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What to do if Someone Hits Your Car: Hit-and-Run Laws in Kentucky

A man using his smart phone with a crash accident in front.

As terrible as car accidents are, they can happen anywhere, and they are unpredictable. But what do you do when your car gets hit for no fault on your part? From medical attention to insurance and legal action, there are multiple things you have to think about if someone hits your car. To take the best course of action, you need to understand the hit-and-run laws in Kentucky.

While you may not be able to predict and prevent car accidents, you can prepare yourself for what you can do when someone hits your car. And we’re here to help you understand the laws in Kentucky and the proper steps to follow if your car gets hit by another vehicle.

Step 1: Note Any Info About The Perpetrator

The first thought that should strike your mind the very second you get hit by another vehicle is to make yourself of the hit-and-run laws in Kentucky. Note down anything you can about the perpetrator. Their license number is the most useful thing you can take note of. But even if you don’t get that, notice other things about the vehicle and its appearance like shape, color, size, etc.

Step 2: Get Medical Attention

The next step is to call for medical help before anything else. When in an accident, you may sometimes be unable to assess the seriousness of your injury. The rush of adrenaline might numb your sense of pain, and there might be internal injuries invisible from the outside. Don’t dismiss your well-being even if you feel fine after an accident, and call the medical facility right away. If, for some reason, you are unable to do it yourself, call someone near you to do so on your behalf.

Step 3: File a Police Report

The next step is to file a police report right away after the accident. It’s best to call the police right from the site of the accident itself. The report will come in handy later for your insurance claims, and it will also start an investigation into the case to try and catch the suspect. The investigation will also be very useful to bring into light more evidence regarding the hit-and-run accident, which will be extremely useful when justifying your insurance claims.

Step 4: Contact Your Insurance Agency

Kentucky is a no-fault state, which means you can claim for insurance without having to prove the fault of the person who caused the hit-and-run accident. All you need to file for an insurance claim is proof that the hit-and-run accident happened and wasn’t a staged attempt.

Getting the insurance company to pay for what you claim is going to be a bit tricky affair. The insurance agency will surely try to turn down some of your claims so they can settle by paying you less than what you’re claiming. Proving that the accident happened is the easy part, and the difficult part is to justify the amount you claim, such as medical expenses, repair of your vehicle, etc. You can even claim compensation against lost income if the accident leaves you unable to attend your job for some time.

Handling the whole insurance and compensation affair can be a tedious task for you, so you can also consider hiring an attorney for it. It may cost you money at first, but with an attorney’s help, you can avoid losing out to insurance companies and settling for less than what you claim.

Some Things to Consider Before Getting an Accident Insurance

If you haven’t got yourself insured for hit-and-run car accidents, you should do it immediately. And now that you know how it can often be a hassle to claim for the insurance, there are some things you can do before getting yourself insured, which will help you later on when you need to make a claim.

Firstly, get a clear idea of all the expenses that will be covered by insurance. This is vital information that tells you what you can and cannot claim for. And secondly, know your policy/plan inside out. Read terms and conditions, small prints, and minute details about the policy, and ask lots of questions to the insurance provider until you are clear about everything. The better you know your plan, the more quickly you can detect when insurance companies try to find loopholes to refute your claims so you can counter them appropriately.

Final Note – Hiring a Car Accident Attorney

Getting into an accident and having your car hit by another vehicle is in itself a terrible experience. Having to cope with objections from insurance companies make things even worse, especially when you’re just trying to get compensated for what you deserve. Hiring a car accident attorney can make the whole process immensely easier and ensure that you get paid in full by the insurance company.

If you need an experienced attorney to help you with your insurance claim against a car accident, you can reach us today. Having served in Kentucky for many years, we are well-versed with the hit-and-run laws in Kentucky.

Jay A. Bolotin is a partner at the injury law firm of Young, Reverman & Bolotin. Serving the people of Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, Jay dedicates his career to helping clients in the tri-state area obtain financial compensation after suffering serious injuries. He focuses his practice on cases involving car accidents, trucking accidents, dog bites and animal attacks, and other types of personal injury incidents.

Years of Experience: More than 25 years
Registration Status:: Active
Bar Admissions: Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Cincinati Bar Association