Got hit and the driver just sped off — only have liability on my own car, now what??

I went through almost the exact same thing two years ago — hit and run, liability only, thought I was completely out of luck. The police actually tracked the driver down within a week because of the plate. Once they found him, my attorney was able to go after him directly even though he had no insurance. It's a slow painful process but don't assume it's a dead end just because insurance isn't in the picture.

Heads up: even when the at-fault driver IS found and DOES have insurance, adjusters will drag their feet on a hit-and-run claim hoping you'll just give up or accept a lowball offer. Keep every single receipt, photo, and document from day one. Don't let them tell you the footage 'isn't sufficient evidence' without pushing back hard.

A few things worth knowing — first, some states have a fund specifically for uninsured/hit-and-run victims that can cover damages even when the other driver has zero insurance. It varies a lot by state so look up '[your state] uninsured motorist fund.' Second, the police report combined with the camera footage is actually a really solid foundation. Third, be careful about doing your own skip-tracing on the address — hand that info over to the police rather than showing up yourself. Anything you do outside official channels could complicate things later.

Not legal advice, but since you have identifiable plate info and video evidence, this is actually stronger than most hit-and-run situations. Even without insurance in the picture, a judgment against the individual driver is possible — collecting on it is the harder part, but it's not nothing. Worth at least a free consult with a PI attorney before you decide this is unwinnable.

Former claims adjuster here. Liability-only policies almost never have uninsured motorist or collision coverage baked in, so your own carrier probably won't pay for your vehicle damage — that part is unfortunately likely true. BUT — and this matters — file a claim with your own insurance anyway and make them document it. Sometimes there are endorsements people forget they have, and having the claim on record protects you if the story gets more complicated later.

Are you physically okay? Seriously asking. Sometimes the adrenaline from something like this masks soreness or stiffness for 24-48 hours. If you feel any neck tension, back tightness, or headache over the next couple days, please go get checked out and make sure it's documented medically. Don't wait until it gets worse.

Three things: 1) Give the address info to the police, don't sit on it. 2) Call your insurance today not tomorrow — even if you think they can't help, get it logged. 3) Talk to a personal injury lawyer before you do anything else. Most do free consults and they'll tell you pretty quickly if it's worth pursuing. Stop spiraling and start making calls.

How confident are you that the plate you looked up actually matches the car that hit you? Online registration lookups can be outdated or just wrong. Before you go any further down the road of tracking this person, make sure the police have verified the plate from the actual footage. You don't want to be pointed at the wrong person.