Motor Vehicle Accident Law Firm Blog

When someone causes an accident, knowingly or unknowingly, that causes others on the road to cause an accident, they are what is known as a phantom driver. Also referred to as no-contact accidents, these types of motor vehicle collisions typically involve the phantom driver continuing driving (miss-and-skip). These situations can be unfortunate because often there is no contact information or evidence left behind linking the liable driver to the crash.

One of the more frustrating aspects of phantom driver accidents is receiving compensation if you were injured. Ohio is an at-fault state, which means proving their negligence to establish liability of another party. Crashes involving no-contact conditions, like the other driver drifting over the middle yellow line and forcing you to swerve to avoid them, can be challenging. What evidence do you have of the other vehicle? Proving fault to your insurance provider will be equally as difficult.

Many times, these cases are just like a hit-and-run incident. This is because the responsible driver fled the scene or was completely unaware their negligent driving caused your crash. But, since your vehicles never collided, there won’t be any physical evidence like paint from their car to help identify them. Details from the crash, police reports, and potentially needing your personal injury lawyer to hire an accident reconstructionist may be critical in receiving the compensation you need and deserve.

Worse, not all accident victims of phantom drivers will qualify for damages from their own insurer. The type of policy you carry will play a major role in what compensation options are available to you. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may be your only source of relief if you cannot prove who caused your accident.

Evidence that corroborates your claims of a phantom driver causing your accident is a must. Usually, your attorney can get statements from witnesses to accomplish this, but Ohio law is specific about who can and cannot provide this evidence. Any witnesses you need to corroborate your accident claim details must be independent third parties. This means even if your spouse were in the vehicle with you, they would not qualify under such requirements. Fortunately, other family members, friends, or even coworkers could do so under similar circumstances.

Since Ohio is a state that does not mandate uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage be included with a car insurance policy, your personal injury compensation options may be limited. You must speak with the experienced Ohio car accident attorneys of Diehl & Hubbell right away regarding your phantom driver accident. We are easily accessible for anyone in Southwestern Ohio, including the communities of Lebanon, Hillsboro, Wilmington, and Hamilton. Diehl & Hubbell has a reputation that you can trust to ensure you get the fair compensation you deserve. Contact our office online or call us to schedule a free initial consultation.