The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Car accidentsbrave-beaver-389

Hit and run driver fled, their company won't respond to anyone — what do I even do now?

I'm honestly at a loss and could use some perspective from people who've dealt with something similar.

About six weeks ago I was driving home on the highway when a van drifted into my lane and clipped the entire passenger side of my car. No warning, no brake lights — they just kept going. I managed to pull over safely, called 911, and an officer came out and took a full report. I also had a dashcam running the whole time, so I have clear footage of the plate and the impact.

Here's where it gets complicated: the van is registered to some kind of small logistics company. The police have already tracked down the driver and there are charges pending, but nobody — not me, not my insurance company — has been able to get the business to provide their liability insurance info. Calls go unanswered. Emails bounce. My insurer has been trying for over a month.

My own insurer says I can file under my collision coverage and pay my deductible while they "pursue subrogation," but honestly that feels wrong. I did nothing wrong here. There's video proof. Why should I be fronting money because some company is stonewalling?

The damage is significant — not totaled, but not cheap either. And I've had some neck stiffness that I've been getting checked out, so this isn't just a property thing.

Has anyone actually navigated something like this? Do I need a lawyer at this point? Is there another way to force the company to produce their insurance info — like through the ongoing criminal case or some state database?

Any advice appreciated. I'm not looking for someone to tell me everything will be fine — I want to know what actually works.

11replies

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11 replies

  • 7
    steady-fox-452

    I went through almost the exact same thing last year — commercial vehicle, driver took off, company played dead. What finally moved things for me was when an attorney sent a formal demand letter directly to the registered business address via certified mail. Suddenly they found their insurance info real quick. It's like they don't take you seriously until there's legal letterhead involved.

  • 18
    bright-crane-834

    Not legal advice, but a couple of things worth knowing: most states have an uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) provision that can potentially cover you if the at-fault party truly can't be reached or has no coverage. Also, if the company is registered, their insurance info may be obtainable through the state's DMV or corporation records — an attorney can subpoena that in civil discovery. Given there's a parallel criminal case, there may also be restitution mechanisms. Seriously worth a free consult to map your options.

  • 13
    cool-tern-640

    I'd be really careful about just filing under your own collision coverage right now. Once you do that, your insurer's interest shifts — they're managing their own loss, not necessarily fighting for you. Subrogation sounds great in theory but in practice it can drag on forever and you may never see that deductible back. Get a second opinion before you hand them the keys to your claim.

    • 3
      careful-rider521

      Going through something similar right now. Did following up actually move the needle for you?

  • 14
    bold-vole-306

    Former adjuster here. When a commercial vehicle is involved, there's almost always a commercial auto policy — small businesses can't legally operate vehicles without it in most states. The company stonewalling is a stall tactic, plain and simple. A few things that can shake the info loose: a letter of representation from an attorney, a public records request to the state DMV (commercial registrations sometimes include insurer info), or even reaching out to the court handling the criminal charges and asking if insurance info was part of the case file. Don't let them run out the clock on you.

  • 8
    swift-dove-285

    Please don't ignore the neck stiffness just because it seems mild right now. Soft tissue injuries from side impacts can feel manageable in the first few weeks and then worsen significantly. Make sure you're seeing someone and that everything is documented — dates, symptoms, what you told the provider. That paper trail matters a lot, both for your health and for any claim.

  • 17
    quiet-bison-431

    A few practical steps that might help: (1) File a complaint with your state's Department of Insurance — if the company has a policy, the insurer has regulatory obligations and a formal complaint can prompt action. (2) Check if your state has a Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification program or similar fund for hit-and-run victims — some states have exactly this. (3) The criminal case file may have insurance info attached if the officer ran the plates through a commercial database. You could ask the DA's office victim-witness coordinator if you're listed as a witness. None of this requires hiring anyone immediately, but it gives you ammunition.

    • 19
      tidy-seal-506

      Get a PI attorney involved. Most work on contingency so it costs you nothing upfront. You have dashcam footage, a police report, an active criminal case, and a documented injury. That's a strong hand. Stop trying to solve this yourself — let someone whose job it is to make companies like this respond do it for you.

    • 1
      grounded-co-pilot203

      Exactly my experience. Persistence paid off in the end.

  • 14
    bold-lynx-647

    This sounds so stressful, I'm sorry you're dealing with it. You did everything right — stopped, called the police, had your camera running — and somehow you're still the one chasing people down. That's infuriating. Please make sure you're taking care of yourself through this too, not just the claim stuff.

    • 9
      patient-dreamer398

      Appreciate the detailed write-up. Saving this for later.