Someone gets hit, the other car speeds off, and the first thing most people want to know is pretty simple. Who’s going to pay for this?
It’s a fair thing to wonder. Leaving the scene is against the law in Florida when someone is hurt, and the driver can face serious criminal charges for it. That doesn’t do much for the person sitting in an ER waiting room, though. Plenty of these drivers never get caught.
So the money usually comes from the injured person’s own policy, at least at first. Florida’s personal injury protection (PIP) generally pays no matter who caused the crash. People walking or riding a bike are sometimes surprised to hear they may still be covered under the PIP on a car policy in their household.
Uninsured motorist coverage is often the bigger piece. When the driver can’t be identified, a Florida policy will usually treat them like an uninsured driver. If the injured person or a relative they live with has UM, it may help pay for medical care beyond PIP, lost income, and pain and suffering. It depends on the policy, of course.
Little things help later on. The color of the car, part of a plate, a dent, which way it went. It’s worth writing those down while they’re fresh and keeping the police report number somewhere safe. Nearby houses and shops might have cameras too, and that footage tends to get erased within a few days, so asking soon matters. Insurers also want to hear about the crash promptly.
And if police do find the driver down the road, a claim against that driver’s insurance may open up as well.
Bonardi & Uzdavinis, a Tampa law firm, offers free consultations for people hurt in a hit-and-run at (813) 540-2019. Every case is different.
*This article is general information, not legal advice.*
