Hit and Run Accident Lawyer in Lawrenceville

In the bustling Atlanta suburb of Lawrenceville, Georgia, a hit-and-run accident can forever change your life in an instant. You may be left with extremely severe injuries and mounting accident-related bills. 

How can you recover your losses and find justice if a driver hits you and doesn’t even remain on the scene? Tracking down a hit-and-run driver and proving your insurance claim can be challenging. Insurance companies will attempt to find every way to poke holes in your claim and even dismiss it.

You deserve justice for the trauma you’ve endured, and a hit-and-run accident lawyer in Lawrenceville can help. An attorney with The Scott Pryor Law Group can advise you on the merits of your claim, use vast resources to help prove your legal case, battle insurance giants on your behalf, and support you on the road to recovery.

• What you should know about Georgia hit-and-run accidents
  • Georgia hit-and-run accident laws
• Steps to take after a hit-and-run accident in Lawrenceville
  • Safely Pull Over and Call 911
  • File a Police Report
  • Gather Evidence
  • Seek Immediate Medical Attention
  • File an Insurance Claim
  • Contact a Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer in Lawrenceville
• What to do if a hit-and-run driver can’t be found
• Why you need a hit-and-run accident lawyer in Lawrenceville
• Compensation in a hit-and-run accident case
  • Economic Damages
  • Non-Economic Damages
  • Punitive Damages
• How The Scott Pryor Law Group can help
• Hit-and-Run Accident FAQs
  • What’s the time limit to file a hit and run accident claim in Georgia?
  • Will my insurance company cover my losses after a hit-and-run accident?
  • Can I post about my hit and run accident on social media?

What you should know about Georgia hit-and-run accidents

Hit-and-run accidents are more frequent in Georgia than most U.S. states. The sprawling greater Atlanta area experiences high vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic, and from 2012-2021, hit-and-run fatalities increased by a staggering 113%.

Law enforcement tracks down the majority of hit-and-run drivers, and many hit-and-run accidents in Georgia result in personal injury claims. Here are some important facts you should know about hit-and-run accidents:

• The Georgia Highway Safety Improvement Program (GHSIP) was created to curb the number of annual car collisions
• 4.6% of fatal car accidents in Georgia are the result of a hit-and-run
• Many hit-and-run accidents result in significant injury
• Most car crashes in Georgia occur in Fulton, Dekalb, and Cobb Counties
• 60% of hit-and-run victim fatalities are pedestrians and bicyclists
• In 2023, almost 750,000 people were injured in Georgia car accidents

Georgia hit-and-run accident laws

A hit-and-run driver in Georgia will be charged with either a misdemeanor or a felony. This means that your civil case can only proceed once the driver’s criminal case has been resolved. However, if the driver is convicted of criminal charges, this conviction could strengthen your personal injury claim.          

Per state code § 40-6-270, Georgia laws on hit-and-run accidents include:

• A driver who flees the scene of a hit-and-run will be charged with a crime.
• If a hit and run results in severe injury or death, the driver will be charged with a felony and will serve no less than 1-5 years in prison.
• A first offense misdemeanor hit and run will result in a fine of $300-$1000, and probation and/or prison of up to one year.
• A hit-and-run driver must provide you with their contact information, insurance information, and driver’s license number.
• A driver who causes over $500 in property damage, severe injury, or death and does not wait until law enforcement arrives on the scene of an accident is considered to have left the scene of the accident, which will result in misdemeanor or felony charges.    

Steps to take after a hit-and-run accident in Lawrenceville

After a hit-and-run accident in Lawrenceville, it’s important that you take steps to assess your injuries and to protect any personal injury claim you might file. A hit-and-run lawyer in Lawrenceville can advise you through each step.

Here are the most vital general steps you can take after your collision to ensure that if a hit-and-run driver is caught, you aren’t left on the hook for your mounting expenses.

Safely Pull Over and Call 911

If your vehicle is still operable and your injuries won’t prevent you from doing so, safely move out of the way of oncoming traffic and pull over to the right shoulder of the road. Try to memorize any details that you can about the vehicle that hit you. Call 911 and wait for first responders to arrive.

Do not chase the driver — your safety and your future legal claim could be in jeopardy if you do so.

File a Police Report

The law enforcement officers who respond to your hit-and-run accident will make an initial assessment of how your collision occurred. They will then gather any eyewitness statements, take your statement and contact information, and file your police report. 

It’s important to remember that you should not admit any amount of fault or apologize for your accident as this can be used to poke holes in your case by insurance lawyers.

This report is the foundation of your future personal injury case, and any details provided by witnesses to your crash may help to locate the hit-and-run driver. 

Gather Evidence

Keep any bloody clothing and damaged property from inside of your car. If it’s possible to do so, take photo and video evidence of the scene of your accident. Ensure you have contact information for any witnesses to your collision.

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Official documentation of any medical diagnosis and treatment is imperative to a personal injury lawsuit you file after your hit-and-run accident. Even if you feel your injuries are minor, medical attention is still vital as more significant injuries may be masked in the initial shock and trauma of your crash.

File an Insurance Claim

Even if the driver from your hit-and-run cannot be located, it’s important to start the claims process with your insurance company as soon as possible. Once the driver is found, your insurance company will handle reaching out to the at-fault driver’s insurer.

Contact a Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer in Lawrenceville

The Scott Pryor Law Group can advise you even before your insurance claim is complete. Insurance giants may try to find a way to invalidate your claim, or offer you a low, lump sum settlement. Once you’ve agreed to a settlement offer, you no longer have a legal path to compensation.

A hit-and-run accident lawyer in Lawrenceville can help you discern your next legal steps, negotiate on your behalf, and determine what compensatory damages you should include in your claim.  

What to do if a hit-and-run driver can’t be found

If your hit-and-run driver cannot be located, you can still file a claim with your insurance company. Uninsured motorist coverage can help to cover your measurable and immeasurable losses, and if the driver is located, you can file a personal injury lawsuit.

Your filed police report, gathered evidence, and eyewitness testimony are essential to strengthening your case and important for any legal steps you choose to take to recover financial compensation. 

Why you need a hit-and-run accident lawyer in Lawrenceville

A personal injury lawyer in Lawrenceville has access to vast resources and legal knowledge that can be challenging to find on your own. Similarly, this type of personal injury case might involve complexities that are tough for you to use to your advantage without legal help.

The Scott Pryor Law Group will work diligently on your behalf to locate your hit-and-run driver, find forensic experts to testify on your behalf, record eyewitness testimony, and help you navigate the legal process. 

Compensation in a hit-and-run accident case

Even if the hit-and-run driver cannot be found after your accident, a personal injury lawyer with The Scott Pryor Law Group can help you to seek the just compensation you deserve. Legally, compensation in a hit-and-run accident case is signified by categories known as damages. 

Damages allow you to claim specific measurable and immeasurable losses in a lawsuit and are categorized as Economic, Non-Economic, and Punitive. Here’s a breakdown of the types of compensatory damages you might seek in a hit-and-run case.

Economic Damages

Economic damages cover your losses with a set monetary value. For example, any accident-related bills you’ve incurred can be claimed under economic damages. Examples of economic damages include:

• Lost Wages: Unpaid time off of work, lost vacation and sick time, missed a bonus, or lost tips as a result of your hit-and-run accident.
• Medical Expenses: All doctor’s appointments, emergency room visits, prescriptions, surgeries, treatments, and other accident-related medical costs.
• Property Repair and Replacement Costs: Repairs or replacement of your vehicle or other valuable personal property damaged in your hit-and-run accident.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages signify the immeasurable losses you’ve suffered as a result of your accident. For example, pain and suffering can be claimed under non-economic damages. Financial compensation cannot make up for these losses. However, it may help to alleviate your burdens and allow you to focus on your recovery.

Examples of non-economic damages include:

• Catastrophic Injury
• Chronic Pain
• Disfigurement
• Emotional Trauma
• Loss of Consortium (the loss of intimacy and companionship)
• Loss of Limb
• Mental Anguish
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Wrongful Death

Punitive Damages

A hit-and-run accident lawyer from The Scott Pryor Law Group may work to prove that the driver in your case exhibited gross negligence and may advise you to seek punitive damages. However, punitive damages are rarely sought in a general personal injury case.

These damages are considered punishment for a grossly negligent defendant and are meant to deter others from displaying the same behavior. In Georgia, punitive damages are also known as “vindictive damages” as they are often additional compensation tacked onto a monetary award and determined by a judge or jury.

For example, a hit-and-run driver breaches the universal duty of care by fleeing the scene of an accident and may be found liable for punitive damages.

75% of a punitive damages award is automatically allocated to the Georgia state treasury and 25% is awarded to the plaintiff.

How The Scott Pryor Law Group can help

At The Scott Pryor Law Group, we care about your unique experience and the trauma you’ve suffered. We will tirelessly fight for justice on your behalf, battle insurance companies that are reluctant to pay you what you’re owed, and help your voice to be heard.  

A hit-and-run accident lawyer in Lawrenceville will support you through every step of the legal process so that you can focus on your recovery and resuming life activities.

A successful verdict is never guaranteed, but we won’t give up the fight until your case reaches the best possible conclusion. We’ve won 7-figure settlements, built lasting relationships with satisfied clients, and we maintain a 90% case success rate.

You don’t have to deal with the aftermath of a hit-and-run accident alone. The first step to justice in your case is a free consultation away. 

Hit-and-Run Accident FAQs

What’s the time limit to file a hit and run accident claim in Georgia?

Georgia’s statute of limitations, § 9-3-33, mandates that you file all legal claims within two years of the date of your accident. This statute allows you the time to locate a hit-and-run driver and build your case. However, if you let this time elapse, you will not have a valid claim for compensation.

Will my insurance company cover my losses after a hit-and-run accident?

Yes, your insurance company will at least offer you coverage for the initial losses you incur after a hit-and-run accident. Typically, your uninsured motorist coverage helps to pay for medical expenses and vehicle repairs.

Can I post about my hit and run accident on social media?

Although you may be tempted to post about your accident on social media (especially to locate the hit-and-run driver), it’s important to avoid this temptation. Even posts you delete can be recovered by the insurance company’s attorneys and could be used in an attempt to weaken your case or dismiss your claim.