If you were involved in a car accident, the last thing you want to do is worry about all of the legalities that come with it. You might be asking yourself what your rights were when there was no license plate on the other vehicle or if they fled the scene of an accident. Suppose this sounds like you; read on for some helpful tips to help drivers involved with a non-licensed vehicle accident.
- Know Your Rights
It can be traumatizing to get involved in an accident. If you are hit by a non-licensed vehicle, do not let this disrupt you from the following procedure. Keep calm and contact the police and your insurance company to document the accident and gather information about how it occurred. This will help in determining who was at fault.
- Document the Accident
Even though there may not be driver or license plates on the other vehicle, you can still document what you see. If possible, write down the make and model of the car, color of it, how full/empty their gas tank was (if possible), temporary tags on the windows if they had any if their license plate was dirty or newly painted (indicating they may be trying to cover something up), the driver’s age and gender, estimated height and weight of the driver, passenger/s in the car (if there were any), eye color (this may not be necessary for further investigation but could be helpful later on if you want to help confirm who the driver is), and what you were doing at the time of impact. If possible, get pictures of any damage to your car, including under the hood and on the trunk where license plates are generally located.
- Collect Witness Information
Witnesses can provide valuable insight into what happened. If someone knows who the driver was, ask them to write down their name, phone number or email address, physical description (height, weight), eye color, hair color, and length. It may not be possible to find who the driver is at this time, but it could help later on if the owner of the car is located.
- Gather Surveillance Footage From Nearby Businesses
If there are any nearby businesses where you can see the crash happen, ask to get surveillance footage or talk to staff about what they have. If you do not find anyone at the business who is willing to assist, call their local law enforcement station and report it to be documented.
- Contact a Non-licensed vehicle lawsuit attorney for Advice
If you are the driver of a car that a non-licensed or uninsured motorist has hit, you have the right not to be held liable for the accident. If the at-fault driver does not have insurance and cannot pay their damages, your insurance company should help take care of any injuries sustained from the accident.
Conclusion
If you are involved in a hit-and-run accident, make sure to follow these steps to help get justice. If the person is found guilty of their actions, they could be charged for your damages, including medical bills, car repairs, or even pain & suffering. Keep calm after an accident and let the police know what happened to get compensated for your damages.
