Managing Partner
Most hit and run cases in Los Angeles don’t end with the other driver caught. That single fact changes almost everything about how your claim gets built. This is because the person who caused your injury and disappeared usually isn’t the one who ends up paying for it.
If you or someone in your family got hurt because a driver fled the scene, a Los Angeles hit and run attorney at Glotzer & Leib LLP can walk you through where compensation actually comes from in cases like these. Call us at 747-241-8288 for a free consultation.
When a driver flees after causing a crash, two separate legal tracks open up:
These two tracks move independently, and one doesn’t have to finish before the other starts.
Police may or may not identify the fleeing driver. Traffic cameras, witness statements, and paint transfer evidence sometimes lead to an arrest within days. Other times, the driver never gets found.
Either outcome affects your civil case differently, so understanding both paths matters before deciding what to do next.
If police do identify the driver, criminal charges typically follow, ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony depending on whether anyone suffered serious injury. A criminal conviction can support your civil claim, since evidence from the criminal case often transfers over.
If the driver never turns up, your claim usually shifts toward your own insurance policy instead, specifically the uninsured motorist coverage most California drivers carry.
Los Angeles reports a high volume of hit-and-run collisions each year compared to most other major cities, partly because of dense freeway interchanges, heavy rideshare and delivery traffic, and long stretches of surface streets with limited camera coverage in certain neighborhoods.
That local reality shapes how quickly evidence disappears and how often these cases end up relying on insurance coverage rather than a direct claim against the driver.
Explore these real-life case studies to see how our legal team fights for victims and holds fleeing drivers accountable:
Uninsured motorist coverage matters because it’s often the only realistic path to compensation when a hit and run driver never gets identified. California requires insurers to offer this coverage, and most policies include it unless a driver specifically declined it in writing.
Under this coverage, you file a claim against your own insurance company as if the fleeing driver had been insured and known. That might sound backward, filing a claim with your own insurer for someone else’s fault, but it’s built into California law specifically because hit and run and uninsured driver cases happen often enough to require a fallback option.
Here’s where things get complicated: your own insurer isn’t neutral in this process. They still have a financial incentive to pay less, even though you’ve paid premiums for years expecting protection.
We’ve handled enough of these claims to recognize the tactics insurers use to undervalue an uninsured motorist claim, and we push back on lowball offers the same way we would with any other insurance company.
Rideshare and delivery drivers add another wrinkle worth mentioning. If the fleeing vehicle turns out to belong to a rideshare or delivery company, additional commercial insurance policies may apply on top of standard uninsured motorist coverage. This can significantly change what compensation looks like once that vehicle gets identified.
Your actions in the hours and days after a hit and run directly affect what your claim can prove later. A few steps matter more than people realize:
Yes, hiring a lawyer for a hit-and-run case can improve your ability to identify every available source of compensation and protect you from insurance tactics that reduce the value of your claim.
Hit-and-run claims often require more investigation than a typical car accident. A lawyer works quickly to preserve evidence such as:
The sooner this evidence is collected, the less likely it is to disappear.
Even if the at-fault driver is never identified, your claim doesn’t necessarily end. Your uninsured motorist coverage may provide compensation, but your own insurance company still has a financial interest in minimizing what it pays.
An attorney manages communications with the insurer, prepares the evidence needed to support your injuries, and challenges low settlement offers backed by incomplete evaluations.
Whether police identify the driver or your case proceeds through uninsured motorist coverage, having legal guidance from the beginning helps protect your rights and keeps the claims process moving. Contact our Los Angeles hit-and-run lawyers today at 747-241-8288 for a free consultation to discuss your options and learn how we can help pursue the compensation available in your case.
Deadlines for hit and run claims work a bit differently than standard auto accident cases and missing one can close off your options entirely.
Uninsured motorist claims generally must be filed within the timeframe set by your own policy. This is often shorter than the two-year statute of limitations that applies to a typical personal injury lawsuit, so reviewing your policy language matters early on.
If the driver later gets identified, a separate clock starts for pursuing a direct claim against them, typically following the standard personal injury deadline of two years.
Because these timelines can overlap or run separately depending on your policy and when police make an arrest, having someone track both dates protects you from losing a claim to a technicality rather than the facts of what happened.
Compensation in a hit and run claim typically covers medical treatment, lost income, vehicle repair or replacement, and pain and suffering, similar to other auto accident claims. The path to that compensation looks different, though, since it usually runs through uninsured motorist coverage instead of a direct claim against the at-fault driver.
For injuries that require ongoing care, such as spinal injuries or long recovery periods that keep you out of work for months, compensation may also need to account for future treatment and reduced earning capacity.
These figures typically require input from treating physicians and sometimes a vocational expert, since a fair settlement has to reflect where your recovery is actually headed, not just the bills you’ve already received.
Recent results our attorneys have obtained for clients in auto accident and related matters include:
Every case rests on its own facts, and these figures don’t guarantee a similar result for your claim, but they show how our attorneys approach negotiations with insurance companies that would rather pay less.
Our attorneys bring more than 50 years of combined legal experience representing injured clients throughout Los Angeles. We hold a 10.0 rating on Avvo, we’re members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and Super Lawyers has recognized our firm as a Top Rated Personal Injury Attorney in Los Angeles, CA.
One client shared this after working with our office:
“My wife was in a car accident last year and Josh did an amazing job representing her. It’s very refreshing to see someone in his profession that actually cares and puts his clients first. He’s the best in the business and I feel so fortunate that I was referred to him. Keep up the great work and thanks for everything you did for my family!”
Another client described the outcome after their insurance company dragged its feet:
“Don’t try to deal with insurance companies on your own. They strung me along for almost two years before I gave the case to Glotzer & Leib. Josh and his team quickly obtained a settlement that netted me many times what the insurance company was offering. Thank You!”
Once you contact our office, we start by reviewing the police report, any available footage, and your insurance policy to understand exactly what coverage applies to your situation.
From there, our approach generally includes the following:
Our skilled hit and run attorneys in Los Angeles also understand local police department procedures, from LAPD traffic division reports to how the California Highway Patrol handles freeway incidents. This helps when following up on an open investigation.
We also stay in contact with the assigned investigating officer when possible, since updates on a stalled investigation sometimes surface new evidence, such as a partial plate match or a tip from a body shop noticing fresh collision damage.
That ongoing communication doesn’t replace your civil claim, but it keeps the door open if the driver eventually gets identified months after your case with the insurance company has already moved forward.
Yes. File a police report regardless of how minor the damage looks, since your insurance company will likely require it before processing any uninsured motorist claim, and injuries sometimes surface later.
A denial isn’t the final word. We review the denial reasons, gather additional evidence, and often negotiate the claim further or pursue arbitration if your insurer refuses a fair resolution.
Yes. Most hit and run cases proceed through your own uninsured motorist coverage specifically because the at-fault driver often isn’t identified, so an unresolved investigation doesn’t prevent you from filing a claim.
California law generally prohibits insurers from raising your rates or canceling your policy solely because you filed an uninsured motorist claim for an accident that wasn’t your fault.
Let us review your settlement paperwork before assuming your case is closed, since some settlements leave room to pursue the identified driver separately, particularly if your original settlement didn’t cover the full extent of your losses.
A driver who flees the scene doesn’t get to leave you responsible for the bill. If a hit and run left you injured or took someone from your family in Los Angeles, call Glotzer & Leib LLP at 747-241-8288 for a free consultation, and let’s find out what your insurance coverage actually owes you.
Glotzer & Leib LLP
714 West Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015
GLOTZER & LEIB, LLP 714 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015
“Mr. Glotzer represented me after I was involved in a car accident. I was badly injured,but the insurance company refused to offer me a reasonable settlement. I decided to find an attorney and decided to hire Josh.
His law firm did a great job on my case. They were very responsive to all my questions and obtained a great resolution for me. I received way more money than was originally offered. I would recommend their firm to friends and family.”
“Mr. Josh Glotzer is a great attorney. Over the last 15 years he has helped me on a number of cases with professionalism, and more importantly a positive outcome in my favor. I have referred him to a number of friends and colleagues, all of which have been equally as happy with his legal representation. I trust him and confident in legal ability. I highly recommend his law firm.”
“Don’t try to deal with insurance companies on your own. They strung me along for almost two years before I gave the case to Glotzer & Leib. Josh and his team quickly obtained a settlement that netted me many times what the insurance company was offering. Thank You!”
“My wife was in a car accident last year and Josh did an amazing job representing her. It’s very refreshing to see someone in his profession that actually cares and puts his clients first. He’s the best in the business and I feel so fortunate that I was referred to him. Keep up the great work and thanks for everything you did for my family!”
“I was in a rear end car accident last year and hired Mr. Glotzer’s office. It wasn’t a big case but their office helped me with my property damage claim and did a good job resolving the injury portion of the case as well.”
