What to Do After a Hit-and-Run in Colorado 2025

Being involved in a car accident is a frightening experience. The fear felt at the scene of an accident can only intensify when the driver at fault for the accident flees the scene. Not only is this a frustrating situation, but it is also technically illegal. If you are the victim of a car accident and the at-fault driver has fled the scene, you might wonder what to do after a hit-and-run in Colorado. The hit-and-run car accident attorneys at Cheney Galluzzi & Howard can provide an answer.

Suffering a hit-and-run accident can be shocking. In the middle of all the stress and complications, not to mention working through any injuries or safety hazards, knowing what to do in a hit-and-run can prove crucial to your own safety. It can also benefit any future personal injury or property damage claim you wish to pursue. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries or property damage due to a hit-and-run, legal counsel is available to guide you through the situation.

What Is a Hit-and-Run Accident?

Hit-and-run accidents can occur when a car accident happens, and one of the parties leaves the scene before:

• Reporting the accident to the police
• Checking others for injuries
• Helping injured individuals
• Exchanging insurance information

Hit-and-run situations are actually illegal, and the at-fault party can face both civil liabilities for property damage or injuries and also criminal penalties for fleeing the scene of a motor vehicle accident.

Hit-and-run accidents can have extreme consequences for the victims, including physical injuries, financial hardships, and emotional trauma. In these cases, individuals may wish to seek a civil liability claim to recover damages, such as medical bills, emotional or mental distress, and lost wages. Therefore, it is vital that you know how to handle these situations so you can safeguard your own physical health and preserve any future claims.

Why Do Hit-and-Run Accidents Occur?

When you are involved inadvertently in a hit-and-run accident, you may feel overwhelmed and uncertain of what to do. You may have lots of unanswered questions and wonder why someone would leave the scene of the accident without following through on their duties of calling the police and checking in on you. Therefore, it can help to understand some of the reasons why individuals flee the scene after an accident. These can include:

• Fear: One of the most common reasons people flee the scene of an accident is fear. They may be concerned about facing the consequences of their actions or increased insurance premiums. In the emotional moment of an accident, they might give in to the temptation to flee the scene and forego their responsibility to stay.
• Impaired Driving: Another main reason individuals flee the scene of an accident is because they are driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In these scenarios, the driver is worried about facing the legal and criminal penalties of driving impaired, so they will flee the scene to avoid getting arrested.
• Lack of Responsibility: Some drivers simply lack empathy and any sense of responsibility to others on the roadway. They may decide their own interests are more important than the health of other individuals and fail to consider or even care about the harm they have caused.
• Unlicensed or Uninsured Drivers: If a driver is operating their vehicle without insurance or without a valid driver’s license, they might flee the scene to avoid any penalties for driving without these necessary forms of documentation.

What to Do Following a Hit-and-Run Accident

If you find yourself involved in a hit-and-run accident in Colorado, there are several steps you can take to follow your own legal obligations. Taking these measures can also be advantageous, should you decide to pursue a claim in the future regarding the accident. These steps include the following:

• Stop and check yourself and other passengers for injuries.
• Gather as much information about the at-fault driver as possible before they flee the scene. This can include information such as the description of their vehicle, such as its color, make, model, and license plate number.
• Call the police, and make them aware of the situation, even if you are not the individual who caused the accident. The quicker you contact the authorities, the sooner the hit-and-run accident can be solved, and the sooner you can bring the liable party to accountability.
• Search the area for anyone who might have witnessed the accident. See if they can provide a description of the vehicle or the driver.
• Check the area for any surveillance cameras that might reveal the identity of the missing driver and their car’s make, model, and color.
• By looking at the damage to your vehicle, make an assessment on where the other driver’s vehicle might be damaged. Offer this information to the police and your attorney.

FAQs

Q: What Are the Consequences of a Hit-and-Run in Colorado?

A: If you are found guilty of fleeing the scene of an accident in Colorado, there are several penalties that you can face in addition to a civil liability claim for the damages suffered by the victim of the accident. These can include jail time, fines, paying restitution to the victim, and the suspension or revocation of your driver’s license.

Q: What Happens If the Driver Is Never Found?

A: If you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident, you might wonder what happens if the driver of the other vehicle is never found. This can be an incredibly frustrating situation. If the police can find the driver but they do not carry insurance coverage, you might still seek compensation under uninsured motorist coverage.

Q: What Forms of Compensation Are Available in a Hit-and-Run in Colorado?

A: Several forms of compensation are available in hit-and-run cases in Colorado, depending on the nature and severity of the accident, injuries, and/or damages that occurred as a result. The most common kinds of compensation include lost wages, medical bills, future anticipated medical costs, damaged property, and pain and suffering.

Q: What Happens If You Leave the Scene of an Accident in Colorado?

A: If you leave the scene of an accident in Colorado, there are several consequences you may face. On top of the criminal penalties you can suffer, such as jail time and fines, you can also face a civil liability claim for compensation by the victims. You may also experience increased insurance premiums and harm to your personal and professional reputation.

Cheney Galluzzi & Howard: Helping Victims of Hit-and-Run Accidents

The team at Cheney Galluzzi & Howard can aid victims of a hit-and-run accident in Colorado. We understand how difficult these times are and how much you deserve both justice and compensation for your sufferings. Our firm can work alongside the authorities to identify the individual responsible for the hit-and-run and file a claim against them for liability. Contact our offices today for more information.