What to do following a Maryland hit-and-run accident

When a Maryland auto accident occurs, it's common courtesy for all vehicles involved to stop at the scene, make sure everyone is OK, and exchange insurance information.

So what do you do if instead of stopping to check on you, the other driver decides to make a run for it?

Hit-and-run accidents are more common than you might think.

In a few cases, the other driver may not even notice that he or she has grazed another vehicle during a Silver Spring accident.

Unfortunately, most hit-and-run drivers know exactly what they're doing and make a purposeful decision to flee from their responsibility to stop and exchange information.

Drunk drivers are especially notorious for Maryland hit-and-runs, whether because they're afraid of being caught drunk or because the driver is simply too drunk to realize what happened.

If you've been hit by a drunk driver, you are likely facing serious medical issues.

If you've been seriously injured in a Silver Spring hit-and-run accident, you don't need to chalk it up to bad luck and go into debt to pay the expensive medical and property damage bills yourself.

It is still possible to get information on the driver if you were in or near the vehicle when it was hit.

First of all, keep in mind that you should NOT try to follow the vehicle yourself, as you could put yourself in a dangerous situation if they are trying to get away from you.

What you can do is report any details you remember about the car to the police. A license plate number of course is the best, but if you don't remember that, it's still helpful if you can give the police the make and model of the vehicle, along with the year and the color.

Also tell them any information you remember about the driver or others in the vehicle. The police may be able to help you track down the person responsible.

If they aren't, you may still be able to receive compensation through your own insurance's uninsured motorist policy. While typically meant to cover accidents in which the responsible party has no insurance, this provision extends to hit and run accidents in Maryland.

If the insurance company is unwilling to pay enough money to cover all your medical expenses, you may also want to contact an experienced Silver Spring accident attorney to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Rest assured that you don't have to foot the bill yourself following a hit and run accident.