A hit-and-run accident can leave an injured person with two immediate questions: How will the driver be found, and who will pay if they are not?
In Troy, a fleeing driver may disappear onto I-75, turn off Big Beaver Road, or leave a busy commercial area before police arrive. Even when the other driver is never identified, however, there may still be insurance benefits or other sources of compensation available.
The steps taken immediately after the crash can also affect whether important evidence is preserved. Police reports, witness information, dashcam recordings, nearby surveillance footage, photographs, and insurance records can all become important.
If you were injured in a hit-and-run, our Troy car accident lawyers can evaluate the crash, available insurance coverage, and potential sources of compensation under Michigan law.
What Is Considered a Hit-and-Run Accident in Michigan?
Michigan law generally requires a driver involved in a crash to stop and fulfill certain legal duties after the accident.
The consequences for leaving the scene depend on the circumstances. Michigan law separately addresses accidents involving property damage, personal injury, serious impairment of a body function, and death.
A Troy hit-and-run might involve:
- A driver striking another vehicle and leaving
- A pedestrian or bicyclist being hit by a vehicle that does not stop
- A parked vehicle being struck while its owner is away
- A driver briefly stopping but leaving without providing required information
- A vehicle fleeing before police arrive
When someone is injured, reporting the crash promptly can be especially important.
What Should You Do Immediately After a Hit-and-Run in Troy?
1. Get to a Safe Location
If possible, move away from moving traffic and other immediate hazards.
Do not put yourself in danger trying to chase the fleeing vehicle.
2. Call 911 and Report the Crash
Tell the dispatcher that the other driver left the scene.
Provide as much information as you can remember, including:
- Make and model
- Vehicle color
- Full or partial license plate
- Direction of travel
- Visible vehicle damage
- Stickers, decals, commercial markings, or other distinctive features
- Description of the driver, if visible
A police report can become important evidence when making an insurance claim involving an unidentified vehicle.
3. Write Down What You Remember
Memories can become less precise quickly after a stressful collision.
Write down details about the vehicle, driver, collision, location, traffic conditions, and direction the vehicle traveled as soon as reasonably possible.
4. Look for Witnesses
Someone nearby may have seen information you missed.
Ask witnesses for their names and contact information. A witness may have noticed a license plate, vehicle description, traffic violation, or direction of travel.
5. Photograph the Scene
If it is safe to do so, photograph or record:
- Vehicle damage
- Debris
- Skid or tire marks
- The roadway
- Traffic signals and signs
- Visible injuries
- Nearby businesses
- Potential surveillance cameras
- The general location of the collision
These images can help document conditions before vehicles are moved, debris is cleared, or damage is repaired.
6. Preserve Dashcam Footage
If your vehicle has a dashcam, preserve the original recording as soon as possible.
Avoid editing the original file or continuing to use a memory card if doing so could overwrite the footage.
Our guide to preserving dashcam footage after a Michigan car accident explains additional steps that can help protect video evidence.
7. Seek Appropriate Medical Care
Some accident injuries are immediately apparent, while others may become noticeable later.
Seek medical attention appropriate to your symptoms and follow the recommendations of your healthcare providers.
Medical records can also help establish when symptoms began and how an injury progressed after the collision.
Look for Surveillance Footage Quickly
Troy contains major commercial corridors, shopping areas, office developments, restaurants, gas stations, apartment complexes, and other properties where private surveillance cameras may be present.
After a collision on or near Big Beaver Road, Rochester Road, Crooks Road, Maple Road, Long Lake Road, Livernois Road, Dequindre Road, or another busy Troy corridor, consider whether nearby properties may have captured the crash or fleeing vehicle.
Potential sources can include:
- Gas-station cameras
- Storefront surveillance
- Parking-lot cameras
- Residential security cameras
- Doorbell cameras
- Dashcams from other vehicles
The existence and retention period of footage varies considerably. That is one reason identifying potential video sources early can matter.
An attorney may be able to contact a property owner or business and request that relevant footage be preserved before it is routinely deleted or overwritten.
Who Pays for Injuries If the Hit-and-Run Driver Is Never Found?
A hit-and-run does not necessarily mean there is no insurance coverage available.
Michigan’s No-Fault system can provide certain Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits after a covered motor-vehicle accident without requiring the injured person to prove that another driver was at fault.
Depending on the applicable policy, statutory rules, and coverage selected, PIP benefits may include qualifying medical expenses, work-loss benefits, replacement services, and other allowable benefits.
Michigan law provides work-loss benefits for income an injured person would have earned during the first three years after an accident, subject to statutory limitations. Replacement-service benefits may also be available for certain ordinary and necessary services the injured person can no longer perform.
For a broader explanation of PIP and Michigan’s No-Fault system, see our Michigan No-Fault insurance lawyer resource.
What About Pain and Suffering After a Troy Hit-and-Run?
PIP benefits and a claim for pain and suffering are different.
Michigan law allows tort liability for noneconomic damages in qualifying motor-vehicle injury cases, including when an injured person suffers death, permanent serious disfigurement, or a serious impairment of body function.
A serious impairment analysis is highly fact-specific and includes consideration of how the impairment affects the person’s general ability to lead their normal life.
If the fleeing driver is eventually identified, a claim may potentially be pursued against that driver depending on fault, insurance coverage, injuries, and other circumstances.
If the driver remains unidentified, uninsured motorist coverage may become particularly important.
Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Apply to a Hit-and-Run?
It may, depending on the insurance policy.
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is generally optional coverage rather than Michigan No-Fault PIP itself. Policy language can contain specific requirements for claims involving unidentified or “phantom” vehicles.
Because policies differ, an injured person should not assume that coverage either exists or does not exist without reviewing the actual policy.
Potential issues can include:
- Whether UM coverage was purchased
- The applicable coverage limit
- Requirements for promptly reporting the hit-and-run
- Requirements concerning police reports
- Definitions involving unidentified vehicles
- Other policy conditions
This is one reason reviewing the insurance policy early can be important in a Troy hit-and-run case.
What If the Hit-and-Run Driver Is Eventually Identified?
Identifying the driver can change the available claims and insurance issues.
Evidence that may help identify a fleeing vehicle includes:
- Witness statements
- License-plate information
- Dashcam video
- Private surveillance recordings
- Photographs
- Vehicle debris
- Police investigation
- Other available electronic or physical evidence
If the driver is identified, their liability insurance status, fault for the collision, and the extent of the injuries can affect what additional claims may be available.
The criminal investigation and a civil injury claim are separate matters. An injured person does not necessarily need to wait for the criminal process to conclude before investigating insurance benefits and civil legal rights.
How Long Do You Have to File a Michigan Hit-and-Run Injury Lawsuit?
Michigan generally provides a three-year limitations period for actions seeking damages for injury to a person, although exceptions and different deadlines can apply depending on the claim.
That does not mean an injured person should wait three years.
Insurance claims—including claims for No-Fault PIP benefits and uninsured motorist benefits—can involve separate notice requirements, contractual conditions, and limitations periods.
Evidence can also disappear long before a legal deadline expires.
The safest approach is to investigate the applicable deadlines based on the specific facts and insurance policies involved.
Can the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan Help?
The Michigan Assigned Claims Plan (MACP) may provide PIP benefits in certain circumstances when an injured person is entitled to No-Fault benefits but no applicable insurer can be identified.
It is not a universal substitute for uninsured motorist coverage, and eligibility depends on the circumstances.
The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services describes the Assigned Claims Plan as a potential source of benefits in certain situations where no applicable automobile insurance policy exists.
Because priority rules and eligibility can become complicated, an attorney can determine whether the MACP is relevant to a particular hit-and-run claim.
What Evidence Can Help Prove a Troy Hit-and-Run Claim?
Even if the other driver disappears, evidence can help establish that a collision occurred and document how it happened.
Important evidence may include:
- Troy Police crash report
- Witness information
- Photographs and video
- Dashcam footage
- Surveillance recordings
- Vehicle damage
- Medical records
- Ambulance or emergency-room records
- Cellphone photographs taken at the scene
- Insurance records
- Repair estimates
- Employment records documenting lost income
The earlier this evidence is identified and preserved, the easier it may be to reconstruct what happened.
What If the Hit-and-Run Happened in a Troy Parking Lot?
Hit-and-run crashes do not occur only on public roads.
Troy has numerous large parking areas around shopping centers, restaurants, hotels, office buildings, and commercial developments.
If another vehicle strikes you or your vehicle in a parking lot and leaves:
- Report the incident.
- Photograph the damage and surrounding area.
- Look for witnesses.
- Identify nearby surveillance cameras.
- Ask the property owner or business how footage can be preserved.
- Notify the appropriate insurer.
- Seek medical attention if you were injured.
Parking-lot crashes can raise different factual and insurance questions depending on whether someone was occupying the vehicle, how the collision occurred, and what type of damages resulted.
What If You Were a Pedestrian or Bicyclist?
A hit-and-run can be particularly serious when the victim is not protected by a vehicle.
Pedestrians and bicyclists may still have potential No-Fault rights after being injured by a motor vehicle, but determining which insurer is responsible can involve Michigan’s statutory priority rules.
These cases also make evidence preservation especially important because identifying the fleeing vehicle may affect additional liability claims.
How Can a Troy Car Accident Lawyer Help After a Hit-and-Run?
A hit-and-run case can involve more than simply filing a claim with an insurance company.
An attorney may:
- Investigate available video evidence
- Contact witnesses
- Request preservation of surveillance footage
- Review the police report
- Examine applicable insurance policies
- Determine whether uninsured motorist coverage may apply
- Identify the appropriate PIP insurer
- Evaluate whether the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan is relevant
- Document medical and wage-loss claims
- Communicate with insurance companies
- Evaluate potential claims if the fleeing driver is identified
Khamo Law’s Troy car accident lawyers represent people injured in motor-vehicle crashes throughout Troy and the surrounding Oakland County area. A motor-vehicle collision is one type of negligence claim Khamo Law handles in Troy. Serious injuries can also arise from truck and motorcycle crashes, unsafe property conditions, dog attacks, pedestrian incidents, and other accidents. Our Troy personal injury lawyers provide a broader overview of the injury claims we handle and the evidence and compensation issues that may arise.
Frequently Asked Questions About Troy Hit-and-Run Accidents
Can I still recover compensation if the hit-and-run driver is never found?
Potentially. PIP benefits may be available under Michigan’s No-Fault system, and uninsured motorist coverage may provide additional protection depending on the policy. In some circumstances, the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan may also be relevant.
Should I chase a driver who leaves the scene?
Generally, protecting your safety and reporting the crash is more important than attempting to pursue another vehicle. Try to remember identifying information and provide it to police.
Should I report a minor hit-and-run?
Reporting the crash can create important documentation, particularly if injuries or vehicle damage become more significant than initially expected.
Can a business’s security camera help identify the driver?
Potentially. Businesses, residences, parking facilities, or other properties near the collision may have cameras that captured the crash or fleeing vehicle. Whether footage exists and how long it is retained varies.
What if I only remember part of the license plate?
Provide whatever information you remember to police. A partial plate combined with the vehicle’s make, model, color, direction of travel, or video footage may still be useful.
Does Michigan No-Fault insurance cover a hit-and-run?
Potentially. Michigan PIP benefits can apply to qualifying injuries arising from motor-vehicle accidents, but the responsible insurer, available benefits, and coverage limits depend on the circumstances and applicable insurance policies.
Can I sue if the driver is found?
Potentially. Liability, insurance coverage, the nature of the injuries, Michigan’s motor-vehicle tort requirements, and applicable deadlines all affect whether a claim can be pursued.
Talk With a Troy Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer
A driver leaving the scene does not mean an injured person should give up on identifying the vehicle or pursuing available insurance benefits.
Khamo Law Accident & Injury Lawyers represents people injured in motor-vehicle crashes throughout Troy and Michigan. Our attorneys bring more than 40 years of combined legal experience to personal injury cases and have recovered more than $40 million for clients.
If you or a family member was injured in a hit-and-run accident in Troy, contact Khamo Law for a free consultation.
Call 248-466-0606 or learn more about how our Troy car accident lawyers can help.