If you have been injured as a pedestrian in a traffic crash, your injuries may be significant. If the driver who hit you left the scene, how will you recover for your damages? Who will pay your medical bills? How are you supposed to pay your bills if you cannot go back to work while you are recuperating? A pedestrian hit and run accident might make you feel like you have nowhere to turn, but that is not true.

Below, we discuss a few options you have to recover compensation after a pedestrian hit and run.

What are my options for getting compensation for my damages? 

If officers never find the hit and run driver, then you are out of luck and have no options, right? Wrong.

Depending on your situation, you might have several options. You might be able to turn to your auto or health insurance to pay some or all of your damages.

Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage

The first option that will help you with your medical bills and lost wages is personal injury protection (PIP) from your own automobile insurance policy. Because Florida is a no-fault state, if you have a car, you must have at least $10,000 in PIP coverage.

This means that, if you have auto insurance, you will have at least $10,000 in coverage.

Note: To be eligible to recover PIP benefits, you need to visit a doctor within 14 days of your accident.

A Relative’s PIP Coverage

If you do not have car insurance but you live with a relative who does, you can use his/her PIP coverage to pay for your medical bills and lost wages.

Your Medical Payments Coverage

You can also use your medical payments (MedPay) coverage to pay your medical bills. MedPay is optional coverage so you need to read your policy to determine whether you have it.

Your Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage 

Your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage will help with your medical bills and lost wages if a driver hits you and then flees the scene. UM coverage applies to hit and runs because your insurance company simply considers the hit and run driver uninsured.

Note: Make sure you have a police report that shows a driver hit you and fled the scene. Most insurers require proof.

Your Health Insurance 

Your health insurance policy might provide help with some of your medical bills from your hit and run pedestrian accident. Some health insurance policies specifically exclude automobile accidents from coverage, so check your policy before depending on your health insurance to cover your bills.

In many cases, your health insurance company will require you exhaust all other options before turning to your health insurance.

Where can I get help? 

While you would think that your own insurance company should be looking out for your best interests, that is rarely the case. An insurance adjuster might try to lowball your settlement or trick you into admitting you are not injured.

We will not let that happen. Contact Montero Law Center today to get help recovering the compensation you need.

Call 954-767-6500 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.