Miami-Dade consistently records among the highest numbers of hit-and-run crashes in Florida — thousands every year, hundreds of them involving injuries or death. If a driver hit you and fled the scene, the situation feels hopeless. It isn't. Florida law and your own insurance give you a path to recovery even when the other driver is never found.
First: What to Do at the Scene
If you're able, in the moments after a hit-and-run:
- Call 911 immediately. A police report is essential — for injuries and for your insurance claim.
- Write down anything you saw — partial plate, make, model, color, direction of travel, driver description.
- Look for witnesses and get their names and numbers before they leave.
- Photograph everything — your vehicle, the scene, debris, skid marks, nearby businesses.
- Check for cameras. Gas stations, storefronts, doorbell cameras, and traffic cameras on roads like Biscayne Boulevard or the Palmetto often capture what you missed. Footage is frequently overwritten within days — acting fast matters.
- Get medical care right away and stay within the 14-day window for your PIP benefits.
Your Lifeline: Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage
Here's the most important thing to understand: a hit-and-run driver is treated as an uninsured driver. That means your own Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage can step in to pay for your injuries — medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering — as if the fleeing driver had insurance.
If you carry UM/UIM (and every Florida driver should), you may have substantial coverage available even though the at-fault driver vanished. If you're not sure whether you have it, an attorney can review your policy for you.
Don't Forget PIP
Regardless of fault or whether the other driver is found, your PIP benefits still apply. That's your automatic $10,000 for medical bills and lost wages — but only if you seek treatment within 14 days. A hit-and-run is no exception to that deadline.
The Insurance Company Is Not on Your Side Here
Even though you're filing under your own policy, UM claims are often fought just as hard as claims against a stranger's insurer. Companies may:
- Dispute that a phantom vehicle existed at all,
- Argue your injuries were pre-existing, or
- Push a fast, lowball settlement before you understand your injuries.
Under Florida's post-2023 rules, they'll also test whether they can pin part of the blame on you. Having a lawyer levels that fight.
The Clock Is Running — Two Ways
Two deadlines apply. The 14-day rule protects your PIP. And Florida's two-year statute of limitations (for negligence claims after March 24, 2023) governs how long you have to bring your injury claim. Evidence — especially camera footage — disappears far faster than either deadline.
Hit and Run? Call Us Today.
Gonzalez Munoz Law helps hit-and-run victims across Miami-Dade and Broward County pursue every available source of recovery — UM, PIP, and any responsible party we can identify. We've recovered over $100 million for injury clients.
Call 305-770-6666 now for a free consultation, available 24/7. No fee unless we win.