The Shoulder
The Shoulder
58
Car accidentskeen-mole-393

Hit and run on my street — driver fled before I could get plates, anyone dealt with this?

Still kind of in shock writing this out. Was sitting at a red light two blocks from my house last Thursday evening when a sedan blew through the intersection and clipped the entire rear passenger side of my car. The impact spun me into the curb. I'm okay — mostly shaken up, some neck stiffness — but my car is a mess.

The other driver pulled over for maybe fifteen seconds, then just... took off. I watched him go. A woman walking her dog nearby saw the whole thing and actually started recording on her phone as he sped away, but neither of us caught the full plate. Partial plate, dark-colored older sedan, that's basically all I have.

I filed a police report the same night. The officer told me to check if any nearby businesses or homes have exterior cameras covering that stretch of road, which I've been doing — knocked on a few doors already and one neighbor thinks their doorbell cam might have caught something. Fingers crossed.

My questions for anyone who's been through this: 1. Does uninsured motorist coverage actually kick in for a hit and run where the other driver is never identified? 2. Is the partial plate + witness video worth anything to investigators or is that basically a dead end? 3. Should I be seeing a doctor even if I feel like the pain is manageable right now?

I don't really know how this works when there's no identified at-fault driver. Feeling pretty helpless and would love to hear from people who've navigated something like this.

12replies

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12 replies

  • 18
    quiet-bison-225

    When you talk to your own insurance company, be careful. Even when you're the victim of a hit and run making a UM claim against your own policy, adjusters are still looking for reasons to minimize the payout. Don't give a recorded statement without understanding what you're agreeing to. Be factual, keep it short, and don't speculate about anything.

  • 16
    hearty-marten-332

    Please go get checked out, even if the pain feels manageable. Soft tissue injuries from impacts — especially whiplash-type stuff — can feel like a 3 out of 10 the first couple days and then flare to a 8 out of 10 a week later once the adrenaline wears off and inflammation really sets in. Getting documented early also matters if this ever becomes a claim. Don't wait until you "really" hurt.

  • 16
    daring-wolf-860

    For the UM claim to work in a hit and run scenario, most policies require what's called 'independent corroboration' that there actually was another vehicle involved — meaning the police report, the witness, and ideally that camera footage are all really valuable. Keep copies of everything. The witness's contact info especially. If your insurer tries to deny because the other driver was never found, that corroboration is your counter. I've seen claims approved and denied on exactly that distinction.

  • 15
    careful-heron-551

    Not legal advice, but worth knowing: hit-and-run UM claims can get complicated depending on your state's specific rules around physical contact requirements and corroboration standards. If your insurer gives you any pushback on the claim, a quick free consultation with a PI attorney who handles UM cases is worth it — many will tell you in 20 minutes whether you have a fight on your hands. Don't just accept a denial.

    • 20
      wise-crane-074

      The fact that you have a witness who was recording AND a neighbor who might have doorbell footage puts you in a much better position than a lot of hit-and-run victims who have literally nothing. That's genuinely meaningful. Keep pulling on those threads — even if the driver is never found, that evidence supports your UM claim and shows you're not making anything up.

  • 12
    plain-marmot-768

    I went through almost exactly this two years ago — driver ran a stop sign, hit me, vanished. The uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on my own policy ended up being what saved me. It covered my car repairs and my medical bills after they determined the other driver couldn't be identified. Definitely call your insurer and specifically ask them about your UM coverage limits. Don't let them brush past it.

    • 7
      weary-dreamer226

      Did you have to escalate, or did they come around after the first ask?

    • 1
      thankful-overpass787

      Thank you both, this gave me the push I needed to make the call.

  • 11
    cool-finch-725

    Three things, in order: doctor today, police report copy in your hands, call your insurance to open the UM claim. Do all three before the week is out. Everything else — the plate search, the cameras — that's background work. Your health and your claim paperwork come first.

    • 14
      warm-owl-844

      I'm so sorry this happened to you. It's such a violating feeling — someone hurts you and just decides they don't have to deal with the consequences. I hope your neck heals up fast. Please don't try to tough it out, go get seen. Thinking of you.

    • 5
      honest-survivor415

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

  • 8
    steady-heron-425

    The partial plate plus a witness video is actually more useful than you might think — not necessarily to investigators catching the driver, but as documentation supporting your UM claim. Also worth noting: most states have a deadline for reporting a hit and run to qualify for UM coverage, usually pretty short, so make sure you've already notified your insurer in writing. And yes, keep that neighbor's doorbell cam footage if they'll share it — preserve everything now before it gets overwritten.