Richmond Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyers

Car accidents happen all of the time in the Richmond Metro area, and most people stay at the scene to exchange information as they are supposed to. But sometimes, people will strike your car – causing serious injuries and damage – and then keep going! In 2022, over 4,500 crashes involved Hit and Run drivers all over the Commonwealth, according to the DMV!

If you have been hurt in a hit-and-run car accident anywhere in Virginia, just because the other driver fled the scene does not mean you don’t have a case! You still have the right to pursue compensation, even if you don’t have any of that driver’s information. At Blaszkow Legal, we are one of the most experienced hit and run law firms in the state, and we are ready, willing, and able to investigate your case, and make your claim. Our team of attorneys, paralegals, and investigators are going to do their best to locate the at-fault driver, and to make your claim as strong as we can. Contact Blaszkow Legal today for a free consultation!

Richmond Office:
7824 Shrader Road, Richmond, Va. 23294
804-273-8929

Hit and Run Law

In Virginia, it is illegal to leave the scene of the accident after a crash. This is not just a traffic violation, but it is a crime.

Virginia Code 46.2-894 places a duty on someone involved in an accident to stop, immediately. If there are no injuries and the property damage is less than $1,000, then this is a Class I misdemeanor. If there are injuries, or property damage exceeds $1,000, then such a hit and run is a felony!

Why Do People Flee from Richmond Car Accidents?

A lot of the people who try to leave the scene of an accident are often located by police officers and sheriff’s deputies. One of the most common reasons that a person will flee the scene of the accident is because that person knows that they don’t have any car insurance.

There are a number of reasons why drivers will leave the scene of an accident. Some of the more common include:

• No driver’s license
• Outstanding arrest warrants
• Unclear immigration status
• Under the influence of alcohol, or other drugs/narcotics
• The vehicle was stolen
• The at-fault driver thought he could get away with it
• Some larger vehicles may not even realize that they were in an accident!

How to Pursue a Hit and Run Insurance Claim

If you have been involved in a hit and run accident, you still have the ability to recover your damages. Under normal circumstances, such as in a standard car accident, your claim is made against the other person’s car insurance. However, when the outfall driver cannot be identified, or does not have insurance, your case becomes an uninsured motorist claim.

Uninsured motorist coverage is part of your own car insurance. So it comes from the very car insurance that you pay, but an uninsured motorist claim does not make your own car insurance rates increase. You carry this coverage for a reason: because the legislature recognizes how regrettably common hit and run crashes are. While your bodily injury protection coverage protects someone else if you are at fault for the accident, your uninsured motorist coverage protects you in these circumstances.

Uninsured motorist Claims can be very difficult however, because we are now battling your insurance company. It is extremely important after a hit and run accident that you limit what you say to your own car insurance company until you speak to an attorney. The very people that you are calling to help you, may turn around and use your own words against you!

In a standard hit and run accident, the insurance coverage available is going to be based on your own car insurance. In Virginia, the current minimum uninsured motorist coverage on a standard car insurance policy is $30,000 per person, $60,000 per incident – this is usually said “30/60.”

What if the Other Driver is Identified, and Does Not Have Insurance?

Even if the other driver has been identified, your claim will still be pursued as an uninsured motorist claim, if that driver has no insurance coverage.

Some clients are adamant that they want to proceed against the at-fault driver, only. While it is possible to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party without pursuing your own uninsured motorist benefits, it is rarely – if ever! – advisable. Most people do not have the financial assets justify such a pursuit.

What You Should Do After a Richmond Hit and Run Accident

After being involved in a car accident, if the other driver flees the scene, it is important for you to protect yourself, and to preserve your claims in the future. These steps can help responding law enforcement personnel to locate the other driver, and also preserve your rights for your civil claim later on.

1. Get as much information as you can! If you are able to, write down as much information as you can remember about the driver/car that fled the scene. The vehicle’s license plate number is the most important, even if you can only get a partial license plate. Always try to remember the state if you can, and sometimes the color of the license plate will help, as that varies from state to state. You also want to get the make, model, color, and description of the car. If you can’t write these things down, then open up a text message or notepad and voice dictate this information. Your memory may fade over time, and you may forget things as your pain increases. It’s important to record as soon as possible.
2. Take pictures and video, if possible. If you are able to snap a picture of the fleeing car, this can be incredibly important. If you have a dash camera, this is also vital to preserve.
3. Call the police! Do not wait to report a hit and run accident, call the police immediately. The sooner you notify them, and the sooner you get that information to law enforcement, the quicker they can broadcast it on their radios, and the more likelihood there is that they can locate and apprehend the fleeing driver.
4. Document witnesses. Witnesses are extremely important in any car accident. These people may simply be other drivers who stopped to help you, or other people in your car. Never trust that someone else is going to write this information down for you. If you are an Uber driver, Uber and Lyft will never give you this information! Always get a witness’ name, address, phone number, and email address.
5. Get medical treatment. It is vital that you see a competent medical doctor as soon as possible and get evaluated to see what injuries you have. If you are injured, a medical doctor is going to be able to treat you. Don’t wait! The longer you wait to see a physician, the more ammunition you give an insurance company to fight against you, arguing that your medical treatment is not related to your accident.
6. Report the crash to your insurance. You have to call them as soon as possible to get your vehicle towed and repaired, and get a rental vehicle assigned. Keep your statements very brief and very short. Do not volunteer additional information! Do not agree to a recorded statement or any settlement! Never give them too much information until you are represented by an attorney. Read this article for more information about speaking to your insurance.
7. Contact Blaszkow Legal. Call our Richmond office at 804-273-8929 so that we can make sure that your rights are protected. An experienced car accident lawyer is going to protect you, even from your own car insurance company.

How Does a Richmond Hit and Run Car Accident Lawyer Protect Me?

Many people believe that because a hit-and-run crash is going to be handled their own car insurance company that they are completely protected and going to be taken care of. Unfortunately, that is not the case! There are several reasons for this.

Firstly, uninsured motorist coverage is an adversarial process. This means that the people that you are speaking to are going to be using every piece of information that they can obtain to attack your claim. Remember that an insurance company works for its stockholders, not for you. They don’t stay in business by giving you full value for your claim!

Secondly, anything you say can and will be used against you, including by your own car insurance company! Insurance adjusters are very good at their jobs, and they are very, very well trained to lull people into a false sense of security and safety. In this state, people will often say things that the insurance companies will use against you, often by taking recorded statements.

Thirdly, Virginia is a contributory negligence jurisdiction. That means if the insurance company, including your own car insurance, can prove that you were even 1% responsible for the accident, you cannot recover. This is the law in the Commonwealth. So if you say something that gives them the ability to argue that you were a little bit at fault for the accident, you can endanger your own case.

It is the job of an attorney to protect you, even from yourself! That is why we do not let you speak to people about your accident, without legal guidance. The insurance companies have no duty to tell you what the law is, or to tell you what you can claim. Oftentimes, people who attempt to handle their own cases, do not get the fair value for their claims.

What Can I Claim After a Richmond Hit and Run Accident?

The damages that you can claim after a hit and run accident are the same damages that are a claimable after any car accident in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Your damages include two special categories: economic damages, and non economic damages. Economic damages are those that can be clearly documented and identified, such as medical bills. Non economic damages are a little more gray, in that they cannot be narrowly and easily defined. For example, pain and suffering is not worth X, in every accident. It has to be proven through testimony and evidence.

The damages that you can claim after a car accident include:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Emotional distress
• Post-traumatic anxiety
• Impairment in activities of daily living
• Permanent injuries
• Scarring
• Disfigurement
• Medical expenses
• Time lost from work
• Future medical expenses
• Lost earning capacity
• Diminished value

Contact an Experienced Hit and Run Car Accident Lawyer Today

Whether you were driving a car, were passenger in a car, or even a pedestrian or bicyclist who was hit, don’t let the fact that someone fled the scene of the accident stop you from enforcing your rights, and protecting your interests. The experienced hit-and-run lawyers at Blaszkow Legal will help you explore all of your options, and fight for your damages. You are entitled to compensation if you were not at fault, and you deserve someone ready, willing, and able to fight the insurance companies every step of the way to get you the compensation that you are due.

We work on a contingency fee basis, which means that we don’t get paid unless you collect money. It is our job to do everything we can to document and build your damages, so that you can be made whole after this crash. Don’t let the insurance companies take advantage of you. Get Justice with Joe Blaszkow, and call 804-762-0190 for a free consultation today!

Hit and Run Accident Statistics in Richmond

Hit-and-run crashes are not rare. The AAA Foundation found that 15 percent of all police-reported crashes in 2023 involved a driver who left the scene, the highest share ever recorded, tied to about 2,900 deaths nationwide. The people who pay the steepest price are on foot or on a bike. More than 70 percent of those killed in a hit-and-run were pedestrians or cyclists, and federal data shows how little protection they have when a vehicle strikes them. Richmond, VA sees the same pattern on its busiest roads. When the at-fault driver disappears, our Richmond hit-and-run accident attorney can help you find another path to recovery.

Mistakes That Can Damage Your Hit-and-Run Claim

The strength of a hit-and-run claim is often decided in the first days after the crash. Virginia’s insurance rules leave little margin, and a small misstep gives the adjuster a reason to pay less. Here are the errors our Richmond hit-and-run accident lawyers see the most:

• Waiting to report the crash. Every hour that passes makes the record thinner and the driver harder to trace. Call the police from the scene if you can, and give them every detail you remember about the vehicle. Getting the report afterward is far simpler when the officer documented everything on the spot, and that report often becomes the backbone of the claim.
• Assuming you have no case. People watch the other car speed off and figure that is the end of it. It usually is not. Your own uninsured motorist coverage is built for exactly this situation, and it can pay for your injuries when the driver is never identified. Most Virginia policies include it.
• Putting off medical care. Adrenaline masks injuries, and some symptoms take days to surface. A gap between the crash and your first visit hands the insurer an easy argument that you were not badly hurt. See a doctor promptly, and keep every record and referral.
• Talking too freely with insurers. An early call from an adjuster is not a courtesy. Recorded answers get parsed and used to shrink what you are owed, and a friendly question is often designed to pin you to a version of events. Say little until you understand your rights.
• Posting about it online. A photo, a check-in, or an offhand comment can be pulled into the file and turned against you. An adjuster who sees you smiling at a barbecue will use it. Keep the crash off social media while the claim is open.
• Letting evidence disappear. Save the damaged property, the torn clothing, and every photo from the scene. Dashcam footage is incredibly useful in these cases, because it can catch a license plate as the driver flees. The same goes for nearby doorbell and business cameras, which get recorded over within days.
• Underestimating the claim. Diminished value, future treatment, and lost income are easy to miss when you are focused on the immediate bills. If your car lost resale value after the repairs, a diminished value claim may belong in the mix alongside your injury demand.
• Waiting too long to act. Evidence fades, footage gets erased, and witnesses become hard to track down. Virginia also sets a firm filing deadline for injury lawsuits, and letting it pass almost always ends the case, no matter how clear the fault was.

Richmond Hit-and-Run Lawyer FAQs

How much does a Richmond hit-and-run lawyer cost?

We take these cases on contingency. There is no retainer and no hourly bill, and we are paid only if we recover money for you. The first consultation is free, so you can lay out what happened and hear where you stand before spending a dime. If we do not obtain a recovery, you owe us no fee. That structure lets injured people get real help without stacking a financial risk on top of a bad crash.

How long do I have to file a hit-and-run claim in Virginia?

Most injury lawsuits in Virginia must be filed within two years of the crash, under the state’s statute of limitations. Miss that window and the court will usually dismiss the case, no matter how strong it was. Insurance claims carry their own, shorter notice requirements that can arrive much sooner. The safest move is to start early, while evidence is fresh and deadlines are still far away, which is why it’s important to talk with our Richmond hit-and-run accident lawyer as soon as possible.

What if the driver who hit me is never found?

You may still have a claim. When the driver flees and cannot be traced, your uninsured motorist coverage generally stands in for the phantom driver and pays for your injuries. Plenty of Virginia drivers do not realize they carry it. Being hit by someone who took off does not mean your options are gone, and we regularly help clients who assumed the opposite.

Will a hit-and-run claim raise my insurance rates?

A hit and run is not your fault, and a proper uninsured motorist claim reflects that. Even so, people worry about it, and the honest answer is more nuanced than a flat yes or no. It can depend on your carrier and your policy terms. We walk clients through how a claim might affect their premiums before they decide on anything, so nothing catches them off guard later.

Are drunk drivers more likely to leave the scene?

Often, yes. A driver who has been drinking has a powerful reason to run, since staying means facing an officer. That overlap makes some hit-and-run wrecks also a drunk driving crash, which changes how we investigate and who we pursue. We look for surveillance video, witnesses, and physical evidence that can put a name to the driver after the fact.

What if a rideshare driver caused the crash?

It happens, and it can make the case more difficult. When an Uber or Lyft driver is at fault, a rideshare crash can pull in the driver’s personal policy and the company’s insurance, depending on what the app showed at the moment of impact. If that driver also fled, the analysis shifts again. Our Richmond hit and run accident lawyers can sort out which policies apply so nothing is left on the table.

What is my hit-and-run case worth?

There is no flat figure. Value turns on the severity of your injuries, your medical costs, your lost income, and how the crash reshaped your daily life. A minor fender bender looks nothing like a case involving catastrophic injuries. We build the number from documents and treatment records, not guesses, and we do not accept less than the claim is actually worth.

Local Information for Richmond Hit-and-Run Cases

Hit-and-run crashes tend to cluster where traffic is heaviest, and a driver feels they can slip away unseen. Knowing the local landscape helps, whether you are trying to stay safe behind the wheel or piece together what happened after a crash.

Most Dangerous Locations for Hit and Run Accidents in Richmond

A few Richmond corridors carry more risk than others because of their volume, their speed, and the mix of vehicles and people on foot.

• West Broad Street. One of the city’s busiest commercial routes, with constant turns and heavy foot traffic.
• Chamberlayne Avenue. A wide, fast north-south artery where speeds climb, and crossings run long.
• Midlothian Turnpike. Dense retail traffic and frequent lane changes on the south side.
• Jefferson Davis Highway (Route 1). A long commercial stretch with driveways, turns, and uneven lighting.
• The I-95 corridor. High speeds and heavy merging through the heart of the city.

What Are Important Local Resources for Richmond Hit-and-Run Cases?

If a driver hurt you and fled in Richmond, a few local offices can help you report the crash, get treatment, and obtain the records your claim will need.

• Richmond Police Department: (804) 646-5100, for reporting the crash and filing a police report.
• VCU Medical Center: (804) 628-0400, the region’s Level I trauma center for serious injuries.
• Virginia DMV: (804) 497-7100, to request a copy of your crash report.

We share these resources for convenience only. We are not affiliated with any of them, and listing them here is not an endorsement by our firm.

About Blaszkow Legal, PLLC

Our founder, Joseph Blaszkow, has handled Virginia injury claims for 43 years and is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. He was the first attorney in Virginia to win a punitive damages award against a drunk driver. Over the years, our Richmond hit-and-run accident lawyers have helped injured clients recover millions of dollars, and we bring the same effort to every hit-and-run case we take in Richmond.

What Our Clients Say

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“After my accident back in August, a friend of mine recommended Blaszkow Legal to handle my case. From beginning to end they have been totally helpful and completely forthcoming with the progress made as the case progressed and the resulting of the case were honestly more than I expected. They did their job very well and were an incredible asset to have in my personal injury legal battle. I could not recommend them highly enough!”

• Sydney Frazier

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Contact Blaszkow Legal, PLLC

If a driver hit you and drove off, you do not have to sort it out alone. We handle Richmond hit-and-run claims on contingency, so there is no fee unless we win. Contact us to set up a free consultation with our Richmond hit-and-run accident lawyer, and we will listen to what happened, explain how uninsured motorist coverage may apply to your situation, and lay out the next steps. We answer new messages quickly and give straight answers about your options.

Get Justice with Joe!

Call Blaszkow Legal today for a free consultation!

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