San Jose Hit and Run Accident Lawyer
The Driver Fled. Your Claim Didn't.
A hit-and-run doesn’t end your right to compensation. Our San Jose attorneys find fleeing drivers, and recover for victims even when no one ever does.
$75+ million
recovered for injured clients
800+ five-star reviews
on Google and Yelp
No fee
unless we win
Available 24/7
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You Can Still Recover, Even If the Driver Is Never Found
Watching the other driver speed away adds a unique injustice to an already painful moment: you’re hurt, your car is wrecked, and there’s no one to hold responsible. Nearly 27,000 people are injured in California hit-and-run accidents every year, according to the California Highway Patrol; most victims have no idea their own policy may already cover them.
Here’s the truth insurance companies won’t volunteer: hit-and-run victims usually have more options than they realize. Your own uninsured motorist coverage, Med Pay benefits, and a proper investigation can each open a path to recovery. We’ll find every one that applies to you, free of charge.
What to Do After a Hit-and-Run in San Jose
Don't chase the driver.
It’s dangerous, and it can complicate fault. Stay at the scene.
Call 911 immediately.
California puts strict conditions on hit-and-run insurance claims; a prompt police report protects yours. Report within 24 hours.
Write down everything you remember about the vehicle.
Make, model, color, damage, direction of travel, and any part of the plate. Even a partial plate can identify a driver.
Look for witnesses and cameras.
Get names and numbers; note nearby businesses, homes with doorbell cameras, and traffic cameras.
See a doctor the same day.
Your health comes first, and an unbroken treatment record protects your claim.
Notify your own insurer promptly, but talk to a lawyer first.
Uninsured motorist claims have short notice deadlines, and your insurer becomes your adversary the moment you file one.
Who Pays When the Driver Disappears?
Your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage
In California, a hit-and-run driver is treated like an uninsured driver. If you carry UM coverage (most drivers do), it can pay for your injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Strict conditions apply: there generally must have been physical contact with the fleeing vehicle, a police report within 24 hours, and notice to your insurer within 30 days. This is why calling early matters.
Med Pay coverage
If your policy includes medical payments coverage, it pays medical bills regardless of fault; no driver needs to be found.
The driver's insurer, if we find them
When our investigation identifies the driver, we pursue their liability coverage directly. Fleeing the scene is also the kind of conduct that can support punitive damages.
Criminal restitution
If the driver is caught and convicted, the court can order restitution on top of your civil claim.
How We Track Down Hit-and-Run Drivers
Police departments handle thousands of cases; we make sure yours doesn’t sit in a file. Our investigations move quickly, before footage is erased and memories fade:
- Surveillance and doorbell camera footage from businesses and homes near the scene
- Witness accounts, canvassed door to door when needed
- Partial plate numbers run against vehicle records
- Paint transfer and property damage matched to suspect vehicles
- Body shop inquiries: fleeing drivers need repairs too
- Coordination with San Jose Police and CHP investigators
Even when the driver is never identified, this evidence strengthens your uninsured motorist claim; your own insurer will fight it like any other.
California Hit-and-Run Law: The Basics
It's a crime to leave
California law requires every driver in a crash to stop, exchange information, and render aid. Leaving the scene of an injury accident is chargeable as a felony (Vehicle Code 20001); leaving a property-damage scene is a misdemeanor (Vehicle Code 20002).
The criminal case is not your claim
The DA punishes the driver; only a civil claim compensates you. You do not need a conviction, or even an arrest, to recover.
Your deadlines are shorter than you think
The general two-year statute of limitations applies to lawsuits, but UM claims carry their own notice requirements measured in days, not years.
Partial fault doesn't bar you
California’s pure comparative negligence rule applies to hit-and-run victims too, including pedestrians and cyclists.
What Our Clients Say
She helped our family through the most difficult times we had ever gone through. When I wanted to give up she pushed us and encouraged us to keep fighting. When…
Beth S.
This was my first time to have a car accident, so I did not know what I had to do. My friends suggested I contact Jimin since they all had…
Kwon Soonhyung
Jimin and her staff tirelessly worked for my case and kept me updated constantly whenever something happened or when there was any development. She is very knowledgeable and I'm grateful…
Albert Veist
San Jose Hit-and-Run FAQs
Can I get compensation if the driver is never found?
Yes, in most cases. Your uninsured motorist coverage treats the hit-and-run driver as uninsured, and Med Pay can cover medical bills regardless. We review every policy that might apply, including household policies you may not have considered.
Do I need the driver to be caught or convicted?
No. The criminal case and your injury claim are completely separate. Many of our hit-and-run clients recover without the driver ever being identified.
Will filing a UM claim raise my insurance rates?
California law generally prohibits insurers from raising your rates for an accident that wasn’t your fault. Don’t let that fear stop you from using coverage you’ve paid for.
I only got a partial license plate. Is that enough?
Often, yes. A partial plate combined with vehicle description, location, and timing can narrow records to a handful of vehicles. Give us and the police everything you remember, no matter how small.
What if I was walking or cycling when the driver fled?
You can still recover. Your own auto policy’s UM coverage typically follows you as a pedestrian or cyclist, and a resident relative’s policy may apply as well.
What if I don't have uninsured motorist coverage?
Options may remain: Med Pay, health insurance with our help managing liens, claims against other liable parties, and restitution if the driver is caught. Let us look before you assume there’s nothing.
How long do I have to act?
Lawsuits generally must be filed within two years, but hit-and-run insurance claims require a police report within 24 hours and insurer notice within about 30 days. Treat it as urgent.
What does hiring you cost?
Nothing upfront, ever. We work on contingency; you pay a fee only if we recover for you.
Get Your Free, Confidential Case Review, 24/7
The first days matter most: footage gets overwritten, witnesses scatter, and claim deadlines run. Call now or send the form; we respond fast, 24/7, in English, Spanish, or Korean. Your consultation is free and confidential. No fee unless we win.
Call (408) 256-2871Free Case Review
Solution Now Law Firm
1253 Park Ave
San Jose, CA 95126
Hablamos español · 한국어 상담 가능
