How Much Can I Recover After a Hit and Run in Agoura Hills?

Curt Brown, Esq. — Founding Partner

Local Agoura Hills Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Curt Brown is a founding partner at L&F Brown. He grew up in Thousand Oaks, just east of Agoura Hills along the 101, attended Thousand Oaks High School, graduated from UCLA Law School, and has spent his career representing injured residents throughout the Conejo Valley.

Victims of hit and run accidents in Agoura Hills frequently ask how much compensation they can realistically recover when the at-fault driver fled the scene. The honest answer depends on several factors: the severity of your injuries, what insurance coverages you carry, and whether the driver is ever identified. Here is a breakdown of the key factors that determine recovery in a hit and run case.

Your Injuries Drive Case Value

The severity of your injuries is the most important factor in determining what your hit and run case is worth, regardless of the coverage situation. Factors that increase case value include serious or permanent injuries, significant medical expenses including care at Los Robles Regional Medical Center (215 W Janss Rd, Thousand Oaks), substantial lost wages, long recovery periods, and documented pain and suffering.

Minor injury cases may resolve for relatively modest amounts, while cases involving serious injuries, surgery, or permanent disability can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars even in hit and run scenarios where the driver was never identified.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage Is the Primary Recovery Vehicle

If you carry uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on your own auto policy, that coverage steps in to compensate you for injuries caused by a hit and run driver as though the driver were insured and at fault. The amount you can recover is limited to your UM policy limits. If you carry $100,000 in UM coverage, that is the maximum available from this source.

This is why carrying robust UM coverage is so important for drivers on roads like US-101, Kanan Road, and Agoura Road, where hit and run incidents are not uncommon.

What If the Driver Is Identified?

If the CHP (for US-101 crashes) or the LASD Lost Hills Station (for surface road incidents in Agoura Hills) identifies the driver through investigation, witness accounts, or surveillance footage from businesses along Agoura Road or near Whizin's Market Square, you can pursue a direct claim against that driver and their insurer. If the driver has no insurance or insufficient coverage, your UM coverage supplements what you recover from them.

MedPay and Collision Coverage

If you carry medical payments (MedPay) coverage, it can pay your medical bills regardless of fault and without waiting for the liability picture to be resolved. Collision coverage on your own policy can compensate for vehicle damage even if the at-fault driver is unidentified, subject to your deductible.

Stacking Coverage to Maximize Recovery

In some cases, multiple coverages can be combined to maximize recovery. A skilled hit and run accident lawyer in Agoura Hills knows how to identify and access every available source of compensation, including UM coverage from multiple policies if applicable. Cases requiring litigation are handled in LA County through the Chatsworth Courthouse.

Visit our Agoura Hills personal injury page to get a free evaluation of your hit and run case from L&F Brown.