If another driver hits you in North Myrtle Beach, you can seek compensation from them for the losses they caused you, including the cost of medical care, any wages you lost while your injuries prevented you from working, and the pain and suffering you endured. Doing so is challenging enough when you know the identity of the at-fault driver. It becomes even more difficult when the other driver leaves the scene before identifying themselves.
However, you may still have options for pursuing compensation after a crash with another driver who left the scene. The North Myrtle Beach hit-and-run accident lawyers at Jebaily Law Firm want to help you pursue maximum compensation from all available sources.
If you were involved in a hit-and-run accident in North Myrtle Beach, contact the Jebaily Law Firm today for a free consultation. We are ready to review your situation and discuss your best legal options for seeking the compensation you need.
What Is a Hit-and-Run Car Accident?
An accident becomes a hit-and-run when one of the drivers leaves the scene without performing certain duties imposed by South Carolina law. Drivers must remain at the scene of an accident involving death, injury, or property damage, give specific information to the other driver, and render aid to people involved in the accident.
Hit-and-Run Laws in North Myrtle Beach
If you are driving and involved in an accident resulting in death, injury, or property damage, you must give the other driver your name, address, and vehicle registration number. You must also show the other driver your driver’s license.
You must render reasonable assistance to any person injured in the accident if it is apparent that this person requires treatment or requests assistance. You must then take the person to a healthcare facility or arrange to do so.
If you collide with an unattended vehicle, you must immediately stop and try to either locate and notify the owner or operator of the unattended vehicle or leave a written note with your name and address and a statement describing the circumstances of the accident in a conspicuous place in the vehicle.
If your vehicle strikes a fixture legally on or adjacent to a South Carolina highway, you must take reasonable steps to locate and notify the owner or person in charge of the property. You must give them your name, address, and vehicle registration number.
Depending on the specifics of the situation, leaving the scene of an accident in South Carolina could be considered a misdemeanor or a felony. Penalties range from a $5,000 fine and one year in prison for a misdemeanor hit-and-run and up to 25 years in prison for a fatal hit-and-run crash.
What Should I Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident in North Myrtle Beach?
Whenever an accident occurs, the first step is to render aid to anyone who’s been injured. If another driver flees the scene, you should call local law enforcement and notify them. Give them a description of the vehicle and the direction in which the vehicle was heading. They can direct patrol cars to be on the lookout for the vehicle.
Once you have sought medical treatment, you should contact a North Myrtle Beach hit-and-run accident attorney at Jebaily Law Firm to discuss your potential case. The sooner you do this, the sooner your attorney can launch an investigation to discover the underlying circumstances of the accident. Our hit-and-run victim attorneys can help you seek the compensation you need.
How Long Do You Have to Report a Hit-and-Run in SC?
The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person must immediately give notice of the accident to local law enforcement. Depending on where the accident occurs, you must report it to the local police department, county sheriff, or the nearest office of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. If you cannot report the accident as the vehicle’s driver, then any occupant of your car must make the report.
Common Reasons for Hit-and-Run Accidents
Drivers tend to leave the accident scene because they are trying to avoid the consequences of remaining and taking responsibility. If they have a bad driving record, another accident may cause them to lose their license. If they are driving while impaired because of alcohol or drug use, they may want to avoid criminal charges or the loss of their license. Another common reason drivers flee is outstanding warrants. Some drivers may simply succumb to the fight-or-flight impulse.
How Can I Obtain Compensation for a Hit-and-Run Accident?
If you are a hit-and-run accident victim, you may be able to tap the uninsured motorist (UM) coverage in your auto insurance policy to recover compensation for losses resulting from the accident.
South Carolina law requires automobile insurance policies carried by South Carolina drivers to include UM insurance. The amount of this coverage must equal the required minimum liability coverage. UM insurance will also cover accidents caused by drivers who flee the scene.
South Carolina requires you to carry a minimum of $25,000 per person for bodily injury and $50,000 for all persons injured in one accident. For property damage, the minimum limit is $25,000 for all property damage in one accident.
Why You Need Our Lawyers to Help with Your Hit-and-Run Crash Case
Although UM coverage should help pay some, if not all, the accident costs, you must still deal with your insurance provider. Even though you are dealing with “your” insurance company, you cannot rely on the insurer to pay what you deserve without a fight. Their interest is still to pay out as little as they can get away with.
A North Myrtle Beach hit-and-run accident lawyer at Jebaily Law Firm can help you deal with an uncooperative insurance carrier that is attempting to deny or undervalue your claim. We can also help you file an insurance claim or lawsuit against the hit-and-run driver if they can be found.
Talk to Our North Myrtle Beach Car Accident Lawyers Now
If you were involved in a hit-and-run accident in North Myrtle Beach, you deserve help from an attorney who has experience handling these cases. At Jebaily Law Firm, we can build your case and communicate with the insurance carrier on your behalf.
We have secured millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients. We stand ready to use our experience to provide an evaluation of your case during a free consultation. Contact Jebaily Law Firm now to get started.
