It is our responsibility as drivers to remain at a crash site when someone has been injured or killed. Leaving an injured driver, passenger, pedestrian or bicyclist without offering assistance and contacting the authorities is against the law in Nebraska. Victims of hit-and-run drivers have a greater chance of suffering additional harm if they are left lying in a roadway exposed to more danger.
Survivors of hit-and-run accidents are often left facing significant medical costs and other expenses. Hit-and-run victims and their families suffer significant emotional and financial trauma. If you or a loved one has been injured in a hit-and-run accident, please contact the Omaha personal injury attorneys at Cullan & Cullan LLC for a free comprehensive consultation.
Understanding Nebraska's Hit-and-Run Laws
Hit-and-run law in Nebraska is very clear. Motorists must remain at the scene of an accident when someone has been injured or killed and provide assistance. According to Nebraska Revised Statute 60-697: The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident upon either a public highway, private road, or private drive, resulting in injury or death to any person, shall (a) immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident and ascertain the identity of all persons involved, (b) give his or her name and address and the license number of the vehicle and exhibit his or her operator's license to the person struck or the occupants of any vehicle collided with, and (c) render to any person injured in such accident reasonable assistance, including the carrying of such person to a physician or surgeon for medical or surgical treatment if it is apparent that such treatment is necessary or is requested by the injured person.
Seeking Justice and Compensation After a Hit-and-Run in Omaha
Drivers who fail to remain at the scene can face criminal charges when caught. Hit-and-run convictions result in heavy fines and even jail time, but won’t give financial compensation for the victim or the victim's family. In order to hold a hit-and-run driver financially liable for an accident, a civil personal injury claim must be filed.
A civil personal injury claim is a lawsuit injured victims can file to receive support for pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, lost future income, rehabilitation costs, and other damages.
Not all hit-and-run drivers are apprehended for their crimes. It is all too common for hit-and-run drivers to elude arrest, leaving victims with no legal recourse. If a hit-and-run driver has injured you, there still may be financial compensation available through the uninsured motorist clause of your own auto insurance policy. Uninsured motorist coverage is meant for accidents involving drivers with little to no insurance, but it can also cover accidents involving a hit-and-run driver.
It would be a mistake, to assume that using uninsured motorist coverage is easy since you only have to deal with your own insurance company. You may still have to fight to get all the support you need. The Omaha car accident lawyers at Cullan & Cullan LLC will remain on your side, defend your rights and ensure that fair and full compensation is provided for all your injuries, damages and losses. Contact us at (402) 397-7600 for a free, comprehensive and confidential consultation.
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