At 2:40 a.m. this morning a car with two women in it were involved in a Bellevue, Washington hit & run car accident on SR 520.  When police arrived they found the women's car had suffered heavy front end damage.  The women had suffered head injuries and were complaining of leg pain.  Police are trying to find the hit & run driver.

This is a topic we often discuss on this blog and with our clients.  When a car hits you and then runs or has no insurance, what are you to do?  In Washington car accidents involving a vehicle that has no insurance or when the at fault vehicle cannot be found you are left holding the bag.  Hopefully you have purchased Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage on your car insurance policy. 

Without UM insurance there will no insurance to compensate you for all the damages and injuries suffer in the Washington car accident.  Depending on what insurance coverage is on your policy there may not be anyone other than you to pay for the car repair, medical bills, towing bill, and any other expenses from the Washington car wreck.  

That's why is important to buy UM/UIM coverage on your Washington car insurance policy.  Uninsured Motorist coverage steps into the shoes of the at fault driver and provides insurance coverage for you.  It's as if the at fault driver had insurance on his own car.  Remember that the UM adjuster is not your friend, she is taking the position of the at fault driver and not looking out for you despite working for your insurance company.  It can seem weird but UM/UIM claims are adversarial in nature.

If you have been in a Washington hit & run accident order your Free copy of "The Guide To Washington Injury Cases" before speaking to the UM adjuster or signing any forms. A little helpful information about the injury claim process at the time of the accident can go a long way to protect your rights and make sure you don't ruin your injury case by mistake.