Hit-and-run accident lawyer in Los Angeles: Former Insurance Defense Attorneys
The driver's disappearance does not answer the coverage question. We investigate the collision and examine the uninsured motorist protection you actually carry.
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At a Glance
- What it is: a claim for injuries after a driver leaves the collision scene without providing the required information.
- Where we help: we assess hit-and-run injuries involving Los Angeles motorists, passengers and other road users.
- Why us: David Lederer and John Nojima draw on their prior insurance defense work when handling disputed UM claims.
- Proof: Lederer & Nojima has 41 Google reviews and a 4.5-star rating.
- Next step: phone (310) 312-1860 for a free review of the accident and your policy documents.
Quick Answer
You may have an uninsured motorist bodily injury claim if an applicable policy includes that coverage and you meet its requirements. California Insurance Code section 11580.2 addresses unidentified vehicles and physical contact, with short reporting requirements. Coverage is not automatic, because an insured can waive UM coverage. We review the policy and collision evidence before advising you about the available claim.
Hit-and-run accident lawyer in Los Angeles from Lederer & Nojima is for injured people who face a missing driver and unanswered insurance questions and want their coverage options assessed, so you can make informed decisions without assuming that the driver must be found first.
A partial license plate, paint transfer or shop camera may help identify the vehicle. We examine those leads alongside the police investigation. If the driver remains unknown, the policy review becomes a separate task: who qualifies as an insured, whether UM coverage applies and what evidence establishes the contact and resulting injuries. The driver's departure does not alone prove how the collision occurred.
Your own carrier can dispute a UM claim even though you have paid premiums for years. It may question fault, the connection between the crash and your symptoms, or compliance with reporting conditions. Our attorneys formerly defended insurers. We use that experience to prepare the evidence supporting the claim and explain requests for information, recorded statements or medical authorizations.
Former Insurance Defense
David Lederer and John Nojima used to defend insurers. Now they use that knowledge to pressure carriers that try to delay, discount, or deny injury claims.
No Fee Unless We Win
You pay no upfront attorney fee. Our attorney fee comes from the recovery. If we do not recover, there is no attorney fee, and the written agreement explains how case costs are handled.
Free Consultation 24/7
Call any time after an injury. We can protect evidence, deal with insurers, and explain your next move before deadlines pass.
What if the driver who hit me is never identified?
Evidence of physical contact
The unidentified vehicle provisions require attention to physical contact. Damage photographs, witness accounts and footage can support what occurred, but a witness alone does not replace a statutory contact requirement. Keep the vehicle available for inspection. We assess the facts instead of assuming that a driver's statement or one photograph resolves coverage.
A short reporting timetable
A standard injury lawsuit deadline is not the only clock. Section 11580.2 contains reporting requirements for unidentified vehicle claims, including a police report within 24 hours and a sworn statement to the insurer within 30 days thereafter. Tell counsel about any delay so the facts and possible consequences can receive individual review.
An earlier neck or back problem
Prior treatment does not establish that a new collision caused no injury. Give your doctors an accurate history and explain any change in symptoms or function. We compare the medical course before and after impact. Leaving out an earlier condition can create credibility problems that a clear explanation would avoid.
Missing or waived UM protection
California law addresses the inclusion of uninsured motorist coverage but permits a written agreement to waive it. A declarations page is a starting point, not the entire policy. We examine endorsements and any applicable household coverage before concluding that benefits exist or that no insurance applies.
Injury coverage versus vehicle repairs
UM bodily injury coverage does not mean the same policy will repair your car. For an unidentified hit-and-run driver, California uninsured motorist property damage coverage generally requires that the driver or the vehicle's license number be identified. Collision coverage may provide a different route, subject to its terms and deductible. Keep repair estimates and rental receipts for a separate review.
What should I do when the other driver leaves?
- 1
Stay safe instead of pursuing the vehicle
Do not chase the fleeing driver. Move out of danger if you can and call 911 when someone needs emergency assistance. Report the collision to police promptly. Tell the dispatcher the location and any identifying details you remember without guessing at a plate number.
- 2
Write down the details before they fade
Record the vehicle's color, make, model and direction of travel. Preserve even a partial plate. Ask witnesses for names and phone numbers, and write down what you personally saw. Keep your account separate from details you learn later from someone else.
- 3
Photograph the contact and nearby cameras
Save images of vehicle damage, paint transfer and the scene when safe. Note camera locations at nearby businesses or buildings. Retain original files rather than screenshots alone. A request for footage needs to identify the correct time and place before the business records over it.
- 4
Get care and track the injury
Seek medical assessment and tell the provider about the impact. Follow instructions for symptoms that require urgent care. Keep bills and appointment information, and record time away from work. A later symptom deserves medical attention even if you did not notice it at the roadside.
- 5
Notify insurance and obtain deadline advice
Review your policy's reporting duties and contact counsel about the statutory hit-and-run requirements without delay. Save every notice and ask about requested statements or documents. A preservation request, a police report and a formal insurance submission serve different purposes; one does not necessarily satisfy the others.
Which losses should we assess after a hit-and-run?
- Emergency medical expenses and subsequent treatment connected to the collision, supported by records rather than a guessed total.
- Rehabilitation and future treatment your medical providers recommend, including the expected care needs that remain uncertain at the first visit.
- Income lost during recovery and any supported reduction in your future ability to earn a living.
- Physical pain, emotional distress and changes in daily activities that the injury causes, described in your own words.
- Repair costs and rental expenses under any applicable property coverage, assessed separately from an uninsured motorist bodily injury claim.
- Other available insurance benefits, subject to the policy's limits, exclusions and rules against duplicating payment for the same loss.
How does California law treat an unidentified driver's insurance claim?
Insurance Code section 11580.2 provides a framework for uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage, including claims involving an unidentified vehicle. Its physical contact and reporting requirements need careful review. It does not create a universal independent-witness rule that makes any witness statement a substitute for contact. We examine the policy, available evidence and circumstances before assessing a denial or advising you about further action.
Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally gives two years for a personal injury lawsuit, but that period does not replace UM reporting rules or the procedures needed to preserve a UM claim. California comparative fault principles can affect the damages attributed to each person's conduct. Do not wait for police to locate the driver before asking about your insurance obligations and legal deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a motorcyclist seek uninsured motorist benefits after a hit-and-run?
Will my own insurer negotiate against me?
What happens if there is no independent witness?
Does finding the driver change the case?
Must my claim go to trial?
Where is the Lederer & Nojima office?
Our office is at 12100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 480, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Call (310) 312-1860 to schedule a free consultation, or see our Google Business Profile for directions and reviews.
Legal references
General information, not legal advice. Primary sources for the rules described on this page:
Related Practice Areas
Lederer & Nojima, LLP
12100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 480, Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 312-1860
Results may vary. Every case is unique. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Bring your hit-and-run details and insurance paperwork to a free consultation with Lederer & Nojima by calling (310) 312-1860.
Former insurance defense attorneys. No fee unless we win.