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Cleveland Hit & Run Accident Lawyer

If you were involved in a hit and run accident that left you injured, contact our Cleveland Hit & Run Accident Lawyer at Ryan Injury Attorneys for help.

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Ryan Injury Attorneys » Cleveland Hit & Run Accident Lawyer

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Cleveland Hit & Run Accident Lawyer

Do You Need Legal Help?

The attorneys at Ryan Injury Attorneys treat you like family. They are extremely professional, kind, respectful and intelligently know the law. Highly recommend. They are well above par.

- Zora S. 

Great service and very professional. They actually make themselves available when you call. I will be referring Ryan to all of my friends and colleagues.

- Lashawn H. 

The attorneys at Ryan Injury Attorneys treat you like family. They are extremely professional, kind, respectful and intelligently know the law. Highly recommend. They are well above par.

- Zora S. 

Great service and very professional. The actually make themselves available when you call. I will be referring Ryan to all of my friends and colleagues.

- Lashawn H. 

Our Team

Our objectives remain clear in every case we pursue: To give every client, without delay, excuse or equivocation, our full attention, sound advice and forceful representation.

Dan Ryan

Attorney

Thomas Ryan

Attorney

Elizabeth Fitzgerald

Attorney

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Cleveland Hit & Run Accident Lawyer

A hit-and-run crash can be life and death for car accident victims. You can find yourself with significant injuries, trauma, and frustration due to careless motorists fleeing the scene. You may wonder who is at fault and how to hold them accountable for your damages.

Our Cleveland personal injury lawyers at Ryan Injury Attorneys can help you through this difficult time. We know how to fight for compensation, fighting tooth and nail until we get the results you deserve.

Our Proficient Cleveland Hit & Run Accident Lawyer Will Help You Recover the Compensation You Deserve

All you want is compensation for your and your family’s injuries, but even this solution has become difficult.

A Cleveland car accident attorney won’t just help you through the process. He will also use his experience to ensure that your compensation will cover all your expenses from the initial phase to ongoing treatment and long-term rehabilitation or care.

Ryan Injury Attorneys handles car accidents and other insurance-related injuries. Our A Cleveland Hit & Run Accident Lawyer know what it takes to get you the compensation you deserve. We will carefully listen to your story and structure an individualized strategy to deliver results. Our lawyers have worked on many car accident cases and have won several million dollars in awards. Feel free to contact us before another day goes by without your compensation!

Hit And Run Accident Statistics

According to research, there are about 1,500 fatal hit-and-run incidents each year. Since 2009, fatal hit-and-runs have increased.

A common reason why drivers do not stop after an accident is alcohol. The number of deadly hit-and-run accidents climbed by over 44% between 2010 and 2019.

Even though some hit-and-run accidents only result in property damage, many of the casualties are pedestrians. According to AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, walkers and cyclists make up about 65% of all fatalities in hit-and-run accidents.

Most Common Causes of Hit-and-Run Accidents

While it’s easy to assume that a hit-and-run driver is drunk, or distracted, the most common reasons for hit-and-run accidents are much more every day.

Here’s a list of the most common causes of hit-and-run accidents:

Drunk Driving

Alcohol’s impact on brain function makes drunk driving a significant contributor to car accidents. Alcohol can make it harder to think, make good decisions, and control your muscles—all skills required for driving safely.

Alcohol impairment can cause drivers to make errors they wouldn’t usually make, such as:

  • Speeding; 
  • Disobeying traffic regulations; 
  • Failing to use turn signals or headlights at night; or
  • Failing to see pedestrians in crosswalks.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is doing something else that diverts attention away from the road. Distracted driving has been related to an increased likelihood of being involved in a car accident and is harmful to traffic safety. Distractions are classified into three types:

  • Visual distractions (looking away from the road)
  • Manual distractions (removing your hands off the wheel); and
  • Cognitive distractions (taking your mind off driving).

Driver distraction of this nature can dramatically raise the risk of an accident by increasing the likelihood of a car crash, colliding with another vehicle or object, or driving off the road.

Over Speeding

Overseeding increases the likelihood of a car accident and the severity of any injuries sustained. Quicker vehicles are more likely to be involved in accidents than slower ones, and the collision’s severity will also be more significant in the case of faster vehicles. The risk increases with speed. When traveling fast, the braking distance must be longer to stop the car.

Due to the law of perception, a slower car stops abruptly, whereas a quicker one requires a longer stopping distance and slides farther. High-speed vehicles will have an enormous impact during collisions and cause more injuries. Driving faster reduces one’s capacity to evaluate future events, leading to errors in judgment and, ultimately, car wrecks.

Reasons Why the At-fault Driver Would Flee the Car Accident Scene

Ever wonder why a negligent driver would flee the scene of an accident? There are many reasons, which can vary depending on the situation. Here are a few that we’ve seen happen:

Panic

Sometimes when under pressure, a driver panics and makes a poor choice. Despite having a spotless driving record, the driver may have fled the collision scene out of fear. According to behavioral specialists, people have a “fight or flight response.” Some people’s natural reaction in times of stress is to flee. When news of motor vehicle accidents breaks, these drivers frequently surrender themselves.

No Valid License

Driving without a valid license is another factor that may prompt someone to abandon the scene. People without a valid permit know they will face the consequences of their actions. Therefore, they will take any precautions necessary (including fleeing the scene of an accident) to avoid getting caught.

A common concern among drivers is the possibility of a civil lawsuit if they stop at the site of an accident.

The truth is that the driver may still be subject to a civil lawsuit even if they leave the scene since the police will actively identify the hit-and-run driver.

Lack of Accident Insurance

Accident insurance is a type of insurance coverage that pays out when someone is hurt or killed in an accident. This kind of insurance typically excludes coverage for carelessness, divine acts, and natural disasters. The policy may also have restrictions, such as caps on total payouts or prohibitions on payouts for risky behaviors.

But some people leave the scene of an accident illegally because they do not carry state-mandated car insurance. They do not want to face criminal charges and possible fines for violating this law.

What Should You Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident?

You must know what to do next if you’re ever involved in a hit-and-run crash. Taking the proper steps can help you feel more at ease and in control of the situation. So, what should you do after a hit-and-run accident? Here are some tips for safeguarding yourself after an accident:

Inform The Authorities

The first thing to do is report the incident to the authorities as soon as possible. It can be tricky. If you were injured, you might only want to call the police if the other driver is there to help you get medical attention.

Give the authorities a thorough description of the car or vehicles and any details you can recall about the collision and the at-fault driver. Ensure documentation and include it in the police report. You may want to handle this situation alone and not involve law enforcement, but that could have severe consequences for you later.

Call 911

If you’re involved in car crashes where someone is seriously hurt or your car is left significantly damaged, you should call 911 immediately.

Calling 911 is advised in cases of significant injuries so that the dispatcher can tell you what to do until the police and ambulance come.

Look For a Car Accident Attorney

If you’re involved in a hit-and-run accident, calling Ryan Injury Attorneys right away is the best thing you can do. We have 50 years of combined experience helping people like you who’ve suffered injuries from someone driving carelessly or recklessly.

We’ll ensure that the insurance company treats you fairly and pays your medical bills, lost wages, and any other expenses you’ve suffered. We know insurance companies’ tactics to delay or avoid paying a car accident claim, but we are up for getting you the compensation you deserve. Don’t risk being taken advantage of by an insurance company—contact us today for a free consultation about your case!

Don’t wait to get help.

Every day you delay could affect your case. Call (216) 777-RYAN for a free consultation.

Free Case Review →

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions About Your Case

Yes. If you carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your auto policy, you can file a claim with your own insurance company. Ohio law treats an unidentified hit-and-run driver as an uninsured motorist, so your UM policy can cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages up to your policy limits.

Ohio's statute of limitations gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under ORC 2305.10. If the at-fault driver cannot be identified or located, the statute may be tolled under ORC 2305.15, but this exception is complex. Contact an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.

Stay at the scene and call 911. Document everything you can remember about the other vehicle, including make, model, color, and any portion of the license plate. Photograph the scene and your injuries. Get witness contact information. Seek medical attention within 24 hours even if you feel fine, and report the incident to your insurance company promptly.

You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and permanent disability or disfigurement. The amount depends on the severity of your injuries and the available insurance coverage, including the at-fault driver's liability policy (if identified) or your own UM/UIM policy.

Yes. You should report the hit-and-run to your insurer promptly, as Ohio policies typically require timely notification for UM claims. Be factual when reporting, but avoid giving a recorded statement or accepting any settlement offer before consulting with an attorney who can evaluate the full value of your claim.

A partial plate can be extremely valuable. Law enforcement can cross-reference partial plates with vehicle descriptions to narrow down suspects. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses, traffic cameras, and toll systems can fill in the gaps. Our team works with investigators to pursue every lead and identify the responsible driver.

It depends on the severity of the crash. Under ORC 4549.02, leaving the scene of an accident involving only property damage is a first-degree misdemeanor. If someone is injured, it becomes a felony. Serious physical harm elevates the charge to a third-degree felony, and a fatal hit-and-run is a second-degree felony carrying up to eight years in prison.

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