What to Do Immediately After a Hit and Run in Illinois

Taking the right steps after a hit and run can help protect your safety, preserve critical evidence, and safeguard your ability to pursue compensation.

Hit and run accidents are traumatic, all-too-common, and can leave lasting devastation in their wake. Some hit and runs result in minor property damage and an expensive inconvenience. Others, unfortunately, result in serious injuries or death. The wide spectrum of possible damage, combined with the shock of the situation itself, can leave victims stunned and unsure of what to do next.

Taking swift action after a hit and run can dramatically affect the investigation and the ultimate outcome of an insurance claim or personal injury case. Understanding what steps to take immediately after the crash may help you protect your health, preserve valuable evidence, and better understand your legal options moving forward.

Quick Take: What Should You Do After a Hit and Run?

After a hit and run accident, prioritize safety, call 911, seek medical attention, remain at the scene when it is safe to do so, document evidence, look for witnesses, and provide law enforcement with as many details as possible about the fleeing vehicle and driver.

Call 911 and Check for Injuries

The safety and health of everyone involved should be the first priority after a hit and run accident. Call 911 as soon as possible and request emergency medical assistance if anyone has been injured.

Many injuries are not immediately apparent after a crash. Some serious conditions, including internal injuries, may not be visible without further medical evaluation. Getting prompt medical attention can help protect your well-being while also creating medical documentation regarding injuries connected to the accident.

Your Safety Comes First

Do not allow concerns about vehicle damage, identifying the fleeing driver, or determining fault to take priority over your immediate health and safety. Check yourself and others for injuries and seek appropriate medical assistance when necessary.

Stay Safe and Document Evidence at the Scene

Unless you must leave because of an immediate safety concern or to obtain emergency medical assistance, remain at the scene and document the accident to the best of your ability. However, pursuing a fleeing vehicle can be extremely dangerous and should be avoided.

If you are able to safely remember or record details about the vehicle that left the scene, those details may become important during the police investigation. Useful information may include the vehicle’s license plate number, make, model, color, direction of travel, and any details you remember about the driver.

Evidence collection can also be important after a hit and run. If it is safe to do so, document the accident scene and preserve details that may later help explain what happened.

Vehicle Damage

Take photographs of your vehicle from multiple angles to document visible damage and the condition of the vehicle immediately after the crash.

Visible Injuries

When appropriate and safe, photographs may help document visible injuries sustained in the accident.

Road Conditions

Photograph road conditions, debris, skid marks, traffic signals, signs, weather conditions, and other details that may help preserve the circumstances of the crash.

Nearby Cameras

Take note of nearby businesses, homes, intersections, traffic cameras, or surveillance cameras that may have captured footage related to the accident.

Fleeing Vehicle Details

Record anything you remember about the vehicle or driver, including the direction the vehicle traveled after leaving the scene.

Why Nearby Cameras May Matter

Video footage can disappear quickly or be overwritten. Identifying nearby surveillance or traffic cameras soon after a hit and run may help law enforcement or other investigators determine whether potentially relevant footage exists.

Look for Witnesses

Witness testimony can be valuable in hit and run cases. Unfortunately, witnesses can also be among the fastest-disappearing sources of information after an accident. Nearby pedestrians, drivers, or business employees may have seen the collision or noticed details about the vehicle that left the scene.

If it is safe and appropriate to do so, ask witnesses for their names and contact information. They may remember information you did not see, including the direction of travel, the vehicle’s appearance, or events that occurred immediately before the collision.

What information should you ask a witness for?

Ask for the witness’s name and reliable contact information. You may also ask whether they saw the vehicle, driver, direction of travel, or other details that could help explain what happened.

Should you ask witnesses to speculate about the accident?

Focus on what the witness actually saw or heard. Accurate observations can be more useful than assumptions or speculation about what may have happened.

Why should witness information be collected quickly?

Witnesses may leave the area shortly after an accident, and memories can become less clear over time. Collecting contact information early may help preserve an opportunity to obtain relevant information later.

Report the Crash to Police

Reporting a hit and run to law enforcement is an important step after the accident. A police report can create an official record of the incident and provide law enforcement with information needed to investigate the collision.

When speaking with police, provide as much accurate information as you can remember. Details about the fleeing vehicle, the direction it traveled, the location of the crash, witnesses, and nearby cameras may all potentially assist an investigation.

Focus on Facts

Provide accurate information about what you observed and avoid guessing about details you do not remember. Even seemingly small details may become important when law enforcement investigates a hit and run accident.

What Happens After You Leave the Accident Scene?

The steps you take after leaving the scene can also affect how you protect your health and preserve information related to the hit and run.

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Seek Appropriate Medical Care

Follow up on injuries and obtain appropriate medical evaluation and treatment for symptoms that appear after the accident.

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Keep Important Records

Save photographs, medical records, police information, repair estimates, insurance communications, and other documents related to the accident.

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Review Your Insurance Situation

Notify the appropriate insurance company and keep records of important communications related to the hit and run.

Understand Your Legal Options

Consider speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney if you have questions about your injuries, insurance claim, or ability to pursue compensation.

Why Acting Quickly After a Hit and Run Can Matter

Evidence can change or disappear quickly after a hit and run accident. Witnesses may leave, surveillance footage may be overwritten, weather conditions may change, and physical evidence at the scene may be removed.

Taking prompt action can help preserve information that may later become relevant to an insurance claim or personal injury case. Every accident is different, but documenting what you can and seeking appropriate assistance early may help protect your interests.

Why Documentation Matters

Hit and run cases can involve questions about who caused the accident and whether the responsible driver can be identified. Photographs, witness information, police reports, medical documentation, and other records may help preserve important details as the case moves forward.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hit and Run Accidents in Illinois

Should I chase the driver who left the scene?

Pursuing a fleeing vehicle can be dangerous. Focus on your safety, contact law enforcement, and provide officers with any details you remember about the vehicle and driver.

What information about the fleeing vehicle should I remember?

Details such as the license plate number, make, model, color, visible damage, direction of travel, and any description of the driver may potentially help investigators identify the vehicle.

Should I see a doctor after a hit and run if I feel okay?

Some injuries may not cause immediate symptoms. Seeking appropriate medical evaluation can help protect your health and document injuries that may be related to the accident.

Can surveillance footage help after a hit and run?

Potentially. Nearby traffic cameras, businesses, residences, or other surveillance systems may have captured information relevant to the accident. Identifying possible cameras quickly can be important because footage may not be retained indefinitely.

When should I contact a personal injury attorney?

You may want to speak with an attorney if you were injured, have questions about an insurance claim, need help understanding your legal options, or are concerned about pursuing compensation after a hit and run accident.

Questions After a Hit and Run Accident?

While the steps above are only some of the actions that may be important after a hit and run accident, acting quickly and carefully can help protect your health, preserve evidence, and safeguard your legal rights.

If you were injured in a hit and run accident, an experienced Champaign personal injury attorney at Patel Law, PC can help you understand your options and the legal process moving forward.