Long Island Hit and Run Accident Attorney

Helping Victims of Hit and Run Crashes Across Nassau and Suffolk Counties

Injured in a Hit and Run Accident on Long Island? A hit and run accident can leave victims feeling shocked, confused, and uncertain about what just happened and what to do next. In many cases, the driver responsible for the crash disappears within seconds, leaving injured people at the scene without answers. Unfortunately, these incidents occur every day on Long Island, from busy roads like Sunrise Highway and Jericho Turnpike to parkways such as the Northern State Parkway and Meadowbrook Parkway.

For injured victims, the first concern is medical treatment and safety. But very quickly, another question arises. What happens when the driver who caused the crash cannot be found? Many people assume that if the driver fled the scene, they have no legal options. That is not true. Even when the at fault driver is unknown, there are still ways to pursue financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

At Palermo Law, we represent individuals across Nassau and Suffolk Counties who have been injured in serious accidents, including hit and run crashes. For more than twenty-five years, our firm has focused on helping injured people move forward after life changing accidents. We understand how overwhelming the aftermath of an accident can feel, particularly when the person responsible disappears.

Our role is to step in quickly, begin investigating the incident, preserve critical evidence, and help injured clients understand their legal options. Hit and run cases often involve time sensitive evidence such as surveillance footage, witness accounts, and physical vehicle debris that can disappear quickly if it is not recovered and saved.

Hit and run accidents are a form of motor vehicle negligence. For a broader overview of how vehicle accident claims such as hit and runs are handled on Long Island, you can visit our Long Island car accident lawyer page.

These accidents can occur in many situations across Long Island. Pedestrians may be struck while crossing a roadway. Bicyclists can be hit by vehicles that fail to stop. Drivers may return to a parked car on roads like Middle Country Road or Montauk Highway and discover it was struck by a vehicle that left the scene. Regardless of how the crash occurs, victims are often left facing medical bills, lost income, and uncertainty about how the situation will be resolved.

While a driver fleeing the scene can complicate a case, it does not mean that compensation is impossible. Acting quickly after the accident can make a real difference in preserving the evidence needed to build a strong claim.

What Is Considered a Hit and Run Accident in New York?

Under New York law, a hit and run accident occurs when a driver involved in a collision leaves the scene without stopping to provide identification and contact information or without reporting the accident when required. The only acceptable excuse to leave the scene is if a person fears for their safety.

Drivers involved in an accident are required to stop and exchange information with other parties involved. This includes providing their name, address, driver’s license information, and insurance details. When a driver leaves the scene without doing so, they may face serious criminal penalties under Vehicle and Traffic Law §600.

Hit and run accidents can involve many different types of situations, including:

• Vehicle collisions where one driver flees the scene
• Pedestrians struck by a vehicle that does not stop
• Bicyclists hit by passing vehicles
• Parked vehicles struck by a driver who leaves without leaving information
• Property damage accidents where the driver fails to report the incident

Regardless of the type of crash, leaving the scene can complicate the process of identifying the responsible party. But it’s not impossible. Often there are surveillance videos or witnesses to help locate the fleeing driver.

Why Hit and Run Accidents Are So Serious

When a driver leaves the scene of an accident, injured victims are often left without immediate assistance or information about the person responsible. This can delay emergency response, medical treatment, and the investigation of the crash.

Hit and run cases present challenges that other motor vehicle accidents do not. When the at-fault driver remains at the scene, their insurance information is exchanged immediately. In a hit and run, that information is missing. Victims are left without a clear path to the responsible party’s insurer, which means the burden of identifying coverage and pursuing compensation falls almost entirely on the injured person and their attorney.

There are many reasons drivers choose to flee the scene of an accident. In many cases the driver may be intoxicated, driving with a suspended license, operating an uninsured vehicle, or attempting to avoid legal consequences.

Unfortunately, busy roadways across Long Island create situations where drivers believe they can escape without getting in trouble. Roads like Hempstead Turnpike, Middle Country Road, and Montauk Highway have large amounts of traffic every day. When accidents occur in these areas, drivers sometimes flee before they can be identified.

For injured victims, the result is often frustration and uncertainty. However, a driver leaving the scene does not necessarily prevent an injured person from pursuing compensation. With prompt action and a thorough investigation, it may still be possible to identify the responsible vehicle, access available insurance coverage, and build a claim that reflects the full impact of the injuries.

How Hit and Run Accident Investigations Work

Investigating a hit and run accident requires quick action and careful collection of evidence. The sooner an investigation begins, the better the chance of identifying the vehicle and person involved in the crash.

Law enforcement often begins the investigation immediately after a report is filed. Police may collect witness statements, review nearby traffic cameras, and examine the accident scene for evidence. But the police will only do so much. An attorney will usually dig deeper

In addition to the police investigation, additional sources of evidence may help identify the fleeing driver. These can include:

• Security cameras from nearby businesses
• Residential doorbell cameras
• Traffic cameras at nearby intersections
• Dash camera footage from other vehicles
• Eyewitness accounts
• Debris left behind by the striking vehicle
• Paint transfer on damaged vehicles
• Accident reconstruction analysis

In many cases, surveillance footage from nearby buildings can provide valuable information about the vehicle involved. However, this footage is often erased within days. That is why acting quickly after a hit and run accident can be critical.

What To Do After a Hit and Run Accident

The things you do after a hit and run accident can significantly affect both safety and the strength of a potential claim.

How Compensation Works After a Hit and Run Accident

Even when the driver responsible for a crash cannot be identified, injured victims may still have access to insurance coverage. Understanding which coverages apply, and how to access them, is one of the most important steps in a hit and run case.

New York law provides certain insurance protections that may apply in hit and run cases. These can include coverage through the injured person’s own automobile policy or benefits available through New York’s no fault insurance system. No-fault benefits typically cover medical expenses and a portion of lost wages up to the policy limits of $2,000 per month, regardless of who caused the accident. When injuries meet New York’s serious injury threshold, additional compensation for pain and suffering may be available through a UM claim or, if the driver is identified, a personal injury lawsuit.

These claims involve specific notice requirements and deadlines, so it is important to act quickly after the accident.

You can learn more about these insurance protections by visiting our pages on:

• Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
• New York No Fault Insurance Benefits

Each situation is different, and the type of coverage available often depends on the circumstances of the accident and the policies involved.

Time Limits for Hit and Run Claims in New York

Hit and run cases involve multiple deadlines depending on the type of claim being pursued. Missing any of these deadlines can significantly affect or eliminate the right to recover compensation.

90 Days: Notice to Your Insurer

When a hit and run driver cannot be identified, injured victims typically pursue a claim under their own uninsured motorist coverage. New York’s SUM endorsement requires written notice of the claim to be provided to the insurer within 90 days of the accident under Insurance Law §3420. Failing to provide timely notice can result in a denial of coverage, regardless of how serious the injuries are.

3 Years: Personal Injury Lawsuit If the Driver Is Identified

If the driver responsible for the hit and run is later identified, the injured person may bring a personal injury lawsuit directly against that driver. New York’s standard personal injury statute of limitations under CPLR §214 allows three years from the date of the accident to file suit. If a government vehicle was involved, a notice of claim must be filed within 90 days.

6 Years: UM Arbitration or Lawsuit Against Your Insurer

Because a UM claim is a first-party contract claim against your own insurer rather than an injury claim against the at-fault driver, it is governed by the six-year contract statute of limitations under CPLR §213. This applies to formally commencing arbitration or litigation against the insurer to resolve the UM claim. However, because the 90-day notice requirement must be met first, acting early remains essential regardless of the longer filing window.

Your Hit & Run Legal Path

Common Injuries in Hit and Run Accidents

Hit and run accidents often cause serious injuries because the striking vehicle may hit victims at full speed before fleeing the scene.

Common injuries may include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Fractures and broken bones
• Internal injuries
• Facial injuries
• Soft tissue injuries such as ligament and muscle damage

Pedestrians and bicyclists are especially vulnerable in hit and run crashes because they lack the protection of a vehicle.

These injuries can lead to extensive medical treatment, lost income, and long-term physical limitations.

Why Acting Quickly After a Hit and Run Accident Matters

Evidence in hit and run cases can disappear quickly if it is not preserved. Surveillance cameras may overwrite footage within 24 to 72 hours. Witnesses may become difficult to locate, and physical evidence at the scene can be lost or removed before investigators have a chance to document it.

Vehicles involved in hit and run accidents may also be repaired quickly, making it harder to connect them to the crash. Paint transfer, structural damage, and other identifying characteristics can be eliminated within days of the incident. An attorney can send preservation letters to businesses and municipalities requesting that surveillance footage and related records be retained before they are overwritten or deleted.

Taking action early allows investigators to locate surveillance footage, identify witnesses, and gather the physical evidence needed to understand how the accident occurred. It also ensures that insurance notice requirements are met within applicable deadlines, a step that can determine whether a UM claim proceeds or is denied entirely.

How Palermo Law Helps Hit and Run Accident Victims

At Palermo Law, our approach begins with a detailed investigation of the accident and the circumstances surrounding it.

We meet with clients to gather a full account of what happened and begin identifying potential sources of evidence. In many cases we work to obtain photographs of the accident location, locate surveillance footage, speak with witnesses, and gather police reports and other documentation.

Our goal is to build a strong foundation for the case before evidence becomes hard to find or disappears altogether. Every case at Palermo Law is guided by three core principles.

Maximize Financial Recovery

Hit and run cases require thorough investigation and careful preparation to find all available sources of compensation. We build every case as if it may go to trial, gathering the evidence and documentation needed to support the full value of the claim.

Reduce Stress for Our Clients

We handle the investigation, insurance forms, and communications with insurers so clients can focus on their recovery. Many people injured in hit and run accidents feel overwhelmed navigating the claims process without information about the responsible driver. We step in to manage that process and keep clients informed at every stage.

Move Cases Forward Efficiently

Our structured approach ensures cases move toward resolution without unnecessary delay. From the initial investigation through the claims process and any required litigation, we work to keep things progressing, so clients are not left waiting without answers.

Reviewed by

Steven Palermo Esq.

Senior Partner, Palermo Law, P.L.L.C.

Steven Palermo is a Long Island personal injury attorney with more than 25 years of experience representing injured victims in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. He is admitted to the New York State Bar and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.