When the driver who hurt you leaves the scene on I-35E or Loop 12, it can feel like there is no one left to hold responsible. DFW Injury Lawyers goes after compensation for people injured in hit-and-run crashes across Dallas. Your Dallas hit-and-run accident lawyer will explore your own insurance coverage and pursue a claim against the driver if they're found.
Our team can review your policy and your crash for free, and we’ll tell you straight which coverage may pay. We work on a No Win, No Fee basis and serve clients in English and Spanish. Call 888-231-1341 to bring in the Muscle.
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Why Trust DFW Injury Lawyers With Your Dallas Hit-and-Run Claim
DFW Injury Lawyers handles hit-and-run claims from our headquarters at 1341 W. Mockingbird Lane, Ste. 580W, Dallas, TX 75247. Under founding attorneys Kevin L. Edwards and Pedro "Peter" de la Cerda, our Dallas hit and run accident attorneys serve injured clients throughout the Metroplex.
We offer free consultations, No Win, No Fee representation, and service in English and Spanish, and our team is available 24/7.
In a hit-and-run case, we go straight to the points that decide UM claims:
- Reviewing all household policies for UM, UIM, and PIP coverage and limits
- Confirming the police report and physical contact evidence
- Searching for video, witnesses, and vehicle evidence that may identify the driver
- Documenting your medical treatment, lost income, and other losses
- Pressing your insurer and, when needed, filing suit to resolve the claim
Our firm knows how to press UM claims, including a $97,500 settlement arising from a multi-car freeway crash.
Attorney Advertising – Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The result in your case depends on its own facts and coverage.
Call 888-231-1341 for a free review of your Dallas hit-and-run claim and your policy.
Can You Get Compensation After a Hit-and-Run in Dallas?
In many cases, you can still get compensation if a driver hits you in Dallas and then flees the scene. The most common source of payment after a hit-and-run in Texas is Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage on your own auto policy. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) can pay some medical bills and lost income regardless of fault.
If police identify the driver, you may also have a claim against that driver and the driver's insurer. Since these paths have different rules and deadlines, the first step is a close look at your policy's declarations page and the facts of the crash.
When the Driver Is Never Found
Many hit-and-run drivers are never identified. In that situation, your own UM coverage takes the place of the missing driver's insurance, up to the limits you bought, as long as the policy's conditions are met.
When You Have No Auto Policy
If you do not own a car or carry auto insurance, coverage may still be available through a policy held by someone in your household. Health insurance and other benefits may also help with medical bills while the claim is pending.
Losses You Can Claim
A hit-and-run claim covers the same losses as a claim against a driver who stayed at the scene. Depending on the coverage, that can include medical bills and future treatment, lost wages and reduced earning ability, physical pain and mental anguish, physical impairment, and damage to your vehicle or other property.
The amount available is limited by the applicable coverage, so the size of your UM limits matters as much as the size of your losses.
How Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Work When the Driver Is Unknown?
Texas UM coverage reaches crashes where the at-fault driver is unknown, so it’s usually the first place to look after a hit-and-run. Under Section 1952.101 of the Texas Insurance Code, every auto liability policy sold in Texas must include UM/UIM motorist coverage unless a named insured rejected it in writing.
With a UM claim, you’re asking your own insurance company to pay what the at-fault driver would have owed you. That makes your insurer the other side of the claim, and its adjusters work to minimize payouts just as another driver's insurer would. We treat your insurer that way and push back when it undervalues the claim.
The coverages that most often apply after a Dallas hit-and-run work differently:
| Coverage | What Can It Pay? | Key Condition |
|---|---|---|
| UM bodily injury |
| Up to your UM limits; actual physical contact required when the driver is unknown |
| UM property damage | Repairs to your vehicle | Subject to a $250 deductible |
| PIP |
| Paid regardless of fault; Texas law requires at least $2,500 per person, and your policy may carry a higher limit |
| UIM | The gap between the driver's limits and your damages | Applies if the driver is found but has too little insurance |
The limits on your declarations page cap what each coverage can pay. PIP and UM can both apply to the same crash, which is why we review every coverage line before a claim is filed.
What Is the Physical Contact Rule for Hit-and-Run Claims in Texas?
When the driver who caused your injuries is unknown, Texas requires actual physical contact between that driver's vehicle and you or your property before UM coverage pays. Section 1952.104(3) of the Insurance Code makes this a required term of every UM policy form.
Contact with your body counts, which matters whether you were walking or riding a bicycle. Contact with your property, such as your car, also counts.
Insurers often ask for proof that contact happened, and these kinds of evidence tend to carry the most weight:
- Paint transfer or scrape marks from the other vehicle on your car, bicycle, or clothing
- Damage patterns that match an impact rather than a single-car crash
- Debris left at the scene
- The officer's description of the damage in the crash report
- Photos taken right after the crash, before repairs
- Medical records that tie your injuries to an impact
Since repairs can erase this evidence, photograph your vehicle and keep damaged parts until your Dallas hit and run accident lawyer has reviewed them.
When There Was No Contact
A "miss-and-run," where another driver forces you off the road without touching your vehicle, is harder. If the driver cannot be identified, the physical contact rule can bar a UM claim, so we work hard to find witnesses and video that identify the other vehicle. Other coverage, such as PIP or collision, may still apply.
What Happens if Police Find the Hit-and-Run Driver?
If the driver is identified, you can bring a claim against that driver and the driver's liability insurer, the same as in any other crash. The criminal case against the driver is separate from your injury claim, and you don’t have to wait for it to finish before pursuing compensation.
Texas law requires a driver involved in a crash that injures someone to stop, check whether anyone needs help, give identifying and insurance information, and provide reasonable assistance. A driver's flight can also become evidence in the civil case.
When the Driver Is Found but Uninsured or Underinsured
Texas requires drivers to carry at least $30,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person under Section 601.072, but some drivers carry none. If the identified driver has no insurance, your UM coverage can still apply. If the driver's limits are too low, your UIM coverage may pay the difference up to your own limits.
When a Commercial Vehicle Flees the Scene
Company vans, delivery trucks, and 18-wheelers often carry business markings, fleet numbers, or tracking systems that help identify them. When a work vehicle is identified, the employer and its commercial insurer may be responsible, and those policies usually carry higher limits.
What to Do After a Hit-and-Run in Dallas
After a Dallas hit-and-run, reporting the crash, getting medical care, and preserving evidence can help protect your uninsured motorist (UM) claim. Your UM coverage will not pay for a hit-and-run if you didn’t report it to the police.
Protect your claim:
- Get a police report: Report the hit-and-run to the Dallas Police Department and keep the report number.
- Document your injuries: Get medical care and keep records of your treatment, even if your injuries initially seemed minor.
- Record what you remember: Write down any details about the other vehicle, including its color, make, model, partial plate, and direction of travel.
- Preserve evidence: Save photos of your injuries, vehicle damage, paint transfer, and the accident scene.
- Notify your insurer: Report the accident promptly, as your policy requires, and stick to the facts.
- Get legal advice: Speak with a Dallas hit and run accident lawyer before giving a recorded statement about your UM claim.
Camera systems often record over footage within days, so our team moves quickly to request and preserve video that could help identify the driver and support your claim.
When an at-fault driver is uninsured, recovering compensation can be difficult even if you know who caused the crash. If you're injured by an uninsured driver, your own insurance coverage could help. Our Dallas car accident lawyers can review your options and pursue available compensation.
How Long Do You Have to File a Hit-and-Run Claim in Texas?
Under Section 16.003 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, you generally have two years from the crash to sue an identified driver. If you're filing a UM claim with your own insurer, different deadlines apply, and your policy may require you to report the accident much sooner.
Your policy may require prompt notice of the crash and cooperation with the insurer's investigation, and missing those conditions can put coverage at risk.
FAQs: Dallas Hit and Run Accident Lawyer
What if I rejected Uninsured Motorist coverage on my policy?
If a named insured rejected UM coverage in writing, the policy generally doesn’t include it, and the rejection can carry over to renewals with the same insurer. You may still have PIP, health insurance, or coverage through a household member's policy, so a review of every available policy is the next step.
Is leaving the scene of an accident a felony in Texas?
Failing to stop after a crash that causes death is a second-degree felony, and failing to stop after a crash that causes serious bodily injury is a third-degree felony. Leaving after a crash with other injuries carries up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
How do I get a copy of the police report for a hit-and-run in Dallas?
People involved in a crash can buy a copy of the Texas Peace Officer's Crash Report through the TxDOT Crash Report portal. Officers must file the report within 10 days after the crash, and the fee is $6 for a regular copy under Transportation Code § 550.065.
What if someone hit my parked car and drove away in Dallas?
A driver who hits an unattended vehicle must stop and either find the owner or leave a written note with a name and address. If the driver left without doing so, report it to the police and check your policy, since UM property damage coverage or collision coverage may pay for repairs.
How long does a hit-and-run claim take to resolve in Dallas?
A hit-and-run claim in Dallas can take a few months or more than a year. The timeline depends on whether the driver is found, how long your medical treatment lasts, how many policies are involved, and whether your insurer disputes the value of the claim.
Need Help With a Dallas Hit and Run Accident Claim?
A driver leaving the scene doesn’t have to leave you without options. Let DFW Injury Lawyers review your Dallas hit-and-run, your policy, and the evidence. We can explain how Texas law applies and deal with your insurer so you don’t face them alone.
Bring in the Muscle today. Call 888-231-1341 24/7 for a free consultation in English or Spanish.