While it would be wonderful if every driver who ever caused an accident stuck around and claimed responsibility, this just doesn’t always happen. There are various reasons drivers leave the scene of an accident. Usually it has to do with some fear. In some cases, it may be that the driver has no insurance and is afraid of the costs they will face if they are held responsible. Or, the driver might be afraid of facing criminal charges.
Hit-and-run accidents are particularly unfortunate when the victim dies, as the family doesn’t even have the initial satisfaction of knowing who caused the accident. Late last month, a 20-year-old Glenwood Springs man died in a hit and run accident on Interstate 70 after stepping out of his vehicle. He had apparently gone off the road and struck a guardrail prior to exiting his vehicle. As of earlier this month, authorities had not been able to locate the driver responsible for the accident.
Authorities investigating the accident say that it is possible that the driver who caused the crash was not aware they struck a person. Even if they weren’t aware at the time, though, the damage to the vehicle would normally prompt such a person to contact authorities. Typically, authorities are able to find drivers who are responsible for such accidents, but not always. For accident victims and their families, locating these persons and holding them responsible is critical for seeking compensation.
Normally, car accident victims and their families have the ability to sue for economic and non-economic damages, but an additional category of damages may be available in hit-and-run cases. In our next post, we’ll take a look at this category of damages and why it is important to work with an experienced attorney when seeking out such damages.
