Carabin Shaw is one of the leading personal injury law firms in Austin and Texas. They have extensive experience in car accident cases, focusing on securing compensation for clients that reflects the full extent of their medical bills, property damage, and pain and suffering.
Specialization: Personal injury, truck accidents, car accidents, wrongful death, 18-wheeler accidents.
Why choose them? Carabin Shaw Law Firm offers a complimentary initial consultation, and their team is recognized for aggressively advocating for their clients’ rights.

Austin Hit-and-Run Car Accident Lawyers – Pursuing Compensation When the Driver Fled

A hit-and-run car accident in Austin leaves victims feeling helpless and angry. You have been struck by another driver who then fled the scene, leaving you injured and without any clear way to get compensated for your losses. But a hit-and-run does not mean your case is hopeless. There are multiple avenues for recovering compensation, and experienced legal guidance can make the difference between getting nothing and getting the money you need to cover your medical bills and lost income. Austin car accident lawyers at Carabin Shaw have helped numerous hit-and-run victims navigate these difficult situations and recover fair compensation.

Hit-and-run accidents are alarmingly common in Austin. Drivers flee the scene for many reasons — no insurance, a suspended license, outstanding warrants, intoxication, or simple panic. Whatever the reason, leaving the scene of an injury accident is a felony in Texas, and the victims left behind deserve both justice and financial recovery. Experienced car accident attorneys in Austin at Carabin Shaw pursue every available strategy to identify the fleeing driver and, when identification is not possible, help their clients access alternative sources of compensation.

If you have been hurt in a hit-and-run car wreck in Austin, do not assume you are out of options. Car accident lawyers at Carabin Shaw can evaluate your situation during a free consultation and map out the best path forward.

Immediate Steps After an Austin Hit-and-Run

If you are the victim of a hit-and-run, try to gather as much information as possible about the fleeing vehicle. Note the make, model, color, and license plate — even a partial plate can help. Pay attention to the direction the vehicle fled and any distinguishing features like bumper stickers, damage, or custom modifications. Ask witnesses what they saw and collect their contact information. Call 911 immediately to report the incident.

Look for surveillance cameras in the area. Many businesses, traffic intersections, residential doorbell cameras, and parking garages have systems that may have captured the hit-and-run. Note their locations and share that information with the responding officer. Your lawyers can later obtain this footage through subpoenas or direct requests.

Tracking Down the Hit-and-Run Driver

Law enforcement will investigate, but police resources are stretched thin and not every hit-and-run is solved quickly. Your lawyers can supplement the investigation by retaining private investigators who canvass the area for camera footage, interview additional witnesses, and follow up on leads. Partial license plates can sometimes be traced through database searches. Body shops in the area may reveal a vehicle matching the description that came in for repairs after the crash.

If the driver is identified, you can pursue a personal injury claim against them just as you would in any other car accident. They face both criminal charges for fleeing and civil liability for your injuries. Identifying the driver opens access to their insurance coverage, which is typically the primary source of compensation.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage – Your Best Safety Net

When the hit-and-run driver is never found, your own uninsured motorist coverage becomes your primary source of recovery. Texas insurance companies are required to offer UM/UIM coverage with every auto policy. If you carry this coverage, it steps in to pay for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages — essentially providing the compensation that the at-fault driver’s insurance would have covered if they had stayed at the scene.

Filing a UM claim against your own insurer is not as simple as it sounds. Your insurance company has the same financial incentive to minimize payouts as any other insurer. They will scrutinize your claim, challenge injury severity, and try to settle for as little as possible. Having experienced car accident lawyers handle your UM claim ensures you are treated fairly and receive the full benefits your policy provides.

Personal Injury Protection Coverage

If your auto policy includes personal injury protection coverage, PIP benefits can provide additional compensation after a hit-and-run. PIP pays for medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who caused the crash, up to your policy limits. These benefits are available immediately and can help cover your initial treatment costs while your lawyers work to identify the hit-and-run driver or pursue your uninsured motorist claim.

Criminal Penalties for Hit-and-Run Drivers in Texas

Leaving the scene of an accident that caused injuries is a third-degree felony in Texas, carrying a potential sentence of two to ten years in prison and fines up to 10,000 dollars. If the crash caused a death, the charge escalates to a second-degree felony with up to twenty years in prison. While criminal prosecution does not directly compensate you, a conviction strengthens your civil case and the evidence gathered during the criminal investigation may be useful in your personal injury claim.

Carabin Shaw Helps Austin Hit-and-Run Victims Recover

A hit-and-run accident can leave you feeling powerless, but Carabin Shaw’s Austin car accident lawyers know how to fight for you. Whether the driver is ultimately identified or not, their team will pursue every available avenue of compensation on your behalf. Contact Carabin Shaw today for a free consultation and take the first step toward getting the money you need to recover.