Jackson Hit and Run Lawyer

Trusted Hit and Run Attorney in Jackson, MS

When a driver strikes someone and leaves the scene, it can make the situation harder on an already stressed accident victim. The injured person might not know the driver’s name or insurance provider, and they might not know what kind of car hit them. A Jackson hit and run lawyer can investigate the collision and seek an appropriate resolution on your behalf. 

Hire a Hit and Run Lawyer

At Chhabra, Gibbs & Gustavis, P.A., our attorneys have represented clients throughout Mississippi since 1999. Our lawyers have over 130 years of collective experience, and we focus on representing people instead of companies and insurance providers. We handle personal injury claims for motor vehicle accidents around Jackson and throughout Mississippi, including hit-and-run accidents.

Mississippi Hit and Run Laws 

Drivers who collide with other vehicles, property, or people are not always allowed to simply drive away under Mississippi law. Mississippi law, specifically Code § 63-3-401, mandates that drivers involved in collisions causing injury or death halt their vehicles immediately at the scene where the accident occurred or as close as possible, staying put until all legal obligations under that section are met. 

When a driver causes an accident resulting in injury, death, or damage to an occupied vehicle, they are legally obligated to supply their name, address, vehicle registration, and other necessary identification details. Furthermore, if medical care is clearly necessary or the injured person requests transport for treatment, they’re mandated to give reasonable assistance.

Mississippi’s 2024 Strategic Highway Safety Plan says there were 772 traffic fatalities in 2021, decreasing to 703 fatalities in 2022. Serious-injury crashes decreased from 3,663 in 2020 to 3,423 in 2022. 

Mississippi hit-and-run laws even apply criminal penalties to motorists who flee accidents under certain circumstances. If a driver causes a collision leading to injuries and willfully departs from the scene, the penalties may include imprisonment and hefty fines. These criminal charges are in addition to a victim’s civil right to pursue financial compensation. 

What to Do After a Hit and Run Accident

As with any accident, a person involved in a hit-and-run collision should call the police if needed and get medical care. Tell the responding officers everything you can about the other vehicle without putting yourself at risk. Do not attempt to chase down the other driver. You may be able to provide the officer with a partial license plate number and a description of the car. You can help preserve evidence by:

• Taking pictures of vehicle damage, debris, skid marks, road conditions, and anything else accident-related at the scene
• Writing down any part of the license plate number or description of the vehicle that can be remembered
• Gathering the names and contact information from witnesses
• Looking for nearby businesses, residences, traffic cameras, or cars that may have caught the accident on video
• Saving dashcam footage if it exists and reporting the accident to the applicable insurance company right away 

Police investigation of the accident and filing an insurance claim are two different processes. Just because police are unable to locate the other motorist does not mean that an injured victim cannot seek compensation. 

When the Hit and Run Driver Is Never Found

In a typical collision case, the injured party may seek a legal claim against the negligent driver’s liability insurance company. When a driver hits someone and then leaves the scene without providing contact information, there may not be a known insurance company to initiate a claim against. In that situation, the injured party’s uninsured motorist (UM) coverage may take effect. 

Mississippi law requires most automobile liability policies to provide uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage. Uninsured motorist coverage may apply to cover damages the injured person would be entitled to recover from the owner or operator of an uninsured motor vehicle. Victims of hit-and-run crashes often find themselves needing to scrutinize their own car insurance for uninsured motorist benefits, rather than pursuing the other driver’s insurer.

When the Driver Is Later Identified

Once police do identify the fleeing driver, it could open new options for pursuing compensation. Sometimes drivers leave the scene of an accident but are identified by police later after using a variety of evidence, such as:

• Witness statements
• Footage from traffic cameras
• Evidence, such as car parts, left at the scene
• License plate numbers

If police identify the driver and that motorist has liability coverage, the injured person may be able to initiate a claim against that driver’s insurance. When the driver has no applicable insurance or not enough insurance, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage might still apply depending on the injured person’s policy.

Establishing the identity of the driver who hit the victim does not automatically prove all the required elements of a personal injury claim. The victim generally still needs to show evidence of how the crash happened and that the escaping driver was responsible. The claimant also should prove that they suffered damages as a result. 

Jackson Hit and Run Lawyer

Drivers who flee the scene of an accident do not always prevent an injured victim from pursuing compensation. There are options that might still exist depending on whether police locate the driver, whether that driver has insurance, and whether the injured victim has uninsured motorist coverage under their own policy. When you hire a hit and run lawyer, they can help. 

When a hit-and-run situation leads to civil court proceedings, figuring out the correct jurisdiction and venue is key to knowing where the case is going to be heard. When filed in Jackson, the Hinds County Circuit Court is located at 407 East Pascagoula Street, Jackson, MS 39205. However, it’s worth noting that many of these cases settle without going to court. 

A Jackson hit and run attorney at Chhabra, Gibbs & Gustavis, P.A. can investigate accidents in Jackson involving hit and runs, review all available insurance policies, gather evidence, and file an insurance claim to recover compensation when necessary. Contact our offices for a consultation. We can help you with your hit-and-run case so you can focus on recovery.