Any accident which involves being hit by a motor vehicle is highly traumatic, but this is especially the case if the driver of the car in question fails to stop. This is known as a hit and run accident, and if you are involved in an accident of this kind you may be able to claim compensation.

The fact that the driver failed to stop doesn’t mean you can’t make a compensation claim if their negligence caused the accident. The road traffic accident claim solicitors at Beacon Law are experts when it comes to handling claims of this kind, and just because a driver can’t be traced doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be compensated for the pain and suffering you’ve been put through and the financial impact of your injuries.

If you’ve been involved in a hit and run accident then contact us today. We’ll explain how the claims process works, and the kind of evidence we’ll use to show that you could be entitled to compensation.

Who will I claim compensation from in a hit and run case?

If you’re involved in a hit and run case then the compensation claim will be made through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). This is a government-backed body which handles insurance and compensation claims for pedestrians and other drivers injured by the actions of uninsured or untraced drivers.

The MIB will process your claim for compensation in particular circumstances:

• The police are unable to trace the driver responsible for hitting you and leaving the scene
• The police are able to trace the driver responsible for hitting you and leaving the scene, but the driver isn’t covered by a valid insurance policy.

If the driver can be found, but is not insured then the process for making a hit and run road accident claim through the MIB is the same as it is when making a claim against a third party, such as another driver or their insurance company as the MIB will stand in place of an insurer.

If the driver cannot be found then the process is slightly different as ultimately there is nobody to commence Court proceedings against.

How to make a hit and run road accident claim

We understand that the shock and trauma of being hit by a driver who then fails to stop is going to be huge, and that claiming compensation is likely to be the last thing on your mind in the aftermath. Any compensation you receive could play a huge role in your recovery, however, as well as making sure that the hit and run accident doesn’t have a financial impact alongside the physical and psychological.

Immediately following a hit and run you should report it to the police. This will create an official record of your hit and run accident and increase the chances of the police being able to track the driver down.

If you were also driving a vehicle you should also inform your own insurers of the hit and run accident, and of the fact that the other driver failed to stop.

You should seek medical attention immediately. If your injuries are serious enough then it’s likely an ambulance will be summoned to the scene of your hit and run accident, but even if you think they aren’t you should see a doctor promptly.

Immediate medical attention will increase your chances of recovering from the impact of a hit and run accident, and will create an official medical record of the nature and extent of your injuries.

If possible you should gather information in the immediate aftermath of a hit and run road accident, such as photographs of the scene, photographs of any damage to your car if you were driving at the time, and the contact details of any witnesses.

You should contact the experts at Beacon Law to talk about claiming compensation following your hit and run road accident. We’ll explain how hit and run accident claims works and how we can help you to make a claim and receive 100% of any compensation you are entitled to.

What can I claim for following a hit and run road accident?

If you’ve been involved in a hit and run road accident caused by the negligence of another driver then you can claim compensation for any injuries caused and for the financial impact of those injuries. The compensation for your injuries will be based on factors such as how serious they are, the amount of pain and distress caused and how long any recovery is likely to take.

The amount will also take into effect the psychological impact of your hit and run road accident, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression caused by your injuries. It will also reflect the way in which your injuries stop you doing things like pursuing hobbies and interests and living family life.

The rest of the compensation is intended to cover the financial impact of your injuries, including lost earnings and direct expenses. Once the experts at Beacon Law have a clear idea of the nature of your injuries and the impact they have had, we’ll be able to estimate how much compensation we think you are entitled to.

What are the most common injuries from hit and run road accidents?

A claim for compensation following a hit and run accident could cover injuries ranging from the relatively trivial up to those which are life-changing and will require on-going care and treatment. Some of the most common injuries from hit and run road accidents which we deal with include the following:

• Broken bones
• Back injury
• Head injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Whiplash
• Stress and anxiety following an accident
• Burns
• Scarring
• Traumatic brain injury

If you’ve suffered any kind of injury in a hit and run road accident then contact Beacon Law to talk about making a claim for compensation. We’ll make sure that the injuries you suffered are fully taken into account when any compensation settlement is negotiated.

How much compensation could I receive for a hit and run road accident claim?

The amount of compensation you could receive for a hit and run road accident claim will range from a couple of thousand pounds for relatively minor injuries up to hundreds of thousands for injuries which are life-changing and leave you with long term medical and care requirements. All compensation payments awarded are divided into general damages and special damages.

General Damages

This is the amount paid to reflect the nature and severity of your injuries, the pain and distress caused and the impact on your ability to live your life as you previously did. The figure will be calculated with the help of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG).

This is a specialist publication which sets out guide ranges for specific injuries to every part of the body. Almost every type of injury could feasibly happen during a hit and run road accident, from the trivial to the life-threatening, and examples from the latest edition of the JCG include:

• Severe back injury with spinal cord damage – £85,470 to £151,070
• Moderate head injury – £13,430.00 to £112,130.00
• An injury to the hip or pelvis which requires surgery – £33,430 to £44,790

Special Damages

Special damages are paid to ensure that you are not left financially worse off as a result of your injuries. They will cover any earnings or pension provision lost because your injuries impact on your ability to earn a living as you did previously.

Special damages will also cover expenses which are directly linked to your injuries, such as:

• Money you have to spend on medical treatment for your injuries now and in the future
• Money you have to spend on care requirements linked to your injuries, now and in the future
• An amount to compensate for care provide free of charge by friends and family
• Money spent on adaptations that have to be made to your home or vehicle as a result of your injuries
• Money spent on any specialised equipment needed as a result of your injuries, such as mobility equipment
• Money spent travelling to and from medical appointments required as a result of your injuries
• Money spent on counselling or therapy needed as a result of your injuries

What is the process of making a hit and run road accident claim?

If you make a hit and run road accident claim with Beacon Law then we’ll keep things simple and take the stress out of the claim by guiding you through the process in a series of individual steps:

We’ll start the process by lodging your claim with the MIB. This will allow them to contact the Police and make enquiries to see whether they can locate a driver, and if possible an insurance company to deal with your claim.

If they can find the drive but they are not insured they will deal with this as though they were the insurer and your claim will proceed as though it was a standard road traffic accident. If they cannot trace a driver then they will deal with your claim under their scheme for the victims of untraced drivers, and the process will be as below.

The MIB will appoint an enquiry agent who will arrange to come out and visit you to take a statement about the circumstances of the accident. This is nothing to worry about.

Once they’re satisfied that your claim is eligible to be dealt with under their scheme the MIB ask for copies of your medical records and Will arrange a medical examination with an independent expert. They will produce a detailed medical report setting out the nature and severity of your injuries, the prognosis for any recovery and the likelihood that you will need medical treatment and care in the future.

The MIB will then make an offer based on the medical evidence and any other evidence which we have provided. We will negotiate with the MIB to make sure that the compensation offered reflects the severity and nature of your injuries, the extent of any damage to your vehicle and the financial impact of your injuries.

Because there is no drive to commence formal court proceedings against, if the offer made by the MIB seems too low, we may advise you to make an application for review or appeal, where the MIB will reconsider whether the initial offer was too low.

Can I make a hit and run road accident claim on a no win no fee basis?

Yes, if you make your hit and run road accident claim through Beacon Law we will act on a no win no fee basis. This means that you don’t have to pay anything to us as we gather the evidence, submit your claim and negotiate the fairest possible settlement.

If your claim is upheld by the MIB then we will take a success fee. We’ll only take the fee once you’ve actually received the compensation you’ve been offered. Because we cannot recover any of our costs from an insurance company, our success fee for an MIB case under the Untraced Drivers Agreement is 30% plus VAT of the compensation we recover for you.

How long do I have to make a hit and run road accident claim?

In a standard road accident claim, or where the driver can be traced but is uninsured, You have 3 years after the hit and run road accident takes place in which you can make a claim.

However, if the driver cannot be traced the time limit for making a claim is only 2 years. It is therefore very important to get your claim lodged with the MIB as soon after the accident as possible.

Why should I choose Beacon Law for my hit and run road accident claim?

Although there is no legal obligation to work with a solicitor when making a hit and run accident claim from the MIB you should choose Beacon Law if you want to claim because we know how the system works in detail and exactly how much compensation each client is entitled to. Our track record of making successful claims of this kind speaks for itself, and is based on more than 200 years of combined legal experience.

If you claim with us then you’ll be treated like a person dealing with a difficult situation and not simply another case number. We’ll provide empathetic advice in a clear, jargon-free manner, and if you require additional support we’ll help you to access it.

We understand how stressful and upsetting a hit and run accident can be, so we take on the work of making your claim so that you have the time and space to concentrate on making as full a recovery as possible. We do all of this on a no win no fee basis, because we think you should be able to claim on the basis of fairness and not whether you can afford to do so.

If you’ve been involved in a hit and run road accident then contact Beacon Law today. We’ll do everything we can to claim the full amount of compensation we think you’re entitled to.