach, when the suspect failed to yield for a vehicle at an intersection and collided with it.

After the accident, the suspect fled the scene. The victim pursued the suspect’s Chevy Trailblazer into a nearby parking lot, where the suspect ran away. Police officers stated that the driver was a white male, and was wearing a grey hoodie and black pants at the time of the accident.

The victim was transported to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

Hit-and-Run Accidents: Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Individuals who have been injured by a driver who fled the scene of the accident face a unique challenge, as the individual whom the injured driver would like to initiate a lawsuit against cannot be identified or located.

Luckily, a remedy is still available for the victim of a hit-and-run accident in the form of the uninsured motorist provision of the victim’s own automobile insurance policy. Our auto accident lawyers can help. Such coverage is mandatory in any South Carolina automobile insurance policy, and provides compensation for injuries incurred as a result of an at-fault driver who flees the scene of the accident. Such compensation essentially takes the place of the at-fault driver’s liability coverage since the at-fault driver is not able to be located. In essence, a victim of a hit-and-run accident files a personal injury claim against his or her own insurance carrier. The insurance provider and victim then negotiate a settlement for the victim’s injuries.

The amount of compensation awarded to an injured driver by his or her insurance company following a hit-and-run accident is dependent on the victim’s individual insurance policy.

Damages Available in a Hit-and-Run Case

By initiating a personal injury lawsuit for a hit-and-run accident, an injured party may recover the same types of compensatory damages available to victims of other forms of car accidents. Such damages may include:

• Medical expenses, such as hospital stays, rehabilitation, and prescription medication;
• Lost wages, including income lost as a result of not being able to return to work after an accident as well as future earnings that might be diminished;
• Pain and suffering, including pain experienced during and directly after the accident as well as ongoing pain that will likely be suffered in the future; and
• Emotional distress incurred as a result of the accident, such as depression, fear, anxiety, and an inability to sleep.

Injured in a Hit-and-Run Accident? We are Here to Help!

Time is of the essence when filing an uninsured motorist claim with one’s automobile insurance company. The timeframe in which such claims must be filed differs depending on the victim’s insurance policy. In some cases, the deadline to file such a claim can be as little as 30 days.

If you have been injured in an automobile accident in which the driver fled the scene and is unable to be located, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Lovely Law Firm are happy to assist you in receiving the compensation you deserve. To schedule a case evaluation at no charge, please call (843) 839-4111.

Sources

http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/31298818/myrtle-beach-police-seek-hit-and-run-suspect