Over the years, I have had too many clients walk into my office with the same look, shock, frustration, and disbelief. They were just in a crash, they are hurt, and the other driver sped off.
A hit-and-run is one of the most disheartening situations an injured person can face. You are already shaken up from the impact, and before you can even gather your thoughts, the person who caused it is gone. It feels unfair because it is unfair.
But here is the part most people do not realize: even when the other driver disappears, you still have rights, and you still have options to recover compensation in Illinois.
Let me walk you through what really happens in these cases, how the law works, and what I have learned after helping countless Chicago drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists deal with this kind of mess.
The First Moments Matter More Than You Think
Right after a crash, things move fast. Your body is full of adrenaline, you are disoriented, and it is easy to make small mistakes that can hurt your claim later.
If the driver takes off, the first thing I tell clients is: stay calm, stay safe, and stay put. Do not chase the fleeing car. That can create more danger or complicate liability later.
Instead, take a deep breath and do what you can in those first few minutes:
- Call 911 immediately and report that it is a hit-and-run.
- Try to recall any details about the other vehicle, even part of a license plate or a color helps.
- Look around for witnesses and nearby cameras such as gas stations, intersections, or building entrances.
I cannot count how many cases we have solved because someone had a Ring doorbell, a traffic cam, or even a dashcam that caught the tail end of the other driver’s car.
Getting Medical Care Is Not Optional
After any hit-and-run, I always say: do not try to tough it out. Go get checked. Some of the most serious injuries we see, concussions, back and neck injuries, internal bleeding, do not show symptoms right away.
If you do not get medical attention the same day, the insurance company will later argue your injuries must not have been serious. They will use that gap against you.
When we handle these cases, the first thing we do is connect clients with medical professionals who document everything, every symptom, every visit, every expense. That medical trail becomes your strongest evidence later.
How Illinois Law Protects You
Here is something many people do not know: even if the driver who hit you is never found, Illinois law still gives you a way to recover money for your injuries.
Every auto insurance policy issued in this state must include Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage. This means your own insurance company can step in and pay as if they were the at-fault driver’s insurer.
You can recover for things like:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage (if your policy includes UM property coverage)
Sounds fair, right? Well, here is the catch, once you file a UM claim, your own insurance company essentially becomes your opponent. They will investigate, minimize, and question your injuries the same way they would if you were suing someone else.
That is when you want someone like me or another experienced injury attorney handling communication. I have seen too many good people shortchanged because they trusted their insurer to do the right thing.
When the Police Find the Other Driver
Once in a while, we get lucky. Maybe there is a camera that catches the license plate, or someone tracks the fleeing vehicle to a nearby neighborhood. When that happens, things shift.
If the driver has insurance, your claim moves from uninsured motorist coverage to a standard liability claim. If the driver is uninsured or underinsured, your UM policy can still fill the gap.
In one Chicago case we handled, a delivery truck sideswiped our client on the Kennedy Expressway and took off. The police tracked the truck down two weeks later using traffic footage. The company initially denied involvement until we matched paint and damage patterns. The end result was a six-figure settlement that paid for our client’s surgery and lost time from work.
That is the kind of detail work these cases require.
Why Documentation Is Everything
I tell every client the same thing: evidence disappears faster than you think. Take photos of your vehicle from multiple angles. Save any broken parts that fell off. Keep your torn clothing or damaged phone; these things help show the force of impact.
Even your own written notes matter. Jot down what you remember from the crash while it is still fresh in your mind. The time, location, direction of travel, and what the other car looked like, even a few small details can make a huge difference later.
How Long You Have to Act
Illinois gives you two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim. That sounds like plenty of time, but it is not.
Insurance claims have their own internal deadlines. Some policies require you to notify the company about a hit-and-run within 30 days. Miss that, and they can deny the claim entirely.
That is one of the first things we check when clients call us after an accident, their policy language. Every word matters.
What a Lawyer Actually Does in a Hit-and-Run Case
People sometimes ask me, “If the other driver is gone, what can a lawyer really do?”
Quite a lot, actually. Here is what we handle behind the scenes:
- Investigating the crash, working with police and private investigators if needed.
- Securing video footage before it is deleted or overwritten.
- Dealing directly with your insurance company to protect your rights.
- Coordinating medical care and documenting your treatment progress.
- Negotiating a settlement that reflects your actual losses.
And if the insurer refuses to treat you fairly, we can take the case to court. I have done it many times. Insurance companies in Illinois know which firms are willing to go to trial, and they treat those clients very differently.
A Quick Word on Pedestrians and Cyclists
Hit-and-run crashes are especially devastating for pedestrians and cyclists. Without the protection of a vehicle, these injuries are often severe.
Even if you were not driving, your own auto insurance policy (or one belonging to a family member in your household) may cover you under uninsured motorist benefits. Most people do not realize that, but it can make all the difference in paying medical bills and lost wages.
What I Tell Every Hit-and-Run Victim
If you take one thing from this, remember this: being hit by someone who runs away does not mean you are out of options.
Yes, it is harder. Yes, it is frustrating. But I have seen hundreds of people recover physically, emotionally, and financially after hit-and-runs. The key is acting quickly, documenting everything, and getting help before the insurance company shapes the narrative.
The sooner you talk to an experienced lawyer, the more evidence we can preserve and the better your outcome will be.
If You Are Dealing with a Hit-and-Run in Chicago
You do not have to figure this out on your own. My team at Phillips Law Offices has handled hit-and-run and uninsured driver claims across Illinois for decades. We know how to build cases even when the other driver vanishes, and we know how to make insurers pay attention.
If you are injured, call us. We will walk you through your rights, review your insurance coverage, and start protecting your claim right away.
Call (312) 346-4262
161 N Clark St, Suite 4925, Chicago, IL
Free Consultation | No Fee Unless You Win
Interesting Reads:
Chicago Hit and Run Car Accident: What to do?
What To Do If You Hit Your Head On The Steering Wheel In a Car Accident
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