If you or a loved one suffers serious injuries in a hit and run car accident, a hit and run lawyer can help you seek monetary damages and justice. This can be particularly difficult when the driver who causes a hit and run accident is a teenager.

Here are some of the steps you'll need to take if you or a loved one is the victim of a hit and run car accident involving a teenage driver.

Reconstructing the Scene

Hit and run accidents can be difficult to reconstruct. In many cases involving teenage drivers, the victim is incapacitated by the accident and the driver simply panics. A hit and run lawyer can help figure out exactly what happened to help you seek justice and recover damages.

• Eyewitness Statements: Hiring a hit and run lawyer to pursue a hit and run accident will give you an advantage when it comes to collecting eyewitness testimony. As your hit and run accident lawyer builds your case, they can depose eyewitnesses to gather sworn statements that will stand up in court. Having these deposed statements can help your legal team piece together an accurate narrative and cast doubt on potentially conflicting accounts by the teen driver or other witnesses.
• Distracted Driver: Teenage drivers are often distracted by their phones. In hit and run accidents caused by teenage drivers, social media can come into play in several ways. During the criminal proceedings, your hit and run lawyer can request access to the driver's phone records. If they show that the driver was distracted by social media, your chances of proving negligence increase. Additionally, teenage drivers might share incriminating statements on social media in the moments or hours after the crash. If your hit and run lawyer can find these social media posts, they can use them as evidence against the driver in court.

Parental Liability

If a teenage driver is under 18, it can be difficult to sue them and/or collect damages. Your hit and run lawyer can file a lawsuit against their legal guardians for failing to fulfill their parental duties.

• Context: If the teenage driver had a history of reckless driving and/or your lawyer can prove that their parents did not properly supervise their child, they can be held liable for negligence. When building these types of cases, your hit and run lawyer might need to file a host of legal motions to secure documents and records. If the teen driver or their parents attempt contact you, it's best to never respond without letting your hit and run lawyer know first.

Contact a hit and run accident lawyer for more information.