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What to Do if Someone Hits Your Parked Car and Leaves?

It might be possible for the police to investigate the matter to see if there were any surveillance cameras that recorded the hit and run.

Returning to your car to find that someone has hit or dented your car without leaving a note can truly be frustrating. In Missouri, it is illegal to hit a parked car and to leave the scene without making it known. If someone hit your car and didn’t leave any note, then technically that is a “hit and run” accident.

st. louis car accident damage

The problem with a hit and run accident is that you don’t know who hit your car, so you can’t hold them responsible for their actions. Missouri is an at-fault state, which means that at least one driver is deemed negligent and responsible for an accident. Negligence is a theory someone is liable for an accident if they accidentally do something that directly caused it, or they failed to act, and that failure to do something directly led to the accident.

What to Do in a Hit and Run Accident

In a hit and run accident, it is clearly the case that the other driver is negligent since you weren’t even in the car. But how do you hold them accountable? The first thing that you should do is to look around the car and make sure that there isn’t a note from someone with the information about what happened. If you can’t find a note, then you need to call the police. Either way, don’t leave the scene without contacting the police to file a police report.

Do My Insurance Rates Go Up if Someone Hits My Car?

Once the police report is filed, you will want to contact your own insurance company to find out whether your policy will cover the damage. If you have collision insurance added to your auto coverage, then there is a good likelihood that your car will be covered. If you don’t, however, then you might be out of luck. The other insurance that you might have that might potentially cover you is called “uninsured motorist” coverage. This is the type of insurance you take out in case you are in an accident with someone who wasn’t carrying insurance.

How Can a Car Accident Attorney Can Help?

To make sure that you get your damages covered, it is important to contact a St. Louis car accident attorney to defend you against the insurance company and to make sure that the company follows through if your policy is supposed to cover you. It might also be possible for the police to investigate the matter to see if there were any surveillance cameras that might have got it on tape or any other ways of finding the person who hit your car and ran.

It is illegal to hit and run from the scene of a car accident in Missouri, and if it happens to you, you must call a St. Louis car accident lawyer immediately to help get your repairs covered.


Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer

Don’t talk to an insurance claims adjuster before speaking with The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. We can help you avoid making statements that may affect the outcome of your case. The consultation is free; you don’t pay unless we get you money!

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Updated: April 12, 2021