Eight immediate actions hit-and-run accident victims in Pittsburgh should take. 

Pennsylvania – July 29, 2022

Pennsylvania drivers should be aware that a hit-and-run accident can occur when someone runs a traffic signal, side swipes a car, or causes a rear-end collision and leaves the scene.  While a driver might be shocked at his occurrence, there are things they can do to try to recover harmful losses, depending upon the severity of the crash.  For example, if someone is guilty of DUI and they hit another car, they may flee to avoid the DUI charge, but there are charges for Pennsylvania hit-and-run incidents as well.  Hit-and-run accident victims may wonder “Where can I find attorneys near me?” to assist in damage compensation recovery.

Post hit-and-run accident victim actions.

1. Accident victims should never try and chase the vehicle that hit them as it may be more dangerous and present a serious safety risk to them. The local and state police should be called after a hit-and-run accident so that Law Enforcement in the area may be on the lookout for reckless driving patterns that could hurt other drivers.
2. A police officer will prepare a report that victims will use to support related accident losses.  In Pennsylvania, an accident report must be filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Safety within five days from the mishap if collisions result in death, injury, or significant property damage. Surviving loved ones of fatally injury accident victims have two-years to file a lawsuit from the date the death occurred.
3. Accident victims should write down as much information regarding the accident as they can recall including color, make and model of the fleeing car, license plate number including state if possible.
4. Accident victims should inform law enforcement of the direction the car was traveling.
5. If there was a visual on the driver or passengers, that information should be supplied to police.
6. Witnesses at the scene may be able to provide further information than even the driver has because they were placed at a different vantage point when an accident occurred. Accident victims should collect names, phone numbers, and email addresses for case-building.
7. The accident victim should also take photos of the scene, the damage done to the vehicle, surrounding traffic signals and the landscape at the time of the accident.
8. Additionally, the accident victim should seek medical attention to make sure they have no invisible injuries.

Recoverable damage compensation.

A personal injury lawyer, utilizing supporting Pennsylvania state-specific accident laws, can file a personal injury action for damage compensation to include:

• Compensatory damages for economic losses including lost wages, medical bills, medical care, and treatment, plus household expenses and non-economic losses that include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, or companionship.
• Punitive damages when an accident lawyer can prove that a defendant deliberately, with reckless disregard, acted in a manner to cause harm to another person, punitive damages may be awarded based on the specifics of a case. These may be accessible in a hit-and-run accident.

Hire a lawyer.

Pittsburgh area accident lawyers assist in the determination of “fault” and move forward with legal action for personal injury loss and property damage after a hit-and-run crash. An experienced lawyer at Scanlon & Wojton will fight for a victim’s rights for a comprehensive insurance settlement, or court award to cover damages.

Scanlon & Wojton, Attorneys at Law

The Mitchell Building
304 Ross Street, Second Floor
Pittsburgh, Pa 15219

Phone: (412) 918-1241

Fax: (412) 235-7275

Sources.

1. Section 5524 – Title 42 – JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE (state.pa.us)
2. https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/42/00.085.053.000..HTM
3. https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/42/00.071.002.000..HTM