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A driver hit you and took off. Now you're hurt, your car is damaged, and no one is standing there to take responsibility. A hit-and-run does not end your case. If you're looking for a Phoenix hit and run accident lawyer, Kent Law represents drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists hit by drivers who fled. This page covers what to do right away, how Arizona law and your own insurance may help, and how we build these cases. For the bigger picture, see our Phoenix car accident lawyer page. Call (480) 359-KENT today for a free case review.
What to do after a hit-and-run in Phoenix
- Get safe and call 911. Move out of traffic if you can. Call 911 and ask for police and medical help. Do not chase the driver. Chasing puts you and others at risk, and your case does not depend on catching them.
- Write down everything you remember, right now. Memory fades fast after a crash. Note the license plate, even a partial plate. Note the make, model, and color, any damage to their vehicle, the direction they went, and what the driver looked like. Type it into your phone or text it to yourself.
- Photograph the scene. Take pictures of your vehicle, the road, debris, broken parts, and any paint transfer on your car. A piece of trim or a paint scrape can help identify the car that hit you.
- Find witnesses. Ask anyone who stopped what they saw. Get names and phone numbers. Other drivers may have caught the crash on a dash camera.
- Look for cameras. Nearby businesses, doorbell cameras on homes, and traffic cameras may have recorded the crash or the fleeing car. Footage can be recorded over, so time matters. Note where you see cameras and tell us. We move fast to request the footage.
- Get medical care the same day. Go to the ER, urgent care, or your doctor, even if you feel okay. Some injuries don't show symptoms right away. Same-day records also tie your injuries to the crash.
- Get the police report and report number. In Phoenix, Phoenix Police generally handle crashes on city streets. Arizona DPS generally handles state highways and freeways. Ask the officer for the report number before you leave. If police did not come to the scene, report the crash to police right away.
- Notify your own insurance company promptly. Your policy may set its own notice and reporting requirements. Waiting can cause problems with your coverage. Report the crash, but call us before you give a recorded statement.
Arizona laws that affect your claim
Drivers must stop. Arizona law requires a driver in a crash that injures or kills someone to stop, give their information, and help (A.R.S. §§ 28-661 and 28-663). Leaving the scene is a crime.
The criminal case is separate from your injury claim. The criminal case is about punishing the driver. Your injury claim is about paying for your medical bills, lost income, and pain. You don't have to wait for police to find the driver to start your claim.
If police find the driver. Your claim goes against that driver's insurance. If the driver has no insurance or not enough, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may apply. That risk is real. The Insurance Research Council estimated that 10.6% of Arizona drivers were uninsured in 2023 (Insurance Research Council, via the Insurance Information Institute).
If the driver is never found. Your own uninsured motorist coverage may still pay. Arizona insurers must offer UM and UIM coverage in writing, but drivers can decline it (A.R.S. § 20-259.01(A)–(B)). Check the declarations page of your auto policy to see what you have. If you were a passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist, you may also have UM coverage through your own policy or a household policy.
Physical contact matters. Sometimes the other vehicle never touches you. For example, a driver runs you off the road. In that case, Arizona law requires you to provide corroboration that the unidentified vehicle caused the crash (A.R.S. § 20-259.01(M)). Corroboration means additional evidence that backs up your account, such as a witness or video. That makes witnesses and video even more important.
Your own insurer is still an insurance company. A UM claim is a claim against your own insurance company. It still has adjusters working to pay as little as possible. Your policy may require you to cooperate with your insurer, and we help you handle that the right way. Call us before you give a recorded statement to any insurer, including your own.
Filing deadlines. Most Arizona injury lawsuits must generally be filed within 2 years (A.R.S. § 12-542). Claims against the government work differently. Say the fleeing vehicle turns out to be a city vehicle, or a government employee was driving on the job. A notice of claim is generally required within 180 days (A.R.S. § 12-821.01), and the lawsuit must generally be filed within 1 year (A.R.S. § 12-821). UM claims may also have deadlines set by your policy. Call early so no deadline slips by.
Common types of hit-and-run accident cases
Hit-and-runs are common in Arizona. In 2024, there were 16,136 hit-and-run crashes statewide, about 13.3% of all crashes. Those crashes killed 86 people and injured 4,202 (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, Table 5-3). Across all 121,107 crashes that year, 1,228 people were killed and 54,426 were injured (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, Table 1-1).
These crashes happen on city streets and at intersections across Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, and the East Valley. Most of our crash cases come from those same kinds of streets and intersections. Common situations include:
- Intersection crashes. A driver runs a red light or turns left into you, then speeds away.
- Pedestrians and cyclists hit. A driver strikes someone in a crosswalk or bike lane and keeps going. Learn more on our pedestrian accident page.
- Rear-end and sideswipe crashes. A driver hits you from behind or clips you while changing lanes, then leaves.
- Run off the road with no contact. A driver forces you off the road or into another object and never touches your car. These cases depend on corroboration, such as a witness or video.
- Drivers found later. Police later identify the driver from a plate, video, or vehicle damage. The claim then moves to that driver's insurance.
We represent injured people in Tempe and Chandler from our Phoenix office.
Evidence and damages
Evidence we gather
- The police report, report number, and updates on the investigation
- Video from businesses, doorbell cameras, traffic cameras, and dash cameras
- Witness names and statements
- Vehicle debris, broken parts, and paint transfer
- Photos of the scene, your vehicle, and your injuries
- Your medical records
- Your auto policy and declarations page
- Analysis from crash reconstruction experts and other expert witnesses when the case needs it
Damages you may be able to recover
What's available depends on who is responsible and what coverage applies. You may be able to recover:
- Medical bills
- Future care
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
How Kent Law handles hit-and-run accident cases
A hit-and-run case starts with a hunt. The evidence that identifies a driver can disappear fast, so we move quickly.
- We canvass for video and witnesses. We look for business cameras, doorbell cameras, traffic cameras, and dash cameras, and we track down people who saw the crash.
- We work with police. We follow the investigation, get the report, and pass along what we find that may help identify the driver.
- We study the physical evidence. Vehicle debris, broken parts, and paint transfer can point to the kind of car that hit you.
- We bring in experts when the case needs them. We hire crash reconstruction experts and other expert witnesses to show how the crash happened.
We take the fight to the insurance company, whether it's the driver's insurer or your own. We don't back down, and we fight for every penny of compensation you deserve.
Kent Law recovers millions of dollars for injured clients every year. We have handled thousands of injury cases. We handle negotiated settlements, mediation, arbitration and trial. We take on denied and stalled claims, including cases already at the litigation stage. Some insurance adjusters and defense attorneys have hired Kent Law for their own injury cases.
Adam C. Kent, our founding partner, started his career as a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. He has practiced in Arizona since 2006 and founded Kent Law in 2011. Jonathan Henry, our managing attorney, brings extensive trial experience to cases that need to go to court.
Where your case is filed depends on court rules and the facts, such as where the crash happened and where the parties live. Phoenix-area and East Valley cases are usually filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, and we regularly file in Pima and Pinal counties too.
We have one office, in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix, and we serve the East Valley from there. We usually meet at our office. If you can't get here, we can come to you at the hospital or at home, or meet by phone or video.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What it costs
We handle hit-and-run cases on a contingency fee. No fee unless we win. Your case review is free, and we explain the written fee agreement before you sign anything.
Talk with a Phoenix hit-and-run accident lawyer
The driver who hit you ran. You don't have to handle what comes next alone. Call Kent Law at (480) 359-KENT so we can start looking for video and witnesses while the evidence is still out there. Free case review. No fee unless we win.
Se habla español. Interpretation is always available.
Frequently asked questions
What if the hit-and-run driver is never found?
Your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage may still pay for your injuries. Arizona insurers must offer UM coverage in writing, but drivers can decline it, so check your declarations page. Passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists may also have UM coverage through their own policy or a household policy. If no vehicle touched you, Arizona law requires corroboration, such as a witness or video. Call us early so we can review your coverage.
Do I need a lawyer for a hit-and-run accident?
You are not required to hire one, but hit-and-run claims have extra steps. Someone has to hunt for video before it is recorded over, track down witnesses, work with police, and deal with insurers, often including your own. Your insurer has adjusters working to pay as little as possible. We handle all of it while you focus on healing. The case review is free, and there is no fee unless we win.
Should I give a recorded statement to my own insurance company?
Call us before you give a recorded statement to any insurer, including your own. Your policy may require you to cooperate with your insurance company, and we can explain how to do that. A UM claim is a claim against your own insurer, and it may still try to pay as little as possible. If you hire us, we prepare you so your statement is clear and complete before it goes on the record.
What if the other car never actually hit me?
You may still have a claim. If a driver ran you off the road and never made contact, Arizona law requires corroboration that the unidentified vehicle caused the crash. That means additional evidence that backs up your account, such as a witness or video. Get witness names and look for cameras right away. Footage can be recorded over, so call us quickly and we will start looking.
How long do I have to file a hit-and-run claim in Arizona?
Most Arizona injury lawsuits must generally be filed within 2 years. If a public entity or employee is involved, such as a city vehicle or a government employee driving on the job, a notice of claim is generally required within 180 days, and the lawsuit must generally be filed within 1 year. Your UM policy may also set its own deadlines. Call early so none of them slip by.
How much does a hit-and-run lawyer cost?
We work on a contingency fee. No fee unless we win. Your case review is free. Before you sign anything, we explain the written fee agreement in plain language and answer your questions, so you know exactly how our fee works before we start on your case.
Do you handle hit-and-run cases in Tempe and Chandler?
Yes. We represent people hurt in hit-and-runs in Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and across Phoenix. We serve these cities from our one office in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix. We usually meet at our office. If you can't get here, we can come to you at the hospital or at home, or meet by phone or video.
Sources
This page is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different.