Do I Need a Lawyer After a Hit-and-Run in West Hills?

Arya Firoozmand, Esq.

Local West Hills Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Arya Firoozmand is the founding partner at L&F Brown. He grew up directly adjacent to West Hills, attended El Camino Real High School, graduated from UCLA Law School, and built his practice serving the community he's from.

A driver hit you in West Hills and left the scene. Whether it happened on the 101 Freeway, at an intersection on Victory Blvd, along Fallbrook Ave, or in a parking lot near Platt Ave, the driver who caused your injuries is gone. You may not have gotten a license plate. You may not have seen the driver at all. And now you are wondering whether a lawyer can even help when the person who hit you disappeared.

The answer is yes. A lawyer is arguably more important in a hit-and-run case than in a standard accident, because the path to compensation is more complicated and the insurance dynamics work differently. An attorney who handles hit-and-run cases knows where the money comes from even when the at-fault driver is never identified.

Why Hit-and-Run Cases Need a Lawyer

In a standard car accident, you file a claim against the at-fault driver's insurance. In a hit-and-run, the at-fault driver's insurance is unavailable because you do not know who they are. This means your own insurance becomes the primary source of recovery, and filing a claim against your own insurer is fundamentally different from filing against someone else's.

Your own insurance company is supposed to be on your side. But when you file an uninsured motorist (UM) claim after a hit-and-run, your insurer's financial interest is to minimize what they pay you. They will scrutinize your claim more aggressively than you might expect. They will question whether the hit-and-run actually happened, challenge the severity of your injuries, and offer settlements that do not reflect the full value of your damages.

An attorney handles the UM claim process, protects you from your own insurer's cost-cutting tactics, and ensures you receive fair compensation.

Your Uninsured Motorist Coverage Is the Key

California law requires auto insurance companies to offer uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. Most drivers in West Hills carry it, often without realizing it. UM coverage protects you when you are hit by a driver who has no insurance or, in the case of a hit-and-run, a driver who cannot be identified.

To trigger UM coverage after a hit-and-run, you generally need to report the incident to law enforcement (CHP for 101 Freeway crashes, LAPD for street-level crashes in West Hills) and file a claim with your own insurer within a reasonable time. The police report establishes that the hit-and-run occurred, which your insurer will require before processing the UM claim.

Your UM coverage pays for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages up to your policy limits. If you carry $100,000 in UM coverage, that is the maximum available from your own policy. If you carry $250,000 or more, your recovery ceiling is higher.

Investigation Can Identify the Driver

One of the most valuable things an attorney does in a West Hills hit-and-run case is investigate to try to identify the driver who fled. If the driver can be identified, their auto insurance becomes available and significantly expands your recovery options.

Investigation tools include reviewing traffic camera footage from the 101 Freeway or intersections on Victory Blvd, obtaining security camera footage from businesses near the crash location on Fallbrook Ave or Platt Ave, canvassing the area for witnesses, analyzing debris or paint transfer on your vehicle, and working with CHP or LAPD to access any existing investigation materials.

Even partial information, such as a partial license plate, a description of the vehicle, or the direction the driver fled, can lead to identification. An attorney has the resources to pursue these leads more effectively than an individual acting alone.

When the Driver Is Found

If the investigation identifies the hit-and-run driver, your case changes significantly. You can now file a claim against that driver's auto insurance for the full value of your damages. In addition, the fact that the driver fled the scene is evidence of consciousness of guilt, which can be used to strengthen your liability case.

Hit-and-run is a criminal offense in California. If the driver is arrested and prosecuted, the criminal case proceeds separately from your civil claim, but the criminal investigation may produce evidence that supports your personal injury case, including the driver's identity, their insurance information, and witness statements obtained by law enforcement.

What to Do Immediately After a Hit-and-Run in West Hills

Call 911 and report the hit-and-run to CHP (if it occurred on the 101) or LAPD (if it occurred on a West Hills street). The police report is essential documentation for both your UM claim and any investigation.

Try to remember and write down everything you can about the vehicle that hit you: make, model, color, any portion of the license plate, direction of travel, and any distinguishing features. Write this down immediately because memory fades quickly.

Get witness information. Other drivers or pedestrians may have seen the hit-and-run vehicle. Their observations and any dashcam footage they may have can be invaluable.

Photograph the scene, your vehicle damage, and your injuries. Go to West Hills Hospital the same day for medical evaluation, even if your injuries seem minor.

Report the hit-and-run to your own auto insurer promptly. Delays in reporting can complicate your UM claim.

California's Statute of Limitations

You have two years from the date of the hit-and-run to file a personal injury lawsuit. For the UM claim against your own insurer, your policy may have its own filing deadlines that are shorter than two years. Review your policy or have your attorney review it to ensure you meet all applicable deadlines.

Evidence degrades quickly after a hit-and-run. Traffic camera footage gets overwritten. Security cameras record over old footage within days. Witnesses forget details. The sooner you involve an attorney, the more evidence can be preserved and the stronger your case will be.

Our West Hills hit-and-run accident lawyers investigate these cases and pursue every available source of compensation. Contact us for a free consultation. Learn more at our West Hills personal injury page.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage After a West Hills Hit-and-Run

When a hit-and-run driver on Fallbrook Ave, Platt Ave, Victory Blvd, and the 101 Freeway cannot be identified, your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage becomes the primary source of compensation. California law treats hit-and-run accidents as uninsured motorist claims, allowing you to recover from your own policy.

Many people do not realize they have UM coverage or how it works. California Insurance Code Section 11580.2 requires all auto insurers to offer UM coverage, and most policies include it unless the policyholder explicitly rejected it in writing. Check your declarations page or call your agent to confirm your coverage limits.

Filing a UM claim is not as simple as reporting the accident and receiving a check. Your own insurance company assigns an adjuster who investigates the claim and evaluates your injuries, just as the at-fault driver's insurer would. That adjuster's goal is to pay as little as possible. Having an attorney levels the playing field and ensures your own insurer treats your claim fairly.

If you and your insurer cannot agree on a fair settlement, California law provides for binding arbitration of UM disputes. This process takes place outside of Chatsworth Courthouse but follows formal legal procedures. An attorney experienced in UM arbitration knows how to present your case effectively and push for full value of your injuries and losses.

Contact a West Hills personal injury attorney at L&F Brown for a free consultation. We handle hit-and-run accident cases on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Call us today.