Am I entitled to claim for being knocked down in hit and run accident since I suffered serious injuries?
Despite the fact that the accident you were injured in an accident that was caused by an unidentified driver, you should still be able to claim for being knocked down in hit and run accident. There are, however, some procedures you should complete in order to successfully recover compensation for your hit and run injuries.
Your first priority should always be your health and ideally, your injuries should have been examined at the scene of the accident, where the medical practitioner who tended to you could log the accident and your injuries. In order for a claim to be made, it is important that your injuries were treated by a medical professional and that your medical history was updated to include the injuries you sustained in the accident.
You should of course have reported the hit and run accident to the Gardai. By submitting an accident report, the Gardai can log the accident and initiate an investigation into the accident. With the use of roadside cameras and CCTV, the Gardai will attempt to identify the driver and trace his or her whereabouts. They will also attempt to collect statements from anyone who may have witnessed the accident, which may be used later to support your hit and run claim.
You would be strongly recommended to engage the services of a solicitor once your injuries have been treated and a report to the Gardai has been made. Pursuing a claim for being knocked down in hit and run accident can be difficult and the opportunity for success is greatly increased with the assistance of an experienced solicitor. Upon assessing your claim, your solicitor will be able to advice on the next steps to take.
If the driver remains untraced, or if it transpires that he or she was uninsured, you will be able to make your hit and run claim via the Motor Insurers’ Bureau Ireland (MIBI) – by submitting an application either online or by post. It would also be worth your while to simultaneously submit an application for assessment to the Injuries Board Ireland where you would have the opportunity to communicate any financial implications or deterioration to your quality of life caused by the hit and run injuries you sustained in the accident.
In the initial consultation – which most solicitors offer without charge – your solicitor would be able to advise you on the legal process and how to commence your claim for being knocked down in hit and run accident, what you can expect to occur throughout the process and could give a preliminary indication of the amount of compensation you are likely to receive.
