Carabin Shaw is one of the leading personal injury law firms in San Antonio and Texas. They have extensive experience in car accident cases, focusing on securing compensation for clients that reflects the full extent of their medical bills, property damage, and pain and suffering.
Specialization: Personal injury, car accidents, truck accidents, wrongful death, 18-wheeler accidents.
Why choose them? Carabin Shaw Law Firm offers a complimentary initial consultation, and their team is recognized for aggressively advocating for their clients’ rights.
Houston Hit-and-Run Car Accident Lawyers – Your Legal Options
Being the victim of a hit-and-run car accident in Houston is a frightening and frustrating experience. One moment you are driving normally, and the next you have been struck by another vehicle whose driver speeds away, leaving you injured and without a clear path to compensation. But a hit-and-run does not mean you are out of options. Houston car accident lawyers at Carabin Shaw have helped numerous hit-and-run victims recover compensation through a variety of legal strategies, even when the at-fault driver initially seems impossible to find.
Hit-and-run accidents are shockingly common in Houston. Drivers flee the scene for many reasons — they may be uninsured, have a suspended license, be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or simply panic. Whatever the reason, leaving the scene of an accident is a criminal offense in Texas, and the victims left behind deserve justice and compensation for their injuries. Experienced car accident attorneys in Houston at Carabin Shaw pursue every available avenue to identify the responsible driver and, when that is not possible, help their clients access other sources of compensation to cover their losses.
If you have been hurt in a hit-and-run car wreck in Houston, do not assume that you have no recourse. Car accident lawyers at Carabin Shaw can evaluate your situation and identify the best strategy for recovering the compensation you need. Call today for a free consultation.
What to Do Immediately After a Hit-and-Run
If you are the victim of a hit-and-run in Houston, try to gather as much information as you can about the fleeing vehicle. Note the make, model, color, and license plate number if possible. The direction the vehicle fled is also helpful for law enforcement. If there are witnesses, ask them what they saw and get their contact information. Call 911 immediately to report the hit-and-run and request both police and medical assistance.
Look around for surveillance cameras that may have captured the incident. Many businesses, parking lots, traffic intersections, and residential properties have cameras that could provide footage of the hit-and-run driver. Make note of any cameras you see and share that information with the responding officer. Your lawyers can later subpoena this footage as evidence.
Tracking Down the Hit-and-Run Driver
Law enforcement will investigate the hit-and-run, but their resources are limited and not all cases are solved quickly. Your lawyers can supplement the police investigation with their own efforts. Private investigators may be retained to canvass the area for surveillance footage, interview witnesses, and follow up on leads. Partial license plate numbers can sometimes be traced through database searches. Body shop records may reveal a vehicle matching the description that came in for repairs shortly after the crash.
If the hit-and-run driver is identified, you can pursue a personal injury claim against them just as you would in any other car accident case. The driver faces both criminal charges for leaving the scene and civil liability for the injuries and damages they caused. Identifying the driver also opens access to their insurance coverage, which is often the primary source of compensation.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage – Your Safety Net
If the hit-and-run driver is never identified, your own uninsured motorist coverage becomes your most important source of compensation. In Texas, insurance companies are required to offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage as part of every auto insurance policy. If you carry this coverage, it can pay for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages caused by a hit-and-run driver — essentially stepping in to provide the compensation that the at-fault driver’s insurance would have covered.
Filing an uninsured motorist claim against your own insurance company may seem straightforward, but it is not. Your insurer has the same financial incentive to minimize payouts as any other insurance company. They will scrutinize your claim, challenge the severity of your injuries, and try to settle for as little as possible. Having experienced lawyers handle your UM claim ensures that you are treated fairly by your own insurer and that you receive the full benefits you are entitled to under your policy.
Personal Injury Protection Coverage
If you carry personal injury protection coverage on your auto insurance policy, it can provide additional benefits after a hit-and-run accident. PIP coverage pays for medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who was at fault, up to the policy limits. PIP benefits are available immediately and can help cover your initial treatment costs while your lawyers work to identify the hit-and-run driver or pursue your uninsured motorist claim.
PIP coverage in Texas is optional, but it provides valuable protection in situations where the at-fault driver cannot be identified or does not have insurance. If you are unsure what coverage your policy includes, your lawyers can review your insurance documents and identify all available sources of compensation.
Criminal Penalties for Hit-and-Run Drivers in Texas
Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious criminal offense in Texas. If the accident caused injuries, the hit-and-run driver faces a third-degree felony charge, which carries a potential penalty of two to ten years in prison and fines up to 10,000 dollars. If the accident caused death, the charge is elevated to a second-degree felony with a potential sentence of two to twenty years. These criminal penalties are separate from the civil liability the driver faces for the injuries and damages they caused.
While criminal prosecution is handled by the state, the outcome of the criminal case can support your civil claim. A conviction or guilty plea establishes that the driver committed a crime by fleeing the scene, which strengthens your position in a personal injury lawsuit. Even if the driver is not convicted, the evidence gathered during the criminal investigation may be useful in your civil case.
Carabin Shaw Helps Houston Hit-and-Run Victims Find Answers and Compensation
A hit-and-run accident can leave you feeling helpless, but you are not alone. Carabin Shaw’s Houston car accident lawyers have the experience, investigative resources, and legal knowledge to pursue every available path to compensation on your behalf. Whether the at-fault driver is identified or not, their team will fight to make sure you receive the money you need to cover your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Contact Carabin Shaw today for a free consultation.
