Can I claim leg injury compensation after a hit and run accident? I suffered a gash to my leg after being hit by a car while crossing the road, but the car sped off before I could obtain contact details. Is there any way to receive compensation?
Receiving leg injury compensation is still possible if you have been the victim of a hit and run accident in which the negligent driver cannot be traced. There are various reasons a driver may abandon the scene of an accident they caused — perhaps to avoid a criminal prosecution or because they were uninsured. Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that they have committed a criminal offence, and the police will be interested in tracking the driver. This can be done through CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts or if you managed to obtain the car licence plate number — even a part of it.
If the driver of the car responsible for your accident is found, a claim for leg injury compensation can proceed in the usual manner. However if the driver cannot be found or is uninsured, a claim for compensation may have to be made against the Motor Insurer’s Bureau (MIB). The MIB was formed in order to provide a source of compensation for the victims of uninsured or untraceable drivers. However the MIB is funded by insurance companies, and as a result they may not be willing to simply hand out compensation. They will wish to know that every effort has been made in order to trace the negligent driver who caused the accident and injury or verify that the driver is uninsured. They will also want to establish that the driver was indeed responsible for creating the accident and that it was not as a result of your own negligence. Claiming compensation from the MIB can be difficult, and the procedures complicated. For this reason you are advised to engage the services of a personal injury* solicitor when dealing with the MIB.
It is necessary to construct the strongest claim possible when claiming for a hit and run accident, as a weak claim may result in you being undercompensated. This could depend on the evidence compiled and a strong understanding of the procedures required in order to make a claim. It must also be remembered that a time limit of three years exists in which to make a claim, as per the Statute of Limitations. For this reason, it is advised that you contact a personal injury* solicitor at the earliest opportunity if you believe you have a valid claim for leg injury compensation.