A hit and run situation can be sudden and traumatic, leaving you reeling as you ask yourself, what do I do now? Depending upon your individual situation, how you move forward next will vary. That being said, there are some general steps you may wish to follow if you’ve found yourself involved in a car accident. To help you navigate a crash, both now or in the future, here are a few tips on how to deal with a hit and run that can make a difference after your car wreck.
1. What do I do after the crash has taken place?
Taking the right steps when faced with a hit and run is crucial to ensuring that the situation is well-documented and that you’re protected as the situation develops. What exactly do each of these steps look like? Here are some important steps to take after you’ve been involved on the other end of a hit and run.
- The first thing that you need to do after an auto accident is to check yourself for any injuries. If you find that you or any passengers in your car have been injured in the accident (or other parties who may have been affected), make sure to use your cell phone to call 911 or have someone else make a phone call to get you the medical attention you need.
- Given that the other party has fled the scene, you won’t be able to get all of the normal information such as their name, insurance information, and other essential personal information that you need to deal with the damage. That said, you can still collect other information, such as their license plate, a description of the car, the direction where the other car fled after the accident, and what damage the other car took during the crash. Should you happen to know the person, this will help greatly, and you may even be able to learn how to find someone by their phone number if you need to track them down. In addition, you should also take down as many personal details as you can if you’re able to see the person.
- Try to find witnesses who were present at the scene and can provide further information to the police. You should also point out any cameras in the area that may have caught the accident on tape. Take pictures of your vehicle to show the damage as well as where the accident took place.
- Report the incident to the police as soon as possible. A hit and run is a serious crime, and it’s important that you report it as soon as possible, especially while the event is fresh in your mind and others are able to provide further information to the police.
- Reach out to your insurance company and file your hit and run insurance claim (if you’re covered by your insurance policy).
Unfortunately, hit and runs are much more complex situations to deal with than typical accidents. However, if you follow the steps above, you should be able to navigate this issue more successfully and prepare yourself for the next steps!
2. How do I deal with a personal injury or property damage as a result of the car accident?
A best-case scenario would be that your vehicle is only minorly impacted by the hit and run. However, a serious car accident can result in more serious injuries, resulting in major medical expenses as well as other consequences (such as a loss of income from being out of work for medical care, psychological trauma from the crash, and more).
If you’re seeking compensation for your car accident, make sure to reach out to a local personal injury lawyer to begin your car accident case. For example, if you were involved in a Raleigh car accident, you would reach out to car accident lawyers in Raleigh NC. With the right car accident attorney and clear proof of negligence on the other driver’s part, you may be able to receive financial compensation for your medical bills and other damages that were caused by the other driver. In this type of situation, make it a priority to seek out legal advice, and begin building a personal injury case as soon as possible.
3. How do I cope with the trauma of the accident?
Arguably the most difficult part of a car accident to cope with is the trauma. If you were seriously injured or otherwise impacted by the hit and run, you may be exhibiting symptoms of trauma such as:
- Emotional changes where you have begun feeling more sad, angry, or anxious
- Ruminating on the event (in more severe cases, dealing with PTSD after the event has passed)
- Difficulty focusing, sleeping, and eating (with eating and sleeping patterns changing to where you eat and sleep far more or far less)
- Isolating yourself from others
- Crying more after your accident
- A lack of feelings (feeling numb)
- Pain around the body that can’t be explained (most often headaches, body aches, or stomach aches)
- Avoidance of certain places or things that remind you of the crash (such as refusing to drive or not going on the road where the crash took place)
As you can see from the above, a hit and run can be quite impactful. However, you don’t have to let your trauma run your life. In fact, there are a number of things that you can do to get back to a sense of normalcy and reclaim your happiness and peace of mind even after a traumatic event such as this. Some ways you can cope with your trauma include:
- Engaging in more activities that bring you joy. For example, if you love doing your makeup, you may want to purchase yourself a nice set of faux mink lashes, new mascara, and other fun makeup products that help you feel relaxed, confident, and excited to go out into the world. Additionally, natural lashes that attach to your lash line more easily can help you get ready faster if you feel less energetic as a result of the trauma. Overall, this is just one excellent example of something that you can do to treat yourself and help you deal with the event more effectively.
- Taking care of yourself. Although some days will be more difficult than most, it’s important that you bathe, try to move around, engage in your day-to-day activities, and make sure that you’re practicing self-care habits like eating right, getting plenty of sleep, and exercising.
- Reaching out to friends and family to develop a strong support system that’ll help you navigate this difficult time.
- Seeking out the help of a mental health professional who can help you work through your experience and develop positive coping mechanisms.
- Maintaining a positive mindset and allowing yourself to process your feelings as they come.
With the right amount of determination, you can overcome your trauma and regain the life you once lived.
A hit and run situation can be difficult to deal with, but the good news is that there’s plenty of advice out there designed to help you navigate this exact situation. If you’ve been involved in a hit and run and are wondering what to do next, use the guide above to learn more about what should be done immediately following the accident and what you can do to cope with the after-effects as well.