Victim of a Hit-and-Run in Columbus?

If you’ve been hit by a driver who fled the scene, call 911 right away. Report the hit-and-run and request both police and EMS if anyone is injured. Time is critical — every minute that passes makes it harder for law enforcement to locate the fleeing driver.

Leaving the scene of an accident involving injury is a felony in Ohio under Ohio Rev. Code § 4549.02. Law enforcement will prioritize locating the driver, especially if there are injuries.

While the details are fresh, write down or voice-record everything you remember about the vehicle that hit you: make, model, color, body style (sedan, SUV, truck), any partial license plate numbers or letters, the direction the vehicle fled, any visible damage to the vehicle, and any details about the driver (if you caught a glimpse).

Ask bystanders and witnesses what they saw. Someone may have gotten a better look at the vehicle or the plate. Get witnesses’ names and phone numbers — their testimony is invaluable in a hit-and-run investigation.

Use your phone to photograph everything: damage to your vehicle (or your injuries if you were a pedestrian or cyclist), debris left behind by the fleeing vehicle (broken headlight glass, paint transfer, mirror fragments), the road, intersection, and traffic signals, skid marks and the point of impact, and your injuries.

Debris and paint transfer are especially important in hit-and-run cases. Forensic analysis of paint chips can help identify the make, model, and year of the vehicle that hit you.

Look around for surveillance cameras — nearby businesses, traffic cameras, residential doorbell cameras (Ring, Nest), and dash cameras from other vehicles may have captured the incident. Note the locations of any cameras you see and tell the police about them.

Make sure a police report is filed. If officers responded to the scene, they’ll create one automatically. If not, file one immediately with the Columbus Division of Police at columbus.gov or contact them at (614) 645-4545. Provide every detail you have about the fleeing vehicle.

A police report is essential for two reasons: it initiates the criminal investigation to find the driver, and it provides the official documentation you need for your insurance claim. Without a police report, your insurance company may deny your claim.

Crash reports are submitted to the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) and can be retrieved through their online portal.

Adrenaline and shock can mask injuries for hours or days after an accident. See a doctor within 24 hours. Whiplash, concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue injuries are common in hit-and-run crashes.

In Columbus, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center (Level I trauma center), The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, and Mount Carmel Health System all provide emergency care. Document every medical visit, diagnosis, treatment, and expense.

Here’s the critical point in a hit-and-run case: when the at-fault driver is unidentified, your own insurance becomes your primary source of compensation.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM): This is the most important coverage you can have in a hit-and-run situation. UM/UIM pays for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering when the at-fault driver is uninsured or unidentified. Ohio requires insurance companies to offer UM/UIM coverage, though drivers can reject it in writing.

Collision coverage covers the physical damage to your vehicle, minus your deductible. Medical payments coverage (MedPay), if you carry it, covers your medical expenses regardless of fault, up to your policy limits.

Report the hit-and-run to your insurer promptly. Provide the police report number and all documentation you’ve gathered.

Under Ohio Rev. Code § 2305.10, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the hit-and-run driver is identified, you can file a claim against them and their insurance. If they’re never identified, your UM/UIM claim is your path to compensation.

Even with unidentified drivers, the two-year deadline applies to pursuing your UM/UIM claim through legal action if your insurance company doesn’t pay fairly.

Hit-and-run cases are more complex than standard accidents because the at-fault driver may be unidentified, you’re often filing against your own insurance company (UM/UIM), and insurance companies may try to minimize or deny the claim.

An experienced attorney can help law enforcement locate the driver (through private investigators, subpoenas for camera footage, and forensic evidence), maximize your UM/UIM claim if the driver isn’t found, handle all communication with your insurance company, and fight for full compensation.

Most personal injury attorneys handle hit-and-run cases on contingency — no upfront cost, and you pay nothing unless they recover compensation for you.