Hit & Run or Uninsured Driver? Know Your Rights in Connecticut

Getting hit by a car is frightening enough. When the other driver speeds away or turns out to have no insurance, that fear quickly turns into frustration and confusion. You’re left wondering who pays your medical bills, fixes your car, and covers your lost wages. In Connecticut, you have more options than you might think, but understanding them requires knowing how your own auto insurance works and when a lawyer becomes necessary.

What to Do Immediately After a Hit‑and‑Run

The moments after a hit‑and‑run are disorienting. Your first job is documenting everything you can while the details are fresh. Pull over safely if possible, check yourself and any passengers for injuries, and call 911 right away. Police need to file a report, and that report becomes the foundation of any claim you make later.

While waiting for officers to arrive, write down anything you remember about the other vehicle. Color, make, model, partial license plate, even a dent or bumper sticker, can help investigators. If there are witnesses, get their names and phone numbers before they leave. People who saw what happened can corroborate your account when you file a claim with your insurance company.

Take photos of the damage to your car, the accident scene, and any skid marks or debris. Check nearby businesses or homes for security cameras that might have caught the incident. Property owners are often willing to share footage if you ask promptly, and that video can make the difference between a denied claim and a successful one.

Don’t wait to notify your insurance carrier. Most policies require you to report accidents within a reasonable timeframe, and delays can give the insurer grounds to question your claim. Even if you’re not sure yet whether you’ll file, making that initial report protects your rights.

Understanding Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Connecticut law requires every auto insurance policy to include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage unless you explicitly reject it in writing. This coverage steps in when the at‑fault driver has no insurance or cannot be identified, as in a hit‑and‑run. If you were injured or your vehicle was damaged and the responsible party is nowhere to be found, your UM coverage compensates you up to your policy limits.

Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage works similarly but applies when the other driver does have insurance, just not enough to cover your losses. If someone with a minimum liability policy causes $100,000 in damages but only carries $25,000 in coverage, your UIM policy can bridge that gap.

Many drivers don’t realize they’re essentially making a claim against their own insurance company in these situations. That shift changes the dynamic. While your insurer is supposed to act in good faith, its adjusters are still working to minimize payouts. They may argue about the severity of your injuries, question whether the accident caused your symptoms, or offer a settlement that doesn’t come close to your actual expenses.

Policy limits matter here. If you carry $50,000 in UM coverage and your medical bills and lost income total $75,000, you’ll hit a ceiling. Selecting higher UM/UIM limits when you purchase or renew your policy is one of the smartest decisions you can make, particularly in a state where more than 6% of drivers operate without insurance despite the legal requirement.

Stacking is another concept that confuses people. If you own multiple vehicles and each one has UM coverage, Connecticut allows you to stack those policies in some circumstances, effectively multiplying your available coverage. Whether stacking applies depends on the specific language in your policy and the details of your accident.

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How MedPay Works in Connecticut

Medical Payments coverage, known as MedPay, is optional in Connecticut but extremely valuable. This coverage pays your medical expenses regardless of who caused the accident. If you’re hurt in a hit‑and‑run or any other collision, MedPay kicks in immediately to cover hospital bills, doctor visits, surgery, medication, and even funeral costs if the worst happens.

The beauty of MedPay is that it doesn’t require you to prove fault or negotiate with an adjuster before getting reimbursed. You submit your medical bills, and the insurer pays them up to your policy limit. Typical MedPay limits range from $1,000 to $10,000, though you can purchase more.

Unlike UM coverage, MedPay doesn’t cover property damage or lost wages. It’s purely for medical expenses. That narrow focus makes it a perfect complement to your other coverages. After a hit‑and‑run, you might use MedPay for immediate medical costs while simultaneously pursuing a UM claim for the full scope of your damages, including pain and suffering.

Some people assume health insurance makes MedPay redundant. That’s not quite right. Health insurance often comes with high deductibles and copays that MedPay can cover. If you’re injured in a car accident and your health plan has a $5,000 deductible, MedPay covers that amount so you’re not paying out of pocket while waiting for a UM settlement.

MedPay also benefits passengers. If you’re riding in someone else’s car and get hurt in a hit‑and‑run, the driver’s MedPay can cover your medical expenses even if you weren’t at fault and didn’t own the vehicle. This protection extends to pedestrians struck by uninsured drivers as well, provided they’re covered under a family member’s auto policy.

Building a Case Against Unknown Drivers

Pursuing compensation when you don’t know who hit you requires proving several things to your own insurance company. You need to establish that a covered accident occurred, that the other driver was at fault, and that your injuries and damages resulted from that accident. Without a defendant to point to, this proof becomes more challenging.

The police report is your primary evidence. Officers note the date, time, location, and your description of events. They document visible damage and sometimes include witness statements. A thorough police report lends credibility to your account and shows you reported the incident promptly rather than fabricating a claim days later.

Medical records create a timeline linking your injuries to the accident. Seeking treatment immediately after the collision demonstrates that your pain and symptoms appeared right away, not from some unrelated cause. Gaps in treatment give insurers room to argue you weren’t really hurt or that something else caused your condition.

Witness statements carry significant weight. Someone who saw a vehicle strike yours and flee corroborates your version of events. Even witnesses who didn’t see the impact but heard it, saw you immediately afterward, or noticed the fleeing vehicle can strengthen your case.

Surveillance footage is increasingly common. Dash cameras, traffic cameras, and business security systems capture thousands of accidents each year. Obtaining this footage quickly matters because many systems overwrite old recordings after a few weeks. If there’s any possibility that nearby cameras caught the incident, track them down before the evidence disappears.

Damage patterns on your vehicle also tell a story. An experienced accident reconstructionist can determine the angle of impact, approximate speed, and type of vehicle that struck you based on paint transfer, dent depth, and broken parts. This analysis can confirm your description or even help identify the make and model of the phantom vehicle.

Your own insurance company may conduct its own investigation. They’ll review your driving history, check for prior claims, and verify your account against available evidence. They have a financial incentive to deny or minimize your claim, so presenting strong documentation from the start puts you in a better negotiating position.

Getting Help from Our Injury Lawyers

Insurance companies employ teams of lawyers and adjusters whose job is protecting the company’s bottom line. When you’re recovering from injuries and dealing with lost income, taking on that fight alone puts you at a disadvantage. You’re not required to accept the first settlement offer, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to resolve your claim before understanding its full value.

Our firm handles negotiations with your UM/UIM carrier so you can focus on healing. We review your policy to identify all available coverage, including provisions your insurer might not volunteer. We gather medical records, wage documentation, and expert opinions that quantify your damages. When the insurance company lowballs an offer or denies a valid claim, we push back with evidence and legal arguments they can’t ignore.

Connecticut’s comparative negligence rules can complicate hit‑and‑run cases. If the insurer argues you were partly at fault for the accident, they’ll reduce your recovery by your percentage of responsibility. Fighting that allegation requires legal knowledge and a clear presentation of facts. We’ve defended clients against unfair blame‑shifting and protected their right to full compensation.

We also handle cases where multiple insurance policies might apply. If you were injured as a passenger, both the driver’s policy and your own coverage could be in play. If the accident happened while you were working, workers’ compensation might intersect with your UM claim. Coordinating these sources of recovery and preventing one insurer from shifting costs to another takes experience.

Our track record includes substantial settlements and verdicts for clients hit by uninsured and phantom drivers throughout Connecticut. From rear‑end collisions on I‑95 to sideswipes on local roads in towns like Ridgefield and Wilton, we’ve seen how these cases unfold and what it takes to win them. Insurance companies recognize our willingness to take cases to trial when settlement offers fall short, and that reputation often leads to better results at the negotiating table.

Consultations are free, and we don’t get paid unless we recover money for you. That fee structure aligns our interests with yours and allows you to pursue your claim without upfront legal costs. During your consultation, we’ll review the accident details, examine your insurance policy, and explain your options. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of what your case is worth and how we’d approach it.

Protect Yourself Before the Next Accident

Most drivers never think about UM coverage until they need it. By then, it’s too late to increase your limits. Reviewing your auto insurance policy now, while you’re not dealing with an injury or a claim, gives you time to make informed decisions.

Consider raising your UM/UIM limits to match your liability coverage. If you carry $100,000 per person in liability, having the same amount in UM protection makes sense. The additional premium is modest compared to the financial security it provides.

Add MedPay if your policy doesn’t include it. Even a $5,000 MedPay limit can prevent you from draining savings to cover emergency room bills and follow‑up care. If you have a high‑deductible health plan, MedPay becomes even more valuable.

Keep a notebook and pen in your glove box, along with a disposable camera, or make sure your phone is charged. If you’re in an accident, having tools ready to document the scene makes a real difference. You won’t be thinking clearly in those first minutes, and anything that helps you capture details will strengthen your case later.

Store your insurance card, registration, and policy information where you can access them quickly. Knowing your policy number, coverage limits, and insurer’s claim phone number saves time when you need to report an accident.

If you’re injured in a hit‑and‑run or discover the other driver has no insurance, contact us. The sooner we get involved, the sooner we can preserve evidence and start building your case. You have rights under Connecticut law, and we’re here to make sure they’re enforced.