Hit-and-Run Accident Attorney
Table of Contents
Another driver struck you while you were driving, cycling, or crossing the street, then left before you could get a name or insurance information. The driver’s disappearance creates immediate pressure. Camera footage can be overwritten, witnesses can become harder to reach, and your insurance policy may require a short notice deadline.
At the same time, you may be dealing with pain, missed work, vehicle repairs, and questions about how your bills will get paid. A hit-and-run car accident lawyer in Michigan can help you identify the insurance benefits and legal claims that may still be available.
At Matz Injury Law, we handle hit-and-run claims for injured people across Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula. We identify available personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage, preserve time-sensitive evidence, communicate with insurers, and pursue the fleeing driver when the evidence allows.
Why Michigan Hit-and-Run Victims Choose Us
A hit-and-run claim may involve several insurers with different roles and deadlines. We handle these overlapping claims for injured people across Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula.
A Fee That Puts More of Your Recovery Back in Your Pocket
Many Michigan personal injury firms charge a 33⅓% contingency fee. We charge 22% at every stage, including trial.
On a $300,000 recovery, our fee is $66,000. At 33⅓%, the fee would be $100,000, so the difference in attorney’s fees is $34,000. That difference can matter when you are already dealing with medical costs, missed work, and the effects of the crash. You pay no fee unless your case results in a recovery.
Results From Hit-and-Run Cases Across Michigan
Our clients have received more than $300 million in settlements across the state. Our hit-and-run settlements include:
- $525,000 settlement: A 72-year-old retiree suffered a head injury in a hit-and-run crash in Kent County.
- $245,000 settlement: A high school student suffered a broken arm when a hit-and-run driver struck her vehicle.
Past results do not predict future outcomes.
Meet Our Hit-and-Run Accident Attorneys
Client Testimonials
“Steve Matz was there when I needed him. Nobody expects to be a victim of a car accident but when I found myself in that situation it was overwhelming. Steve made everything easy. Steve did not accept the insurance Company’s first offer. He held out and got me a better settlement. Steve is very kind and professional. I highly recommend Matz Injury Law.” – Sharon K.
“Jared Matz of Matz Injury Law is an excellent attorney. He is very knowledgeable, and I would highly recommend him to anyone needing assistance in matters of law. He goes above and beyond for his clients and has a wonderful caring attitude.” – Carl R.
“He was always in contact with me and answered my calls when I needed to speak to him, or he would call me back soon after. Jared did an outstanding job and looked out for my best interest during this ordeal. I believe Jared got me the most for my injury possible. A special ‘thank you’ to you Jared, and I will refer you to anyone that is in need of an injury lawyer. I owe you a lot of gratitude.” – Lisa S.
What Happens to Your PIP Benefits After a Hit-and-Run in Michigan
A hit-and-run does not automatically end access to personal injury protection benefits. An applicable PIP policy may pay allowable medical expenses, wage loss, and replacement services even if the police never identify the driver. Coverage may come from your policy, a spouse’s or resident relative’s policy, or the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan under the priority rules.
Michigan drivers choose a PIP medical option when they buy or renew a policy:
- Unlimited: No aggregate dollar limit on allowable expenses for care, recovery, and rehabilitation.
- $500,000 or $250,000: The selected amount is the most the insurer will pay per person, per accident, for PIP medical expenses.
- $250,000 with exclusions or $50,000: These options require qualifying health coverage.
- No PIP medical coverage: This option is limited to eligible Medicare enrollees who satisfy household coverage requirements.
We recommend unlimited coverage. A capped option can stop paying while treatment and attendant care needs continue.
Michigan’s PIP deadline has two parts. Under MCL 500.3145, written notice generally must reach the insurer within one year after the crash unless the insurer has already paid PIP benefits. A separate one-year-back rule generally limits recovery for losses incurred more than one year before a lawsuit is filed.
PIP Coverage When You Have No Auto Insurance of Your Own
An injured pedestrian, cyclist, or passenger with no applicable PIP policy may apply to the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan. Assigned claims generally provide up to $250,000 in PIP medical coverage, subject to eligibility rules and statutory exceptions.
An owner or registrant of an uninsured vehicle involved in the crash may be barred from PIP benefits. We review the available policies and your role in the crash before filing with the plan.
Recovering Pain and Suffering When the Driver Fled
PIP does not pay damages for pain and suffering. A third-party claim for those non-economic damages requires an at-fault driver and one of Michigan’s thresholds under MCL 500.3135: death, permanent serious disfigurement, or serious impairment of body function.
When the driver is never identified, optional uninsured motorist coverage may allow you to present a first-party contract claim to your insurer. The policy controls whether hit-and-run or phantom-vehicle crashes qualify, what proof is required, and when notice must be given. If investigators identify the driver, a third-party liability claim may also become available.
What If You Don’t Have Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Without applicable uninsured motorist coverage and without an identified driver, there is generally no insurance source for pain-and-suffering damages. PIP benefits may still cover eligible medical expenses, wage loss, and replacement services.
If investigators identify the driver, a third-party claim may include pain and suffering if you meet the threshold. It may also include allowable expenses and work loss above applicable PIP limits. The non-economic threshold does not apply to those excess economic damages.
What to Do After a Hit-and-Run in Michigan
Six steps protect a hit-and-run claim in the hours and days after the crash:
- Call 911 and file a police report: Your UM policy may require prompt notice to the police, and the report records the vehicle description and any partial plate information while those details are fresh.
- Photograph the scene: Take photos of your vehicle damage, the road, and your injuries. Write down everything you remember about the vehicle that left.
- Collect witness information: Get names and phone numbers before witnesses leave. Their accounts can support the UM claim and help identify the driver.
- See a doctor: Some injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, may surface hours or days later. Early medical records help connect your injuries to the crash.
- Report the crash to your own insurer: Your policy sets the notice requirements for a hit-and-run UM claim, and the deadline may be short.
- Talk to a hit-and-run accident lawyer: You can report the crash without immediately agreeing to a recorded statement. A lawyer can review the policy and facts before you respond.
A lawyer can send preservation letters to businesses whose cameras cover the scene, request the crash report, notify your insurer within the policy deadline, and take the adjuster’s calls while you receive treatment.
Michigan Hit-and-Run Laws and What the Driver Who Fled Did Wrong
Michigan law requires a driver involved in a crash to stop, remain at the scene, provide identifying information, show a driver’s license when requested, and give reasonable assistance to anyone who was injured. The possible charge and penalty depend on the harm caused and whether the fleeing driver caused the crash:
- Damage to an attended vehicle: Leaving a crash that damages a vehicle operated by or attended by another person is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $100, or both.
- Injury: Leaving a crash that causes injury is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
- Serious impairment or death: Leaving a crash that causes serious impairment of a body function or death is generally a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
- Death caused by the fleeing driver: A driver who caused a fatal crash and then left can face up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
How Investigators Find Hit-and-Run Drivers and Why It Matters
Nearby video, witness accounts, partial plate information, vehicle paint, broken parts, and law enforcement records can provide evidence that helps prove fault. Investigators may compare vehicle descriptions with registration records, reported vehicle damage, and information collected by police.
The quality and timing of the available evidence often affect how long a hit-and-run investigation takes. A lawyer can request footage before it is overwritten, interview witnesses, consult a crash reconstruction professional when appropriate, and coordinate with law enforcement without interfering with the criminal investigation.
If investigators identify the driver, you may gain a liability claim and another potential insurance source. That claim does not replace the need to identify PIP or uninsured motorist coverage while the investigation continues.
Deadlines That Can Cost You Your Hit-and-Run Claim in Michigan
Several deadlines can run at the same time after a hit-and-run:
- PIP notice and benefits: Written notice generally must reach the insurer within one year after the crash unless the insurer has already paid benefits. The one-year-back rule can limit older losses claimed in a lawsuit.
- Uninsured motorist notice: Your policy may require prompt notice, a police report, supporting proof, or other steps. The time allowed varies by policy and may be shorter than a statutory filing period.
- Claim against the driver: Michigan generally allows three years to file an action for injury to a person. The facts, the claimant’s age, the defendant, and the type of claim may affect the deadline.
The driver’s identity may remain unknown while these periods continue to run. Our Michigan personal injury lawsuit guide explains the filing process, but a lawyer should calculate the deadlines from the facts and policy language in your case.
Reach Out Before the Footage From Your Michigan Hit-and-Run Disappears
Someone chose to leave you at the scene, and now the work of proving what happened falls to you. We handle that work for injured people across Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula, beginning with a coverage review and preservation requests for available camera footage.
Before footage is overwritten or a notice window in your policy closes, a free consultation gives us time to review the evidence and coverage that may affect your claim. It costs nothing and carries no obligation, and there is no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Call 866-226-6833 or use our online contact form to start a free consultation.
Written By Steven Matz
Steven J. Matz is the founder of Matz Injury Law, specializing in personal injury litigation with a focus on car accident victims. With over 40 years of legal experience, Mr. Matz has achieved numerous million-dollar settlements. He holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized among Michigan’s Top Attorneys. Steven J. Matz is a frequent lecturer on legal ethics and personal injury law, and serves on the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board.
