Mike Hancock is the founder of Hancock Injury Attorneys, a former insurance defense attorney, and an AV-Preeminent–rated lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, with over 35 years of experience practicing personal injury law.
A hit-and-run accident in Florida can leave you dealing with serious injuries, unexpected expenses, and uncertainty about what to do next.
When a driver leaves the scene of a crash, the consequence for that driver who fled the scene can be severe, particularly when the other person involved in the hit-and-run accident in Florida person suffers serious injuries.
Drivers who flee the scene after a car crash are subject to serious criminal penalties, especially if the accident causes severe injuries to another motorist or pedestrian.
If you’re the victim of a hit-and-run accident in Florida, taking the right steps after the crash can be critical to protecting your health and preserving important evidence. These four steps detailed below may also support your ability to pursue maximum compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, property damage, and other losses resulting from the accident.
Video Transcript:
Kaimonne D. shares his experience as a client of Hancock Injury Attorneys after a car accident and personal injury claim:
My name is Kaimonne D. and I'm a client of Hancock Injury Attorneys Law Firm. Hancock Injury Attorneys Law Firm did a fantastic job from the accident to seeking medical help. They basically made me feel like they care about me more than just the money. If I was y'all I would go with Hancock Injury Law Firm. I highly recommend it if you're involved in an accident, a car accident or any kind of accident, go with Hancock Injury Law Firm.
four Steps to Take after a hit-and-run accident in Florida
A hit-and-run accident in Florida is not uncommon. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), as of June 2025, Florida recorded 97,902 hit-and-run crashes in 2024. Those crashes involved 246 fatalities. As a result, 7.73 percent of the hit and run crashes involved a fatal hit-and-run accident in Florida in 2024.
Nationwide, hit-and-run accidents have increased over the years, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS). The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's research brief states that crashes in which a driver left the scene ("hit-and-run" crashes) were examined using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In its most recent research, the AAFTS found that there were 919,292 hit-and-run crashes in the United States in 2023, accounting for 15 percent of all crashes in that year.
The AAFTS's research also found that in 2023 hit-and-run crashes resulted in 242,886 injuries and 2,872 fatalities that year. As a result, 9.9 percent of all the hit and run crashes in the United States in 2023 involved injuries and 7 percent of all the hit and run crashes in the United States in 2023 were fatal.
These statewide and nationwide statistics provide insight into the likelihood of a hit-and-run accident in Florida and nationwide. The nearly 98,000 hit-and-run crashes reported in Florida in 2024 and the more than 919,000 reported nationwide in 2023 show how frequently these collisions occur.
For anyone involved in a hit-and-run accident in Florida, knowing what to do immediately after the crash is extremely beneficial. Here are four essential steps you can take if you have been injured in a hit-and-run accident in Florida.
1. Contact Emergency Personnel
Say someone rear-ends your car and immediately drives off. If another driver rear-ends your car and immediately drives off, you should always immediately call 911 to report the crash, even if your vehicle appears to only have minor damage. Also, even if you don't appear to have serious injuries after a hit-and-run accident in Florida, you should always immediately call 911 after the crash to report the accident.
Police will respond and file a report that comes in handy for hit-and-run crash claims in Florida. It’s also wise to receive immediate medical treatment so you can seek compensation for crash-related injuries.
Following your call to 911 after a hit-and-run accident in Florida, the police or law enforcement will be able to help you by documenting the crash, investigating the circumstances around the accident, and filing a police report. That police report after a hit-and-run accident in Florida often comes in handy in maximizing your hit-and-run crash claim in Tampa. The police report may provide important documentation for an insurance claim.
In addition to immediately contacting law enforcement, it is also wise to immediately seek medical treatment after a hit-and-run accident in Florida. Receiving prompt medical treatment after a hit-and-run accident in Florida, and more generally any car accident, is important even if your injuries seem minor. Prompt medical care is important for your health and for preserving your legal case. Having
2. Gather Important Evidence
After an hit-and-run accident in Florida with an unknown driver, the extent of legal help depends on the details you’re able to provide to the police.
If there was anyone involved in the hit-and-run accident in Florida in addition to the driver who fled the scene, collect the contact and insurance information from all other parties involved in the accident.
If the hit-and-run accident in Florida only involved you and another driver, try to remember as much as you can about the vehicle that hit you, including:
● The vehicle's color
● The make and model
● The approximate year or type of vehicle
● The direction the vehicle was traveling
● The number of passengers that were inside the vehicle
● The license plate number or any information about a portion of a license plate that you saw
● Any distinguishing features of the vehicle, such as bumper stickers, dents, or other damage
After a hit-and-run accident in Florida, documenting this information immediately after the accident and providing the information to law enforcement as soon as possible may help with the investigation. Even seemingly minor details like bumper stickers can help law enforcement officers identify the at-fault driver who left the scene.
3. Find Nearby Witnesses and potential video evidence
After a hit-and-run accident in Florida, look around the scene for people who may have witnessed the crash. Perhaps the accident happened in a residential area, and a property owner came to help you after the collision. Get the name and contact information of every nearby witness so they can provide their accounts of the incident to law enforcement officials, which can help identify the vehicle that fled. This information will also be valuable for your attorney.
You should also take note of your surroundings after a hit-and-run accident in Florida to consider whether nearby businesses, homes, traffic signals, or other locations nearby may have cameras that captured the incident.
For example, what if your vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run accident in Florida near a convenience store? A security camera might very well have captured the incident.
After a hit-and-run accident in Florida, identifying potential witnesses and preserving available video footage may impact your claim.
4. Document the Damage and any injuries
After a hit-and-run accident in Florida, document as much as you can about the scene and the damage, provided it is safe to do so. Take photographs of your vehicle from different angles and do your best to get clear image of any damage to the inside and/or outside of your vehicle. Photograph any visible injuries you sustained, including any bruising, swelling, cuts, scrapes, bleedings, broken bones, etc.
Also, keep an impeccable record of the expenses and any losses resulting from the hit-and run accident in Florida. Expenses often include medical bills, medical treatment records, prescription costs, lost wages, vehicle repair estimates, vehicle repair costs, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Maintaining those records may help establish the economic impact of the hit-and-run accident in Florida.
Also, documenting your injuries and losses after a hit-and-run accident in Florida is important because motorist and pedestrian hit-and-run attorneys rely on quantifiable losses when negotiating for fair settlements.
After a Hit-and-Run Accident in Florida, Legal Representation Is Essential
Following a hit-and-run accident in Florida, once the other vehicle has fled the scene, legal support might not seem possible. How can you hold someone accountable for their actions if you can’t identify them? Thankfully, experienced attorneys know how to navigate the complexities of these cases.
Your lawyer will review your options for pursuing an insurance payout, including:
● Claiming personal injury protection coverage
● Inquiring about uninsured motorist coverage
● Proving comparative negligence of less than 50%
Unless you can identify the at-fault driver, you’ll have to make a claim with your auto insurance company. Trust your lawyer to negotiate with them and advocate for you to receive a fair payout.
If local police track down the liable driver before you accept a settlement, you can file a personal injury suit against them. This means that their insurance company would be responsible for compensating you for your medical expenses, property damage, and pain and suffering.
Talk with an experienced Florida Hit and Run Attorney Today
If you’re involved in a hit-and-run accident in Florida, lawyers at our firm will speak directly with you about your specific circumstances and can discuss your legal options.
Contact us at 813-915-1110 to schedule a free consultation.