What to Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident in California

One moment you were driving, and the next, another car hit you and disappeared. Maybe it happened so fast you barely registered the other vehicle before it was gone. Maybe you sat there for a moment, shaking, trying to make sense of what just occurred. Now you are dealing with injuries, a damaged car, and a driver who did not bother to stop.

Knowing what to do after a hit-and-run accident in the moments and days that follow determines whether you can recover what you lost. At Wells Call Injury Lawyers, we have helped clients in exactly this situation find a path forward, and that path starts with the steps you take in the next few hours.

What Does It Mean to Be in a Hit-and-Run Accident?

A hit-and-run happens when a driver involved in an accident leaves the scene without stopping to identify themselves, exchange insurance information, or render aid. In California, leaving the scene of an accident is a criminal offense, but that fact does not automatically make your path to compensation straightforward. That’s why having a seasoned attorney by your side to help you deal with what comes next when the person responsible is nowhere to be found is essential.

What to Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident: The First Hour

The actions you take immediately after a hit-and-run directly affect both your safety and your ability to recover compensation. Work through these in order:

• Stay at the scene. Leaving the area, even briefly, can complicate your ability to report the accident accurately and may affect your legal standing.
• Call 911. Report the accident to law enforcement immediately. A police report is one of the most important documents in a hit-and-run claim, and California law requires you to report any accident involving injury or significant property damage.
• Get medical attention. Even if you feel fine, accept evaluation from paramedics or go to an emergency room. Adrenaline masks pain, and injuries from car accidents frequently surface hours or days later.
• Document everything you can. Photograph your vehicle, the surrounding area, road conditions, and any debris left behind. If you caught any part of the other vehicle, photograph that too, including any paint transfer, glass, or parts.
• Look for witnesses. Anyone who saw the accident happen is valuable. Get names and contact information before people leave the scene.
• Note every detail about the other vehicle. Color, make, model, partial plate numbers, direction of travel, and any distinguishing features all help law enforcement and your attorney piece together what happened.

The more you document in this first hour, the stronger your claim becomes, and an attorney can help you recover what you could not capture yourself.

How Do You Find Coverage After a Hit-and-Run Accident in California?

When the driver who hit you disappears, your own insurance policy often becomes your primary source of recovery. The law requires insurers to offer uninsured motorist coverage, which applies specifically to hit-and-run accidents in California when the at-fault driver cannot be identified or located. 

Your uninsured motorist coverage can compensate you for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering up to your policy limits. If you carry collision coverage, it can also cover damage to your vehicle, regardless of who is at fault. Review your policy carefully, and contact your insurer to open a claim as soon as possible after the accident.

What to Do After a Hit-and-Run Car Accident: Reporting Requirements

California law places specific reporting obligations on drivers involved in accidents. If the hit-and-run caused injury or death, you must report it to law enforcement immediately. You must also report any accident resulting in injury or property damage exceeding $1,000 to the California DMV within 10 days using form SR-1. Filing the SR-1 is separate from the police report, and skipping it can affect your driving record and insurance standing. Your attorney can help you complete both correctly.

What If You Cannot Locate the Other Driver?

Many hit-and-run victims fear no recovery if the driver remains unidentified. California’s uninsured motorist system helps in such cases. Your claim relies on documenting injuries, losses, and accident details, regardless of whether you identify the driver. 

Several options still exist, including:

• Your uninsured motorist coverage can compensate you for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering up to your policy limits;
• Your collision coverage, if you carry it, can cover vehicle damage; and
• California gives most personal injury plaintiffs two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit, so time matters, but your options do not disappear if weeks have passed. 

An attorney can help you identify every source of recovery available under your specific policy and circumstances.

Wells Call Injury Lawyers Has Seen What Hit-and-Run Victims Face

Hit-and-run cases are some of the most disorienting accidents a person can go through, and the steps you take in the first few days matter enormously. Wells Call Injury Lawyers has spent over 40 years helping injured Californians navigate exactly this kind of situation, and our attorneys live and work in the same communities our clients do. 

We are not a referral service that passes your case to someone across the state. Our offices in Napa, Fairfield, Vallejo, Antioch, Vacaville, Woodland, and Richmond put experienced attorneys within reach of the people who actually need them. Although we cannot guarantee the value of your case, we recovered $1.5 million for a client injured by a reckless driver and $300,000 for a client injured in an unsafe lane change. We bring that same commitment to every case we take.

Do Not Let the Other Driver’s Decision Define Your Outcome—Call Us Today

Someone else chose to leave, but that choice does not have to determine what happens to you. Contact Wells Call Injury Lawyers today for your free case review, and let us help you understand every option available to you. You pay nothing unless we win.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hit-and-Run Accidents

Hit-and-run accidents often leave victims with questions about their legal rights, insurance coverage, and options for recovering compensation. These FAQs explain important information about hit-and-run accident claims.

Legal References Used to Inform This Page:

To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:

Time of Commencing Actions, Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1 (2003).

Accidents and Accident Reports, Cal. Veh. Code § 20008 (1989).

Uninsured Motorist Coverage, Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2(b) (2006).

State of California Department of Motor Vehicles, Report of Traffic Accident Occurring in California (SR-1).

Accident Reports, Cal. Veh. Code § 16000 (2017).