Who Pays After a Hit-and-Run in Valley Village?

Arya Firoozmand, Esq.

Local Valley Village 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 and has represented injured clients from communities across the Valley, including Valley Village.

A driver hit you on a Valley Village street and fled. Now you are left with injuries, medical bills, vehicle damage, and no one to hold accountable. The question that matters most is: who pays?

Even when the at-fault driver disappears, there are multiple sources of compensation available. Knowing which ones apply to your situation is the key to recovering what you are owed.

Your Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is the primary source of compensation in most Valley Village hit-and-run cases. UM coverage is part of your own auto insurance policy. California law requires insurers to offer UM coverage, and most drivers carry it.

UM coverage applies when the at-fault driver cannot be identified, which is the definition of a hit-and-run. It pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages, up to your policy limits.

Common UM limits in California:

• $15,000/$30,000 (California minimum)
• $50,000/$100,000
• $100,000/$300,000
• $250,000/$500,000

Your UM limits determine the ceiling of what you can recover from this source. If your limits are $100,000 and your damages are $90,000, you are covered. If your limits are $15,000 and your damages are $90,000, you have a significant gap.

To trigger UM coverage after a hit-and-run, you must report the accident to LAPD within 24 hours. This is a strict requirement that many people do not know about. Failure to report in time can result in your insurer denying the UM claim entirely.

Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay)

If your auto insurance includes Medical Payments coverage (MedPay), it pays for your medical expenses regardless of fault. MedPay applies immediately and does not require you to identify the at-fault driver. Common MedPay limits are $5,000 to $25,000.

MedPay covers emergency room visits to Valley Presbyterian Hospital, ambulance transportation, follow-up medical visits, and other treatment costs. It is a no-fault coverage, so there is no investigation or liability determination needed. You were injured in a car accident, and MedPay pays your medical bills.

MedPay does not cover lost wages, pain and suffering, or other non-medical damages. It is supplemental to your UM coverage, not a replacement.

Your Health Insurance

Your health insurance covers accident-related medical treatment. If you have a health plan, use it for your medical care. Your health insurer may later seek reimbursement from your UM recovery through subrogation, but that is a bridge to cross when the case resolves. Your attorney negotiates subrogation liens to minimize what you have to pay back.

Collision Coverage

For vehicle damage from a hit-and-run, your collision coverage pays for repairs or replacement. You will need to pay your deductible, which is typically $500 to $1,000. If the hit-and-run driver is later identified, your insurer can pursue them for reimbursement, and you may recover your deductible as well.

If the Driver Is Identified

Sometimes the hit-and-run driver is found. LAPD may locate them through surveillance footage, witness descriptions, physical evidence left at the scene, or license plate information from cameras on Laurel Canyon Blvd or Magnolia Blvd. When the driver is identified, you can file a claim against their auto insurance for the full value of your damages.

If the identified driver has insurance, their policy becomes the primary source of compensation. If they are uninsured (which is common among drivers who flee), your UM coverage fills the gap.

Your attorney plays a critical role in locating the driver by canvassing for surveillance footage, working with LAPD, and using investigative resources that go beyond what the police typically pursue.

Third-Party Liability

In some hit-and-run cases, a third party may share liability:

Bar or restaurant liability. If the hit-and-run driver was drunk and had been over-served at a Valley Village bar or restaurant, the establishment may be liable under California's dram shop principles. These cases require proving the business served alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person.

Employer liability. If the hit-and-run driver was working at the time (driving for a delivery service, a commercial fleet, or any employer), the employer may be vicariously liable for the driver's actions.

Vehicle owner liability. If the driver was operating someone else's vehicle, the vehicle owner's insurance may apply. California's permissive use doctrine extends insurance coverage to anyone driving with the owner's permission.

What If You Do Not Have UM Coverage?

If you do not have uninsured motorist coverage, your options are more limited but not eliminated. Your MedPay and health insurance can cover medical treatment. If the driver is identified, you can pursue their insurance directly. And if a third party shares liability (a bar, an employer, a vehicle owner), those parties and their insurance become sources of compensation.

An attorney reviews every available coverage option and identifies all potential sources of recovery, even in cases where UM coverage is not available.

Do Not Let a Hit-and-Run Go Unpursued

The fact that the driver fled does not mean you are without options. Our Valley Village hit-and-run lawyers identify every source of compensation and pursue the maximum available recovery for your injuries.

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

A hit-and-run on Laurel Canyon Blvd, Magnolia Blvd, 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.

Contact our Valley Village personal injury team for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we recover for you.