Los Angeles Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyers, We Find the Coverage When the Driver Disappears
When the at-fault driver flees, most victims assume they have no options. They're wrong. We identify every available insurance policy, including your own UM coverage.
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Former Insurance Defense
David Lederer and John Nojima defended insurers for years before switching sides. They know every strategy the adjuster will use to reduce your UM settlement.
No Fee Unless We Win
Zero upfront cost. We work on contingency, our fee comes from your recovery. If we do not win, you pay nothing.
Free Consultation 24/7
Call any time. We respond to urgent matters around the clock and take over all insurer communication the day you hire us.
What Our Clients Say
“John Nojima was very attentive and made sure that my well-being and my vehicle were well taken care of. Mr. Nojima and his staff often worked extended hours to accommodate my schedule.”
“You are NEVER left waiting days to hear back from an atty. They are extremely responsive and always kept me informed throughout the entire process.”
What the Insurance Company Will Not Tell You After a Hit-and-Run
These are tactics we used when we defended insurers. Now we expose them.
They demand independent corroboration, and dispute that any collision happened
Under California Insurance Code 11580.2, your UM carrier can require corroboration that the hit-and-run vehicle actually made physical contact with yours. Without a witness or physical evidence, they may flat-out deny the claim ever happened. We gather surveillance footage, vehicle damage analysis, and witness statements before they can close the file.
They argue your injuries predated the accident
Your UM carrier will pull your prior medical records looking for any prior back, neck, or joint complaint they can use to argue your injuries are not from this collision. We document your baseline health and medical history from day one to defeat this tactic.
They claim late notice voids your coverage
Most UM policies require prompt notice of a hit-and-run claim. Carriers use delayed reporting, even a few weeks, to argue they were prejudiced by the delay and deny coverage. We notify your carrier immediately after you call us.
What to Do Immediately After a Hit-and-Run in Los Angeles
- 1
Stay at the scene and call 911. A police report documenting the hit-and-run is essential for your UM claim, without it, your insurer will question whether the collision occurred.
- 2
Do not chase the fleeing driver. Your safety matters more than the plate number, and pursuit creates additional legal complications.
- 3
Memorize or photograph any partial plate, vehicle color, make, model, and direction of travel immediately, these details fade fast.
- 4
Get names and contact numbers from any witnesses who saw the collision. Their statements can satisfy the independent corroboration requirement.
- 5
Look for surveillance cameras on nearby businesses, gas stations, traffic signals, and ATMs, these are your best source of corroboration.
- 6
Seek medical attention the same day, even if you feel okay. Adrenaline masks injury, and a same-day medical record is critical evidence in your UM claim.
- 7
Report to your own insurer as required by your policy, then call us at (310) 312-1860 before giving any recorded statement. What you say to your own insurer can be used against you.
How We Handle Your Hit-and-Run Case
Free Consultation
We review your case at no charge. We will tell you honestly which policies apply, what corroboration exists, and what the insurer is likely to argue against your UM claim.
We Take Over
We send a representation letter to all insurers. From this point forward, they talk to us, not you. All calls, all letters, all requests for recorded statements go through our office.
Investigation
We secure surveillance footage, pull the police report, contact witnesses, analyze vehicle damage, and preserve all evidence that satisfies the independent corroboration requirement before your insurer closes the file.
Demand and Negotiation
We send a demand package that anticipates every UM defense argument because we used those arguments when we defended carriers. When they lowball, we escalate.
Settlement or Trial
UM cases can proceed to arbitration or trial when carriers refuse to pay fair value. We take cases to verdict. That fact changes how adjusters respond to our demands.
Compensation You May Be Entitled To
California Hit-and-Run Law
California Insurance Code section 11580.2 requires every auto liability policy issued in California to include uninsured motorist coverage. A hit-and-run driver who cannot be identified is treated as an uninsured driver under this statute, which means your own UM policy provides the recovery channel even when the at-fault driver is never found.
The independent witness corroboration requirement under Insurance Code 11580.2(b)(2) means your own testimony is not sufficient to trigger UM coverage in a hit-and-run case. Physical evidence of contact, a witness statement, or surveillance footage is required. We investigate corroboration before your carrier can use its absence as a denial ground.
California Vehicle Code section 20002makes hit-and-run a criminal act. The driver's flight is itself evidence of fault. The statute of limitations for personal injury is two years from the date of the accident under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, but UM policy notice requirements make earlier contact essential.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the driver who hit me fled and was never found, do I still have a claim?
My own insurer is handling my UM claim, are they on my side?
California has an 'independent witness' requirement for hit-and-run claims, what does that mean?
How long do I have to file a hit-and-run claim?
Can I recover property damage from my own insurer in a hit-and-run?
Auto Accident Case Results
The following results are from actual Lederer & Nojima cases. Every case is different.
The case results displayed are not a guarantee or prediction of the outcome of any future case. Every case is different. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Related Practice Areas
Hit by a Driver Who Fled? Your Own Policy May Cover You. Call Now.
No fee unless we win. Former insurance defense attorneys on your side.
Available 24/7 · No fee unless we win · (310) 312-1860