Hit-and-run driver took off — I have a piece of their car. What do I do now?

This happened to me about two years ago — different situation but same gut-punch feeling of watching someone drive away after wrecking your car. The debris thing actually helped in my case. The police were able to cross-reference the part with a manufacturer code and narrow down the vehicle year and trim. Definitely make sure the cops actually logged the debris as evidence and didn't just note it in the report. Follow up with the report number and ask specifically.

Get ready for your own insurance company to give you the runaround on the uninsured motorist claim. Even though you pay for that coverage, some adjusters will drag their feet hoping you'll accept less or get frustrated and drop it. Document every single call — date, time, who you spoke to, what they said. Don't just rely on their notes.

Former adjuster here. UM (uninsured motorist) coverage is exactly what's designed for hit-and-runs, but most policies require you to actually report it to police within a certain window — which it sounds like you did, so you're good there. The physical contact requirement is also a thing in some states — meaning you need proof the other car actually made contact with yours (not just a phantom vehicle that ran you off the road). Debris from their car sitting next to yours? That's pretty solid contact evidence. Hold onto everything.

On your social media question — posting to find witnesses is generally fine and can actually turn up dashcam footage from bystanders, which is gold. Just keep it factual: what happened, general time and location, asking if anyone saw anything or has footage. Don't editorialize or speculate about the other driver publicly. And yes, save any responses you get, even DMs.

Please don't skip that appointment tomorrow even if you wake up feeling okay. Neck and shoulder injuries from that kind of lateral impact can feel manageable for the first 24-48 hours and then get significantly worse once inflammation sets in. Make sure you tell them exactly how the crash happened — the rotational force matters for how they evaluate you. And get everything documented in writing.

Three things: 1) Follow up with the police department in 5-7 days — ask if the debris led anywhere and whether any traffic cameras in that area were checked. 2) Go back to the scene in daylight and look for businesses with exterior cameras that might have caught it — a lot of places don't proactively give footage to police but will hand it over if you ask nicely and quickly (most overwrite within days). 3) File with your UM coverage now, don't wait.

Honestly just glad you're okay enough to be posting this. Getting hit and then just abandoned like that is so violating on top of everything else. I really hope the debris leads somewhere. Make sure you're not alone at that doctor's appointment if you can help it — it's nice to have someone who can help you remember everything they say.

Not legal advice, but one thing worth knowing: if the hit-and-run driver is eventually identified — even weeks later — your options can expand significantly beyond just a UM claim. That piece of their car is actually meaningful physical evidence in that scenario. Keep it somewhere safe, not just photos of it. And if your injuries turn out to be more than minor, it might be worth a free consult with a PI attorney before you settle anything with your own insurer.