What’s so frustrating about a hit-and-run accident for an injured pedestrian is that there is no one willing to take responsibility for their injuries.
After all, the pedestrian will likely suffer serious injuries just because of the weight difference between a car and a person. Moreover, cars which strike pedestrians often do so at high speeds.
Medical bills and other out-of-pocket costs can easily run into the millions. This is to say nothing of the non-economic losses, like pain and suffering, that a victim may experience over a lifetime.
Hit-and-runs often go unsolved
If Seattle is anything like other West Coast cities, most hit-and-run accidents sadly go unresolved.
Police may well do their best to track down a negligent driver who struck a pedestrian and then took off, but despite these efforts, motorists get away with this illegal behavior for a number of reasons.
Underinsured motorist coverage may be available for victims
Thankfully, many if not most motorists in the state carry what Washington law calls underinsured motorist coverage. The law requires drivers to have this coverage unless they sign a waiver of it.
With underinsured motorist coverage, a victim who otherwise would be out of luck after a hit-and-run can seek compensation from her own insurance company.
Basically, for someone willing to pay for this coverage, a driver’s insurance company will serve as the fall back for a victim of a hit-and-run driver or, for that matter, any other motorist who doesn’t have the ability to pay compensation.
Underinsured motorist coverage can be the lifeline a victim after he suffers an injury at the hands of a hit-and-run driver. However, it is not always easy to convince one’s insurance company to pay these claims.