It happens in different ways.
Jim should be alive. He waited for the crosswalk light and began walking across. About half way through a drunk driver ran him down, sped off and left him for dead.
Sally just finished tuning her road bike. Excited to meet friends later on, Sally happily pedaled in a bike lane she knew well. Seconds later, a taxi cab ran her off the road and into a guard rail. The taxi gunned it and disappeared. Sally also died.
Because of severe penalties, it is not uncommon for intoxicated drivers to leave the scene. A former insurance company attorney, Richard Rizk knows how to investigate hit and run and drunk driving cases.
Many cases involving drunk drivers, hit and run or reckless driving can yield very significant damages and even a punitive damages award. Insurers know this so they try to settle such claims quickly for “pennies on the dollar”. If an insurer contacts you to settle such a claim, don’t take the bait.
Even when it is impossible to identify a drunken driver who left the scene, you may have a claim against your own insurer under your uninsured or underinsured coverage. These coverages were intended to protect from incidents caused by persons who had no insurance, did not have enough insurance or fled the scene and could not be identified.
Another option you may not have considered would be to file a claim against the bar, store or host who served the alcohol while he or she was already drunk. Be aware that special rules and limits apply to claims against servers. Do not delay.
