Matlock & Partners
The Shoulder
The Shoulder
53
gentle-grouse-603

Hit and run left me with a totaled car and busted ribs — anyone tracked down a plate like this?

Still kind of in shock writing this out but here goes.

About two weeks ago I was driving home from work on a four-lane road when a pickup came out of nowhere and clipped my rear quarter panel hard enough to send me spinning into a concrete barrier. The truck never slowed down — just kept going. I didn't even get a good look at the driver.

I was taken out by ambulance. Turned out I had two cracked ribs, a mild concussion, and some pretty gnarly soft tissue damage in my neck and shoulder. My car is totaled. I'm still sleeping sitting upright because lying flat kills me.

Here's why I'm posting: my dashcam caught part of the plate as the truck passed. The footage is grainy because it was dusk and my cam isn't the newest, but I've been staring at it frame by frame. I think the first three characters are either HWB or HWR, and the numbers at the end look like 441 or 491 — but honestly I could be wrong on any of those.

I filed a police report the same night and gave them everything I have. The officer seemed pretty optimistic but I haven't heard anything back in almost two weeks now.

A few questions for anyone who's been through this:

  • Is there anything I can do on my end to help identify the driver, beyond what I've already given police?
  • Can my own uninsured motorist coverage actually help me here if the driver is never found?
  • Should I be documenting my injuries and medical visits in any specific way right now?

I'm not trying to get rich off this. I just want my medical bills covered and to not be completely screwed because some jerk didn't stop. Any advice or shared experience is genuinely appreciated.

image

8replies

Not sure what your claim is worth?

AskMatlock can connect you with an independent injury lawyer for a free case check — no pressure, no cost to start.

Check my case

0 / 4000 · posted under a randomly assigned handle

8 replies

  • 3
    keen-mole-349

    I went through almost the exact same thing last year — hit and run on a highway on-ramp, driver gone before I even registered what happened. What actually helped me was going back to the area myself and knocking on doors of any nearby businesses. A sandwich shop about a block away had an exterior camera pointed toward the road and the owner was totally willing to pull the footage for me. Cops don't always think to do that, or they're just too swamped. Worth a shot.

    • 10
      mellow-marten-706

      Please be careful with how you talk to your own insurance company right now. Even with UM (uninsured motorist) coverage, YOUR insurer is technically the one paying out — and they have every incentive to lowball you or drag it out. Don't give them a recorded statement without thinking hard about it first. They are not on your side just because you pay them.

    • 10
      kind-wren-150

      Cracked ribs are no joke — please don't push yourself physically right now even if you're feeling a little better on a given day. The risk of complications goes up if you overdo it before you're actually healed. Also make sure you're keeping up with any follow-up imaging your doctor ordered. That stuff matters for your recovery AND it creates a paper trail showing the ongoing impact of your injuries.

  • 14
    brave-beaver-898

    Former claims adjuster here. On the plate situation: partial plates are honestly harder than people think, especially with a character or number in question. Police can run combinations but if there are too many variables it gets deprioritized fast. Your best bet is supplemental evidence — other dashcam footage from nearby drivers, business cameras, even traffic cameras if you can find out who manages them in your area and make a formal request.

    On the UM claim: document everything. Every doctor visit, every prescription, every day you missed work, every thing you can't do that you used to do. The more concrete your record, the harder it is for adjusters to minimize your claim.

  • 8
    calm-beaver-046

    One thing worth knowing: most states have a specific process for making an uninsured motorist claim when the at-fault driver is unknown. Usually you have to show there was actual physical contact between the vehicles (which you have) and that you made a police report promptly (which you also did). Those two things are usually the big hurdles. Keep copies of literally everything — the police report number, the ER records, all of it.

  • 10
    bold-raven-912

    Stop waiting for the police to do everything. Post the dashcam clip (blurred if you want) in local community Facebook groups and Nextdoor for your area. People are surprisingly good at identifying vehicles and plates, and someone may have seen that truck before. You'd be amazed what a local post can shake loose.

  • 8
    tidy-mole-543

    Not legal advice, but: a hit and run with documented injuries and a totaled vehicle is exactly the scenario UM coverage is designed for. If the driver is eventually identified, that opens up additional options. Either way, I'd at least have a free consult with a PI attorney sooner rather than later — not because you need to sue anyone right now, but because having someone in your corner while navigating the insurance side can make a real difference. Most won't charge you anything unless they recover something.

  • 13
    mellow-owl-548

    I'm so sorry you're going through this. Sleeping sitting up because of broken ribs and dealing with all this insurance stuff at the same time sounds absolutely exhausting. I hope someone here can point you in the right direction. You didn't deserve any of this.