Who Pays After a Hit-and-Run in Pacoima?

Arya Firoozmand, Esq.

Local Pacoima Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Arya Firoozmand is the founding partner at L&F Brown. A San Fernando Valley native, he graduated from El Camino Real High School and UCLA Law School. He represents injured clients from every corner of the Valley, from Woodland Hills to Pacoima.

A driver hit you and took off. Maybe it was on Van Nuys Blvd near the 118 on-ramp, on Foothill Blvd near Ritchie Valens Park, or in the Hansen Dam area. Now you have medical bills, a damaged vehicle, missed work, and nobody standing in front of you taking responsibility. The question that keeps coming up is simple: who is going to pay for this?

The answer depends on several things, including whether the driver is eventually found, what insurance you carry on your own policy, and whether you take the right steps early. This article walks through every payment source available to hit-and-run victims in Pacoima.

Your Own Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage

This is the primary payment source in most hit-and-run cases where the at-fault driver is not identified. Uninsured motorist coverage, often called UM or UMBI (uninsured motorist bodily injury), is part of your own auto insurance policy. California law requires insurance companies to offer UM coverage to every policyholder, though you may have declined it when you purchased your policy.

If you have UM coverage, it steps in to cover your injuries when the at-fault driver cannot be identified. This includes medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, up to your UM policy limits. The coverage functions almost exactly like a liability claim against another driver, except you are making the claim against your own insurer.

Here is the critical part that catches people off guard: your own insurance company does not simply hand you a check. They evaluate your claim the same way the other driver's insurer would. They challenge your medical treatment, question your lost wages, and try to settle for less than the claim is worth. You are negotiating against the company you have been paying premiums to, and they treat you as an adversary. This is why having a Pacoima hit-and-run attorney matters. Your lawyer handles this adversarial process so you do not have to.

If your insurer refuses to pay fair value, California law provides for UM arbitration, a process similar to a trial but decided by an arbitrator. Your attorney presents your evidence, including medical records from Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, documentation of lost income, and expert testimony, and the arbitrator makes a binding decision.

Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay)

MedPay is an optional coverage on your auto insurance policy that pays for medical expenses regardless of who was at fault. It is separate from UM coverage and has its own limits, typically between $1,000 and $10,000, though some policies carry higher amounts.

MedPay can cover your ambulance ride to Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, your ER treatment, follow-up doctor visits, and related medical costs up to the policy limit. It pays quickly, usually without the adversarial fight you see with UM claims, and it does not affect your premiums in most cases.

The limitation is that MedPay only covers medical expenses. It does not compensate you for lost wages, pain and suffering, or property damage. Think of it as a first layer of coverage that bridges the gap while your UM claim or liability claim is being resolved.

Collision Coverage for Vehicle Damage

Your vehicle damage is handled separately from your bodily injury claim. If you carry collision coverage on your auto policy, it will pay for the repair or replacement of your vehicle regardless of who was at fault, subject to your deductible.

If the driver is later identified and their insurance is available, your insurer can pursue reimbursement through a process called subrogation, and your deductible may eventually be refunded. But in the immediate term, collision coverage is what gets your car fixed or replaced.

If you do not have collision coverage, your options for vehicle damage are limited unless the driver is found and has insurance. This is a gap many Pacoima residents discover after it is too late. If your car was damaged on the I-5, on the 118, or on any city street and you lack collision coverage, the vehicle repair may come out of pocket unless the driver is identified.

What If the Driver Is Found?

LAPD Foothill Division investigates hit-and-runs on Pacoima city streets. CHP handles hit-and-run investigations on the I-5 and 118 freeways. If the driver is identified through surveillance footage from businesses along Van Nuys Blvd, witness descriptions, license plate readers, or other investigative methods, the case changes entirely.

Once the driver is found, you can file a liability claim directly against their auto insurance policy. This is typically a better outcome for you because the at-fault driver's policy limits may be higher than your UM limits, and you are no longer fighting your own insurance company.

If the driver is found but has no insurance, or if their policy limits are too low to cover your damages, your own UM and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can supplement the recovery. Having multiple layers of coverage is the safety net that protects you when the at-fault driver cannot cover the full cost of your injuries.

Health Insurance

Your health insurance, whether through an employer, the Covered California exchange, or Medi-Cal, can cover your medical treatment after a hit-and-run. This includes treatment at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, specialist visits, physical therapy, and prescriptions.

There is a catch. Most health insurance plans include a subrogation clause, which means the health insurer can seek reimbursement from any personal injury settlement you later receive. Your attorney negotiates these liens as part of the settlement process. In many cases, the health plan's lien can be reduced, which increases the net amount that goes to you.

Using your health insurance early is often a smart move because it ensures you get the treatment you need without waiting for the UM claim or liability claim to resolve. Delays in treatment hurt both your health and your legal case.

California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB)

If you do not have UM coverage, MedPay, or health insurance, the California Victim Compensation Board may be able to help. CalVCB provides financial assistance to victims of violent crimes, and a hit-and-run involving injury qualifies. Benefits can include medical and dental treatment, mental health counseling, lost wages, and funeral expenses in fatal cases.

CalVCB is not a substitute for a full civil claim, and the amounts are capped. But for hit-and-run victims in Pacoima who lack other coverage, it provides a safety net. Applications must be filed within specific time limits, and your attorney can help you apply.

What You Should Do Right Now

The steps you take today determine which of these payment sources are available to you:

• Report the hit-and-run to LAPD Foothill Division (city streets) or CHP (I-5 and 118) immediately.
• Go to Olive View-UCLA Medical Center for same-day medical evaluation.
• Pull out your auto insurance declarations page and check whether you have UM coverage, MedPay, and collision coverage.
• Notify your own auto insurer of the hit-and-run. Tell them you are preserving your right to file a UM claim. Do not give a recorded statement yet.
• Contact a hit-and-run attorney before making any decisions about settlements or recorded statements.

Every payment source described in this article has its own rules, deadlines, and pitfalls. An attorney who handles hit-and-run cases in Pacoima can identify every available source of recovery, negotiate with your insurers, and make sure you do not leave money on the table.

L&F Brown handles Pacoima hit-and-run cases on contingency. Visit our Pacoima personal injury page or call for a free consultation.