Hit and Run

After you have exhausted your car insurance coverage, you might be able to file a claim for damages under a special law called The Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Act. This law, specific to New York, provides compensation to uninsured victims of a hit and run accident and other similar car accidents where the at-fault driver’s insurance or identity is unavailable.

The Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation (MVAIC) protects victims of hit and run accident, people who do not carry insurance, and people who do not own or regularly operate a vehicle are unlikely to carry motor vehicle insurance. To recover compensation under the Act, you will file a claim with the MVAIC.

Note: It is ill advised to handle a MVAIC claim alone; they are notoriously complicated. Call Hit and Run Attorney of The Rybak Firm, PLLC., for help.

Another caveat to recovering damages with the MVAIC is that you meet the requirements of their definition of a car accident. According to New York’s Insurance Law § 5217, to qualify for benefits, you must have experienced physical contact between the at-fault vehicle and your body or the vehicle you were riding in at the time of the crash. Proving the hit and run vehicle actually struck you will require evidence such as:

• Video footage of the accident
• Assessment of physical damage to you or a vehicle
• Medical records
• Witness statements
• Police reports

Under the MVAIC, you can collect $25,000 per individual injured person and $50,000 per accident.