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Is there help for car accident victim when hit by driver with no insurance, no license and fled the scene?

My daughter sustained severe hip injuries when she was t-boned by a driver running a stop sign. Her car insurance covers 50K for uninsured motorist, but medical bills alone exceed 200K, not to mention loss of income,and likely long term physical limitations. The driver that caused the crash has no license, no insurance, and initially fled the scene on foot. Police cited him for running stop sign but did not arrest him for Hit-and-Run. If they had, she would possibly be eligible for crime victim funds. Also, driver was not registered owner and did not speak any English (possible illegal alien). The car owner may have car insurance but will not respond to letters. What can she do to be fairly compensated for her injuries and losses?

Additional information
The owner of the car at fault was sent a letter by my daughter's attorney. One more question... I ordered a VIN report whcih shows that car tabs were updated about 6 months ago. Wouldnt the DOL have info on his current insurance? Also, what could a private investigator do that hasnt been done already? Thank-you
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Attorney answers (3)

Avvo Pro

Reputation Level 8
Your daughter needs to consult with a lawyer in the state where the accident happened or the owner of the car lives as soon as possible. Her initial concern should be to make sure that she doesn't have her case barred by the statute of limitations. The lawyer may have better luck getting the car owner to respond than your daughter and if the lawyer doesn't, then a lawsuit will need to be filed against the driver and car owner. The lawyer might also hire a private investigator to see if the car owner or driver has insurance or if there are assets that might be recovered.
1 person marked this answer as good

Reputation Level 10
You must have your attorney explore all avenues of determining whether the driver has insurance and any assets. Moreover, with the help of a skilled lawyer, you can get a majority of the outstanding medical bills and any other liens on the case, greatly reduced. If you need additional advice, you should obtain a free consultation or two to further explore your daughter's options.

Disclaimer: This answer was provided for information purposes only and does not create an attorney-client relationship between the poster and its readers.
1 person marked this answer as good

Reputation Level 20
Since your daughter already has counsel, I suggest that you pose all of these questions to your daughter's attorney. I am sure that the attorney is working hard to establish any additional coverage for your daughter, given the extensive amount of the bills she has.

Legal Disclaimer:

Mr. Lundeen is licensed to practice law in Florida and Vermont. The response herein is not legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship. The response is in the form of legal education and is intended to provide general information about the matter in question. Oftentimes the question does not include significant and important facts and timelines that, if known, could significantly change the reply and make it unsuitable. Mr. Lundeen advises the questioner to confer with an attorney in their state in order to ensure that proper advice is received.
1 person marked this answer as good

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