Hit-and-Run on Victory Blvd in Valley Glen: Next Steps

Arya Firoozmand, Esq.

Local Valley Glen Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Arya Firoozmand is the founding partner at L&F Brown. He grew up in Woodland Hills, graduated from El Camino Real High School and UCLA Law School, and has built his practice representing injured clients from communities across the San Fernando Valley.

Victory Blvd is one of the busiest roads through Valley Glen, and its heavy traffic, commercial density, and constant lane changes make it a frequent location for hit-and-run accidents. If a driver just hit you on Victory Blvd and took off, here is exactly what you need to do to protect your health, preserve evidence, and position yourself to recover compensation.

Step One: Call 911 and LAPD

Call 911 immediately if you or anyone else is injured. Then call LAPD. Victory Blvd through Valley Glen is under LAPD jurisdiction for surface street incidents. Report the hit-and-run and provide every detail you can about the vehicle that fled: make, model, color, any part of the license plate, direction of travel, and any distinguishing features like bumper stickers, damage, or vehicle modifications.

Hit-and-run is a criminal offense in California. Under Vehicle Code Section 20002 (property damage only) and Section 20001 (injury or death), the fleeing driver committed a crime. LAPD will open an investigation, and the information you provide at the scene is the starting point.

Request the police report number. You will need it for your insurance claim and for your attorney's investigation.

Step Two: Get Medical Attention

Go to Valley Presbyterian Hospital on Vanowen Street. Even if your injuries seem minor, get evaluated. Hit-and-run victims frequently experience whiplash, concussions, and internal injuries that do not present symptoms immediately. The adrenaline of the situation masks pain.

Your medical records from this visit are foundational evidence in your claim. They establish the timing of your injuries, connect them to the hit-and-run, and document the treatment you need. Do not skip this step.

Step Three: Preserve Evidence Before It Disappears

Victory Blvd is lined with commercial properties: strip malls, restaurants, gas stations, auto shops, and retail stores. Many of these businesses have exterior security cameras pointed at the road and their parking lots. This footage can capture the fleeing vehicle, its license plate, the moment of impact, and the direction the driver went.

The problem is that most businesses overwrite their surveillance footage within 48 to 72 hours. If you do not act immediately, the best evidence in your case will be gone.

Here is what to do:

Identify businesses near the crash site with exterior cameras. Walk or drive the block and note every camera you see. Write down the business names and addresses.

Ask business owners to preserve footage. Go inside and tell them you were involved in a hit-and-run and ask if their cameras may have captured it. Ask them to save the footage. Some will help, but they are not legally required to.

Contact a lawyer immediately. Your attorney can send formal preservation letters to every business demanding they retain their footage. A legal demand carries more weight than a personal request and creates legal consequences if the footage is destroyed.

Also document the scene yourself. Photograph your vehicle damage, any debris left by the other vehicle, paint transfer, skid marks, and the road conditions. If the other vehicle left behind a side mirror, bumper fragment, or other parts, note their location and photograph them. This physical evidence can help identify the make and model of the vehicle.

Step Four: Check for Dashcam and Traffic Camera Footage

If you have a dashcam, check the footage immediately and save it. If other drivers stopped at the scene, ask if they have dashcam footage.

The City of Los Angeles has traffic cameras at some signalized intersections. While these cameras are primarily for traffic monitoring, footage may be available through a formal request. Your attorney can determine whether cameras exist at the relevant intersections on Victory Blvd and submit a request for footage.

Step Five: File Your Uninsured Motorist Claim

Notify your auto insurance company that you were involved in a hit-and-run. Your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage applies when the at-fault driver is unknown, and it is your primary source of compensation while the driver remains unidentified.

When you call your insurer, provide basic facts: the date, time, and location of the accident, and that it was a hit-and-run. Do not provide a detailed recorded statement about your injuries or the specifics of the accident without first consulting a lawyer. Your insurer is not your advocate in a UM claim. They are the party paying the money, and they will look for ways to minimize the payout.

Step Six: Hire a Lawyer

A hit-and-run on Victory Blvd in Valley Glen requires legal representation. The investigation to find the driver, the UM claims process with your own insurer, the preservation of surveillance footage, and the calculation of your full damages are all tasks that require professional expertise.

Your attorney will:

Conduct an independent investigation. Private investigators can canvass Victory Blvd businesses for footage, interview witnesses, and use physical evidence to identify the vehicle make and model.

File and manage your UM claim. Your attorney handles all communication with your insurance company, prevents you from making statements that could hurt your claim, and negotiates aggressively for a fair payout.

Pursue the driver if identified. If the investigation or LAPD identifies the driver, your attorney files a claim against their insurance and pursues civil damages.

Maximize your compensation. Medical expenses from Valley Presbyterian Hospital, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage are all calculated and documented to support the highest possible recovery.

What Compensation You Can Recover

Hit-and-run victims on Victory Blvd can recover compensation for all accident-related losses. The specific sources depend on whether the driver is found, but your UM coverage provides a baseline. Any case that requires litigation would be filed at the Van Nuys Courthouse West.

A Valley Glen hit-and-run attorney at L&F Brown can evaluate your case for free and get the investigation started immediately. We work on contingency, so there is no cost unless we recover for you. Visit our Valley Glen personal injury page to learn more.

What to Do Immediately After a Hit-and-Run in Valley Glen

A hit-and-run on Victory Blvd, Oxnard St, Fulton Ave, and Burbank Blvd requires fast action. If you are physically able, try to note as much detail about the fleeing vehicle as possible: make, model, color, license plate (even a partial plate helps), and the direction the vehicle traveled. If there are witnesses, ask them what they saw and get their contact information.

Call 911 immediately. LAPD handles hit-and-run investigations on city streets, while CHP handles incidents on the freeways. A police report is essential for both the criminal investigation and your civil claim. California Vehicle Code Section 20002 makes leaving the scene of an accident a criminal offense, and law enforcement takes these cases seriously.

Seek medical attention at Valley Presbyterian Hospital even if you think your injuries are minor. Adrenaline can mask pain for hours after a crash. The medical record from your first visit establishes the connection between the accident and your injuries, which is essential for your insurance claim.

Even if the hit-and-run driver is never identified, you may still have options for compensation. Your own auto insurance policy likely includes uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, which applies to hit-and-run accidents. California requires insurers to offer UM coverage, and most drivers carry it. An attorney can help you file and negotiate the UM claim, which involves dealing with your own insurance company, not a friendly process despite what you might expect.

Reach out to a Valley Glen injury lawyer at L&F Brown today. We offer free consultations for hit-and-run accident victims and work on contingency, meaning you owe nothing unless we secure compensation on your behalf.