Is a St. Louis Phantom Motorist Responsible for the Damages to My Vehicle?
Is a St. Louis Phantom Motorist Responsible for the Damages to My Vehicle?
Even if the phantom driver does not stop, they are still legally at fault for the crash if their actions directly caused it. As with any motor vehicle accident, drivers have a duty of care, a responsibility to act in a reasonable manner, with attention, caution and prudence, in order to prevent causing injury or harm to other motorists, passengers, bicyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians. If they breach that duty, it is likely they are negligent. That means they are liable for all injuries and other damages resulting from the accident.
There are some methods that may help you identify a phantom motorist. If there were any witnesses to your crash, they may have seen the vehicle’s license plate or be able to describe unique details of the vehicle. If you saw even the slightest identifying characteristics of the driver or vehicle, that can be helpful too. In some situations, the phantom motorist might come back to the scene and admit fault, although that is extremely rare. If you are not able to identify the phantom motorist, this may be the time to turn to uninsured motorist coverage through your provider. Call a St. Louis phantom motorist claims lawyer at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.
What Do I Do After a St. Louis Phantom Motorist Accident?
What Do I Do After a St. Louis Phantom Motorist Accident?
If you were involved in a crash while trying to avoid a phantom driver, you should call 911 immediately to report the accident. If you have any life-threatening injuries, you should also get medical attention right away. Otherwise, while you are waiting for the authorities, you should:
Check if Anyone is Injured
1. Check if Anyone is Injured
The most important thing is everybody's well-being and safety. Check to see if anyone is injured and how significant their injuries are. If you can, render aid to anyone who needs it.
2. Get to Safety
If anyone has a significant injury, it's best not to move them until emergency personnel arrive. Otherwise, get your car to the side of the road to avoid being a danger to oncoming traffic or risking further injury.
3. Call the Police
Under both Missouri and Illinois law, it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident where someone was injured or killed. Having a police report will greatly help your case. Police will be able to take over the scene safely and notify emergency medical personnel, if necessary.
Get the names and badge numbers of the officers at the scene, and ask them where you can get a copy of the police report.
Collect Evidence at the Scene
4. Collect Evidence at the Scene
Take pictures of all vehicles involved, any injuries you sustained and other parts of the scene, such as the road surrounding the crash. Lack of tire marks may help prove that the phantom driver was distracted or drunk.
Most importantly in a phantom motorist crash, if there were eyewitnesses, get their contact information so your car accident lawyer will be able to take official depositions from them. It is also a good idea to write down everything you remember about the crash, as your memory will be freshest in the immediate aftermath, and you may forget seemingly insignificant details that later turn out to be important.
5. Get Medical Treatment
In order to get maximum compensation from an insurance company, you need complete records of your injuries and medical treatment. With minor injuries, a quick trip to the emergency room or to your primary care physician may be all you need. More significant injuries may require ongoing care.
It's important to get medical treatment even if you believe your injuries are not serious. Injuries such as whiplash can take several days to show symptoms, and may only be noticeable with MRIs, X-rays or other tests. Adrenaline can often mask pain immediately after an injury.
Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company, But Be Wary
6. Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company, But Be Wary
You will need to let your own auto insurance provider know about the accident within 24 hours of your accident. Gathering the information mentioned above will help prove the accident actually happened and that it was caused by the other driver, not you, so your claim does not get denied. Phantom motorist situations can get complicated quickly, especially if you have problems getting enough information on the other driver. However, you may have more options than you think, especially with a St. Louis phantom motorist coverage attorney from Burger Law in your corner.
Insurance companies use a lot of tricks and deceitful tactics to try to minimize your claim, or even avoid paying you anything at all. They may tell you that you have to give a recorded statement, which is false. Do not tell them anything regarding the nature of your injuries or who was liable.
7. Call Burger Law
Burger Law's phantom motorist coverage attorneys based in St. Louis have over 70 years of combined experience holding negligent drivers accountable. Call a St. Louis phantom motorist claims lawyer at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online. To date, we have won our clients over $180 million in verdicts and settlements, including a recent phantom motorist settlement. You may be wondering if it is even worth it to get a lawyer after a phantom motorist accident. If you have been injured, in most cases it is absolutely worth it to hire a lawyer. Our attorneys will make sure that you are compensated for every way your injury has affected you, including your property damage, medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.