Colorado Springs Hit And Run Accident Lawyers

The other driver left. You are standing there with a damaged car, maybe bleeding, maybe in shock. No license plate. No contact information. No idea what to do next.

You might be thinking this is it — the driver is gone, and so is any chance of compensation. But that is not how this works. You have options you probably do not know about yet, and they exist for exactly this situation.

Hit and run accidents in Colorado Springs happen more often than most people realize. Someone runs a red light at Academy and Platte, T-bones your car, then speeds off before you can even process what happened. Or you are parked outside King Soopers on Powers and come back to find your vehicle crushed, no note, no driver in sight.

The law does not leave you stranded just because the other driver chose to run. You may have coverage you already paid for but did not know existed. And if there is any chance to identify the driver — through traffic cameras, witness statements, or forensic evidence — it is worth pursuing.

McCormick & Murphy represents clients across Colorado Springs who were hit by drivers who fled. Kirk McCormick and Jay Murphy know how to work these cases when evidence is limited and your own insurance company tries to lowball your claim or deny it outright.

What Makes Hit and Run Cases Different

In a typical car accident, you exchange information with the other driver. You file a claim against their insurance. It is straightforward, even if it is frustrating.

A hit and run flips that process. There is no other driver to pursue. No liability insurance to file against. The entire dynamic changes.

That is when your own auto insurance policy becomes the target. Specifically, a part of your policy called uninsured motorist coverage — if you have it. Most people in Colorado do, but they have no idea what it does until they need it.

This coverage is designed to pay your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering when the at-fault driver is uninsured, underinsured, or unknown. A hit and run driver falls squarely into that category.

But here is the hard part: your own insurance company now has a financial incentive to deny or minimize your claim. You are no longer a customer they want to keep happy. You are a liability on their balance sheet.

That shift is jarring. People expect their insurance to help them. Instead, they face delays, denials, and lowball settlements. That is when you need someone who knows how to turn the screws on an insurance carrier that is acting in bad faith.

The First 24 Hours After a Hit and Run

What you do immediately after the crash can make or break your ability to recover compensation. This is not about fault. It is about preserving your rights and documenting what happened before evidence disappears.

Call 911 immediately, even if your injuries seem minor. A police report creates an official record of the hit and run. Without that report, your insurance company will question whether the accident even happened the way you say it did.

Stay at the scene if it is safe to do so. Take photos of your vehicle from every angle. Photograph the intersection or location, nearby businesses that might have security cameras, and any debris or skid marks. If there are witnesses, get their names and phone numbers.

Write down everything you remember about the other vehicle — make, model, color, partial plate number, direction of travel. Even small details can help investigators locate the driver later.

Get medical attention, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline masks pain. Injuries like whiplash, concussion, and internal trauma do not always show symptoms right away. If you wait days or weeks to see a doctor, the insurance company will argue your injuries are not from the accident.

Call your own insurance company to report the hit and run, but be careful what you say. Stick to the facts. Do not speculate about who was at fault or how badly you are hurt. Insurance adjusters are trained to use your own words against you later.

How Uninsured Motorist Coverage Works in Colorado

Uninsured motorist coverage is not optional in Colorado. Insurers must offer it when you buy a policy, and it must match your liability limits unless you reject it in writing. That means most drivers in Colorado Springs have this coverage whether they realize it or not.

This coverage pays for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage when the at-fault driver cannot be identified or does not have insurance. It functions like the other driver’s liability policy — except you are filing the claim with your own carrier.

There are two types. Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage pays for your injuries and those of your passengers. Uninsured motorist property damage coverage pays to fix your car, though many policies cap this at a lower amount or exclude it entirely.

Your policy should spell out your coverage limits. A standard policy might include 100/300 bodily injury coverage, meaning up to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident. If your injuries exceed those limits, you are on your own unless the driver is found and has assets to pursue.

That is why it matters whether the hit and run driver is ever identified. If police locate the driver and they have insurance or assets, you can pursue their policy in addition to your own. But most hit and run drivers are never caught, which makes your uninsured motorist coverage the only realistic source of recovery.

Fighting Your Own Insurance Company

You pay your premiums every month. You expect your insurer to have your back. Then you file a claim and discover they are treating you like the enemy.

Insurance companies delay investigations, request endless documentation, and hire their own doctors to downplay your injuries. They argue you are exaggerating your pain or that your medical treatment was unnecessary. They offer settlements that barely cover your car repairs, let alone your medical bills or lost wages.

This is not an accident. It is strategy. Insurers know most people will give up or accept a lowball offer because they need money now and do not know their rights.

When your own insurance company denies your claim or makes an unreasonably low offer, you are dealing with bad faith. Colorado law requires insurers to investigate claims promptly and fairly. When they do not, you can hold them accountable — but only if you have documentation and legal leverage.

That is where an experienced lawyer makes the difference. Kirk McCormick and Jay Murphy know how to force insurance companies to the table. They know which doctors, accident reconstructionists, and investigators to bring in to build your case. They know when to negotiate and when to file a lawsuit.

Can the Hit and Run Driver Be Found?

Most hit and run drivers are never identified. But some are, and when they are, it opens the door to full compensation beyond your uninsured motorist limits.

Traffic cameras at intersections like Powers and Dublin or Academy and Briargate sometimes capture footage of the fleeing vehicle. Businesses along the route — gas stations, convenience stores, apartment complexes — may have security video showing the car or driver.

Witnesses are critical. Someone sitting at the stoplight might have seen the whole thing. A pedestrian might have noticed the license plate. A delivery driver might have dashcam footage. That is why collecting witness information at the scene matters so much.

If you have a partial plate number, Colorado State Patrol can run database searches to narrow down possible matches. Even a color, make, and model combined with a partial plate can lead to identification.

Accident reconstruction experts can analyze the damage to your vehicle and the debris left behind to determine the type of car that hit you. Paint transfer, broken glass, and impact angles all leave clues.

This kind of investigation costs money and takes time. Insurance companies rarely do it. They would rather pay your claim under uninsured motorist coverage and close the file. A lawyer, on the other hand, has the resources and motivation to pursue every lead, because finding the driver can mean a significantly larger recovery for you.

What Damages Can You Recover?

If you are injured in a hit and run accident in Colorado Springs, you can recover compensation for every financial and personal loss tied to the crash.

Medical expenses include emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy, prescription medications, and future medical care. If your injuries require ongoing treatment — like spinal injections, joint replacements, or psychological counseling — those costs are part of your claim.

Lost wages cover the income you miss while recovering. If you are out of work for weeks or months, that lost paycheck adds up fast. If your injuries are serious enough to prevent you from returning to your old job or working at all, you can recover compensation for lost earning capacity.

Pain and suffering accounts for the physical pain, emotional trauma, and loss of quality of life caused by your injuries. This is not just about broken bones or torn ligaments. It includes anxiety, depression, PTSD, and the daily struggle of living with chronic pain.

Property damage covers the cost to repair or replace your vehicle, as well as any personal property inside the car that was damaged or destroyed.

If the hit and run caused the death of a loved one, you may be entitled to wrongful death damages, including funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.

The goal is to make you whole — to put you back in the position you would have been in if the accident had never happened. That is not always possible with serious injuries, but it is the legal standard.

Reporting Requirements and Deadlines

Colorado law requires you to report any accident involving injury, death, or property damage over $1,000 to local law enforcement immediately or as soon as possible. For a hit and run, that means calling 911 from the scene.

You also need to notify your own insurance company. Most policies require you to report accidents within a reasonable time — often 24 to 72 hours. If you wait too long, the insurer can deny your claim for failure to cooperate.

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Colorado is three years from the date of the accident. That sounds like a long time, but evidence disappears, witnesses move, and memories fade. The sooner you start building your case, the stronger it will be.

For uninsured motorist claims specifically, your policy may impose its own deadlines for filing suit. Some policies require you to file within two years, not three. Read your policy carefully or have a lawyer do it for you.

Why You Need a Lawyer for a Hit and Run Case

You can file a claim on your own. You can negotiate with your insurance company on your own. But the odds are stacked against you.

Insurance adjusters do this every day. They know the tricks. They know which medical records to request, which statements to twist, and which delays will make you desperate enough to settle for less.

You, on the other hand, are hurt, stressed, and trying to juggle medical appointments, work, and family obligations. You do not have time to become an expert in Colorado insurance law and claims negotiation.

A lawyer evens the playing field. McCormick & Murphy handles the paperwork, the phone calls, the deadlines, and the fighting. Kirk and Jay know how to investigate hit and run cases, identify all available insurance coverage, and push back when insurers act in bad faith.

They also know when your case is worth more than the insurance company is offering. Insurers hope you will accept the first settlement because you do not know any better. A lawyer knows what your case is actually worth and will not let you settle for less.

Serving Colorado Springs and Surrounding Communities

McCormick & Murphy represents clients throughout El Paso County, including Briargate, Gleneagle, InterQuest, University Village, Pulpit Rock, Stetson Hills, Banning Lewis Ranch, Falcon, Meridian Ranch, Stratmoor, Stratton Meadows, Security-Widefield, Widefield, Broadmoor, Broadmoor Bluffs, Broadmoor Glen, Cheyenne Meadows, Ivywild, Fort Carson, Star Ranch, Skyway, Old Colorado City, Manitou Springs, Rockrimmon, Mountain Shadows, Oak Valley Ranch, Cedar Heights, Garden of the Gods, Springs Ranch, Wolf Ranch, Woodmen Hills, Cordera, Village Seven, Vista Grande, Wagon Trails, Sundown, University Park, Spring Creek, and Rustic Hills.

If you were injured in a hit and run accident anywhere in Colorado Springs or the surrounding area, call 719-389-0400. The consultation is free. You do not pay anything unless McCormick & Murphy recovers compensation for you.

What to Expect When You Call

When you call McCormick & Murphy, you talk to someone who listens. Not a receptionist reading from a script. Not a junior associate looking to bill hours. You talk to a lawyer who wants to know what happened and what you need.

Kirk McCormick and Jay Murphy will review the facts of your case, explain your legal options, and tell you honestly whether you have a claim worth pursuing. If they take your case, they handle everything from that point forward.

They will contact your insurance company, gather evidence, hire experts if needed, and negotiate a settlement that reflects the full value of your injuries. If the insurer refuses to make a fair offer, McCormick & Murphy will file a lawsuit and take the case to trial.

You do not pay any upfront fees or retainer. McCormick & Murphy works on contingency, which means they only get paid if you win. If there is no recovery, you owe nothing.

That is how it should work. You should not have to come up with thousands of dollars just to find out whether you have a case. You should not have to choose between paying medical bills and hiring a lawyer. The legal system is supposed to give you access to justice, not price you out of it.