Philadelphia Hit and Run Accident Attorney

In the moments after a hit and run, most people are left with more questions than answers. You may not have a license plate or any idea who caused your injuries, and the police investigation may never lead to an arrest. Without the driver, it can seem like no one will be held responsible for the medical bills and missed work that follow.

That isn’t always the case. At Kalikhman & Rayz, our Philadelphia hit and run lawyers treat the first days after a crash as the most important. We move quickly to track down footage and witnesses while they’re still available, and we’re prepared to push back when an insurance company questions whether the accident happened at all. When you’re ready to look at your options, our Philadelphia car accident attorneys are here to help. Call now for a free case review.

When the Driver Who Hit You Is Never Found

Not every hit and run driver is identified, and in Philadelphia, many aren’t. Since 2019, 230 people have been killed in hit and run crashes in the city, and police made arrests in 44 of those cases, according to NBC10. Police told the station that the hardest part is often proving who was driving, not finding the vehicle. Most of these crashes also happen at night, according to an analysis published in The Conversation, which can make witnesses and clear footage harder to come by.

An arrest isn’t needed to pursue compensation. Pennsylvania’s insurance system gives many hit and run victims a path to recovery through their own coverage, even when the driver is never identified. Our Philadelphia hit and run accident attorneys help clients pursue that path while the police investigation continues, so the search for the driver doesn’t put their recovery on hold.

How Uninsured Motorist Coverage Works After a Hit and Run

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is part of your auto policy, and it’s designed for crashes caused by drivers with no insurance. A hit and run often falls into that category. For many of our clients, UM coverage is the primary source of recovery, and our Philadelphia hit and run accident attorneys work early in a case to make sure it’s protected.

Under Pennsylvania law, a vehicle that causes an injury crash and can’t be identified may qualify as uninsured. That may allow you to file a UM claim with your own insurer for losses beyond what your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays. Insurers must offer UM coverage, and many policies include it unless the policyholder rejected it in writing.

Reporting Deadlines Can Affect Your Claim

These claims come with conditions. You generally must report the accident to police and notify your insurer within 30 days or as soon as practicable afterward. Insurers have denied claims when those steps weren’t taken in time. When a client comes to us after a hit and run, we confirm the right notices have been sent so a technicality doesn’t undermine the claim.

If a driver left you injured and without answers, contact Kalikhman & Rayz to schedule a free consultation.

How We Fill the Gaps a Fleeing Driver Leaves Behind

When a driver flees, they take with them much of the information a claim would normally be built on. There’s no exchange of insurance, no statement from the other driver, and often no clear account of what happened. At Kalikhman & Rayz, we see our job as filling those gaps, and our Philadelphia hit and run accident attorneys approach that work with urgency from the first conversation.

• Evidence gets our attention on day one. Surveillance cameras on homes and businesses, dash cam footage from other drivers, traffic camera footage, and similar recordings are often overwritten within days or weeks. We reach out early to find and preserve what may still exist.
• Witnesses are worth tracking down. Someone who saw the crash or stopped to help afterward can fill in details you may not remember. We work to identify those people and build a clear timeline of what happened.
• Adjusters hear from us, not you. Even when you’re filing with your own insurer, the company is evaluating how much to pay. We handle those conversations so your claim is presented accurately and your words aren’t taken out of context.
• Doubts about your accident don’t go unanswered. Insurers sometimes suggest there was no other vehicle involved or that your injuries came from something else, often without much to back it up. We answer those positions with evidence.
• Your injuries are shown in full. We work with your medical providers and, when appropriate, outside experts to explain how your injuries affect your health, work, and daily life.

Behind that work is a firm that has spent more than two decades standing up to insurance companies for injured Pennsylvanians. Our attorneys bring more than 100 years of combined experience, and we’ve helped clients recover tens of millions of dollars. We prepare a claim involving a minor injury the same way we prepare one involving a life-changing injury, because the person who was hurt deserves nothing less.

What Your Recovery May Include After a Hit and Run

After a hit and run, compensation usually comes together in layers rather than from a single source. The first layer is your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, which pays medical bills regardless of who caused the crash. Pennsylvania requires auto policies to include at least $5,000 in medical benefits, and many drivers carry more. That minimum can be used up quickly after an emergency room visit and follow-up care. PIP also doesn’t cover lost wages unless you purchased optional income loss coverage.

Uninsured motorist coverage often shapes the rest of a claim. It may help cover medical expenses beyond your PIP limits, income you lost while recovering, and the pain and emotional toll of an injury, up to your policy limits. Our Philadelphia hit and run accident attorneys review every policy that may apply, including those held by members of your household, because it’s easy to overlook coverage you didn’t know you had.

The Driver Didn’t Stop. Neither Will We.

A hit and run can leave you feeling like the person responsible got away with it, and like the work of sorting everything out has fallen entirely on you. It shouldn’t. At Kalikhman & Rayz, our Philadelphia hit and run accident attorneys take on that work by digging into how the crash happened and bringing in experts when your injuries need a clearer explanation. We’ll keep you informed and answer your questions as your claim moves forward.

We don’t cut corners or back away from a claim because the driver was never found. Since 2005, we’ve brought the same persistence and personal attention to every client, whether a case resolves through negotiation or needs to go further. Our live answering service is available 24/7. Contact Kalikhman & Rayz to schedule a free consultation.