Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
You’re hurt, you’re shaken up, and the person responsible for the collision has just disappeared. It feels like there’s nothing you can do. But there is. A hit and run lawyer in Babylon can help you pursue compensation, even when the other driver is never found.
At Shulman Hill, we represent New Yorkers who deserve better than being left on the side of the road without answers. We’ve recovered over $1 billion for our clients, and we know how to build cases that don’t depend on the other driver showing up.
Our skilled car accident lawyers in Babylon have recovered compensation for hit-and-run victims who thought they had no case. Contact us for a free consultation today.
What to Do Right After a Hit-and-Run
When a driver flees the scene, the clock starts ticking immediately. Here are the steps to follow after these types of collisions:
- Call 911. A police report is essential in hit-and-run cases. Without it, your insurance claim becomes much harder to pursue.
- Note as much as you can about the other vehicle: plate number, color, make, model, and which direction it went. Even a partial plate can be enough to work with.
- Document the scene around you. The damage, the road, skid marks, debris, your injuries. Chasing after the driver may be dangerous, so focus on the evidence at the scene instead.
- Talk to witnesses. Someone nearby may have seen the plate or the direction the driver went. Get their contact information before they leave.
- Seek medical attention immediately. Even if you feel okay. Adrenaline masks pain, and delayed injuries are common after crashes.
- Notify your insurance company. In New York, hit and run claims often go through your own insurance first, so reporting promptly matters.
The more information you can gather at the scene, the stronger your position. A Babylon personal injury lawyer can work with whatever you have.
How New York’s Hit and Run Laws Work
In New York, fleeing the scene of an accident is a crime. Under Vehicle and Traffic Law § 600, drivers must stop, share their information, and offer reasonable assistance. Fleeing the scene is a misdemeanor when property damage is involved. When someone is injured, it can rise to a felony depending on the severity, and up to a class C felony if the victim dies.
New York is also a no-fault state, which means your own insurance covers your initial medical bills and a portion of your lost wages regardless of who caused the crash. You don’t need to identify the other driver to access that coverage. However, no-fault has limits.
To pursue compensation for pain and suffering and the full extent of your losses, your injuries need to meet New York’s serious injury threshold, which includes broken bones, significant scarring, permanent or significant limitation of a body part or function, or being unable to perform your normal daily activities for at least 90 out of the first 180 days after the crash.
A Babylon hit and run attorney can review your injuries and tell you exactly where you stand.
Who Pays When the Driver Is Gone?
Most people are surprised to learn they have options even when the driver is never found. Here’s where compensation can come from:
No-fault Coverage
No-fault pays your initial medical bills and a portion of lost wages. Every registered vehicle in New York is required to carry it, and if you were a passenger in someone else’s car, their no-fault coverage applies to you.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM)
UM allows you to pursue compensation beyond no-fault: pain and suffering, long-term losses, and damages the other driver would have owed you, when the driver is uninsured or unidentified. Most New York auto policies include it, but the limits vary.
Supplemental uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (SUM)
SUM provides an additional layer of protection on top of UM. If your damages exceed the available coverage, SUM can make up the difference.
MVAIC: the Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation
MVAIC is a New York State fund for victims with no applicable insurance coverage. If you don’t own a car, aren’t covered by a household member’s policy, and were hit by an unidentified driver, MVAIC may be your only option. You must file a Notice of Intention within 90 days of the accident. Miss that deadline and your claim is gone.
A hit and run lawyer in Babylon will review your coverage, identify every available source of compensation, and make sure the right claims are filed in the right places at the right time.
What You Can Recover After a Hit-and-Run Collision
A driver who flees doesn’t get to decide what you’re entitled to. Depending on your situation and the coverage available, you may be able to pursue compensation for:
- Medical expenses: emergency treatment, surgery, physical therapy, and ongoing care
- Lost wages: income you couldn’t earn while recovering
- Loss of earning capacity: if your injuries affect your ability to work long-term
- Pain and suffering: the physical and emotional toll the crash has taken on your life
- Property damage: repair or replacement of your vehicle and personal belongings
- Loss of enjoyment of life: when injuries prevent you from living the way you did before the crash
Your losses don’t end at the hospital. Shulman Hill will look at the full picture of what this crash has cost you and fight to recover every dollar you’re owed.
Deadlines You Need to Know
Hit and run cases come with multiple deadlines running at the same time, and missing any one of them can seriously damage your claim:
- 30 days to apply for no-fault benefits after the accident
- 90 days to file a Notice of Intention with MVAIC if you’re seeking compensation through that fund
- 90 days to file a Notice of Claim if a government vehicle or employee was involved, under General Municipal Law § 50-e
- 3 years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under CPLR § 214(5)
Time is of the essence. A hit and run lawyer in Babylon will track every applicable deadline from day one, so nothing gets missed.
Talk to a Hit and Run Lawyer in Babylon Now
A lot of people who come to us after a hit and run don’t know where to start. They don’t know what coverage they have, whether the driver can be found, or whether they even have a case. That uncertainty is exactly what insurance companies count on.
Shulman Hill cuts through it. We handle the investigation, the insurance claims, the deadlines, and the negotiation, so you can focus on recovering. We have handled hit-and-run claims involving limited evidence and disputed coverage issues. We don’t get paid unless you do.
Call us today for a free consultation. New York, We Got You.