Hit and run on my street — driver fled before I could get plates, anyone dealt with this?

I went through almost exactly this two years ago — driver ran a stop sign, hit me, vanished. The uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on my own policy ended up being what saved me. It covered my car repairs and my medical bills after they determined the other driver couldn't be identified. Definitely call your insurer and specifically ask them about your UM coverage limits. Don't let them brush past it.

Please go get checked out, even if the pain feels manageable. Soft tissue injuries from impacts — especially whiplash-type stuff — can feel like a 3 out of 10 the first couple days and then flare to a 8 out of 10 a week later once the adrenaline wears off and inflammation really sets in. Getting documented early also matters if this ever becomes a claim. Don't wait until you "really" hurt.

When you talk to your own insurance company, be careful. Even when you're the victim of a hit and run making a UM claim against your own policy, adjusters are still looking for reasons to minimize the payout. Don't give a recorded statement without understanding what you're agreeing to. Be factual, keep it short, and don't speculate about anything.

For the UM claim to work in a hit and run scenario, most policies require what's called 'independent corroboration' that there actually was another vehicle involved — meaning the police report, the witness, and ideally that camera footage are all really valuable. Keep copies of everything. The witness's contact info especially. If your insurer tries to deny because the other driver was never found, that corroboration is your counter. I've seen claims approved and denied on exactly that distinction.

The partial plate plus a witness video is actually more useful than you might think — not necessarily to investigators catching the driver, but as documentation supporting your UM claim. Also worth noting: most states have a deadline for reporting a hit and run to qualify for UM coverage, usually pretty short, so make sure you've already notified your insurer in writing. And yes, keep that neighbor's doorbell cam footage if they'll share it — preserve everything now before it gets overwritten.

Three things, in order: doctor today, police report copy in your hands, call your insurance to open the UM claim. Do all three before the week is out. Everything else — the plate search, the cameras — that's background work. Your health and your claim paperwork come first.

Not legal advice, but worth knowing: hit-and-run UM claims can get complicated depending on your state's specific rules around physical contact requirements and corroboration standards. If your insurer gives you any pushback on the claim, a quick free consultation with a PI attorney who handles UM cases is worth it — many will tell you in 20 minutes whether you have a fight on your hands. Don't just accept a denial.