October 5, 2026 / Car Accident

Texas Hit and Run Claim: What Victims in Fort Worth Need to Know

By Brad Parker, Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer

A hit-and-run crash leaves you dealing with two problems at once. You may be hurt, your vehicle may be damaged, and the person who caused the collision is gone.

That can leave people wondering whether there is anyone left to hold responsible.

The answer depends on what happened, whether the driver is eventually identified, and what insurance coverage is available. If the driver is never found, uninsured motorist coverage may become especially important. If the driver is identified later, you may also be able to file a direct claim.

At Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers, we start by looking at the crash itself, the available evidence, the police investigation, and the insurance policies that may apply.

Time matters because some evidence can become harder to find quickly, even when the legal filing deadline is much farther away.

What Fort Worth Hit-and-Run Victims Should Know

• Texas drivers involved in a crash must stop, provide identifying information, and render reasonable assistance when someone is hurt.
• If the fleeing driver is never identified, uninsured motorist coverage may offer another path to pursue compensation.
• A hit-and-run can lead to criminal consequences for the fleeing driver, but the criminal case and the injured person’s civil claim are separate matters.
• Texas generally gives an injured person two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, but additional notice requirements may apply when a government entity is involved.
• Your own insurance company may still investigate and dispute a UM claim, which is why the evidence surrounding the crash matters.
• The sooner you investigate the accident, the better your chances of locating witnesses, video, vehicle information, and other evidence.

What Is a Hit and Run Under Texas Law?

A hit and run happens when a driver involved in a crash leaves without fulfilling the legal duties that apply after the collision.

Those duties can include stopping, exchanging identifying and insurance information, and providing reasonable assistance when someone has been injured.

The duty to stop does not depend on whether the driver believes someone else caused the wreck.

That matters because sometimes people leave the scene thinking they were not responsible or that the collision was too minor to matter.

The law does not work that way.

Texas Drivers Have a Duty to Stop After a Crash

After a collision, the drivers involved generally need to stop at or near the scene, avoid creating an additional traffic hazard when possible, check whether anyone is hurt, and exchange required information.

If someone needs medical help, you may also need to provide reasonable assistance.

When you strike an unattended vehicle, different duties may apply, including attempting to locate the owner or leaving identifying information.

For someone injured by a fleeing driver, these rules are important because the driver’s decision to leave the scene does not erase your right to pursue a claim.

Failure to Stop and Render Aid vs. Property-Damage Cases

Texas law treats a collision involving injuries differently from one involving only property damage.

When someone has been hurt, leaving without stopping and providing the required assistance can result in more serious criminal consequences.

Property-damage-only crashes are treated differently, but the driver still has duties after the collision.

From the injured person’s perspective, the criminal classification is separate from the civil case.

Your ability to pursue compensation does not necessarily depend on whether the fleeing driver is convicted of a crime.

Does the Duty Apply Even If You Weren’t at Fault?

Yes.

A driver’s responsibility to stop after being involved in a collision is different from the question of who caused the crash.

Someone who was rear-ended, sideswiped, or struck while lawfully passing through an intersection still has obligations at the scene.

Fault is determined separately.

What Are the Criminal Penalties for Leaving the Scene in Texas?

The criminal consequences of leaving a crash scene can vary depending on what happened and whether anyone was injured or killed.

The more serious the harm, the more serious the potential charge.

Hit and Run Penalty Tiers in Texas

A criminal prosecution and a civil personal injury case run on separate tracks.

That means the injured person may still pursue compensation even if the fleeing driver is never criminally convicted.

If a hit-and-run crash results in death, eligible surviving family members may also have a Fort Worth wrongful death claim.

How Do You File a Texas Hit and Run Claim as a Victim?

The first thing to do after a hit-and-run is to take care of yourself.

Get medical help if you are injured.

Call the police.

Then preserve whatever information you reasonably can about the fleeing vehicle and the scene.

You do not need to solve the case from the side of the road.

Step 1: Seek Medical Attention and Document Everything

If you are hurt, get evaluated.

Some injuries are obvious immediately. Others may become more noticeable after the initial shock of the collision wears off.

Tell the medical provider what happened and describe your symptoms accurately.

If it is safe and you are physically able, take photographs of your vehicle, visible injuries, debris, roadway conditions, and the surrounding area.

If you remember anything about the fleeing vehicle, write it down while it is still fresh.

That might include:

• Make or model
• Color
• Partial license plate
• Damage
• Direction of travel
• Company markings
• Distinctive stickers or other identifying features

Small details can become important later.

Step 2: File a Police Report in Fort Worth or Tarrant County

Call 911 and report the collision.

A police report creates an official record of what happened and gives law enforcement information it may use to locate the fleeing driver.

Provide as much detail as you reasonably can, but do not guess.

If you are unsure about a plate number, vehicle model, or another fact, tell the officer that you are unsure.

Accuracy is more useful than filling in every blank.

Keep the report number and the responding officer’s information if available.

Step 3: Notify Your Own Insurance Company

Your own automobile policy may become very important in a hit-and-run case.

If you can’t identify the other driver, uninsured motorist coverage may let you pursue certain losses under your own policy.

Notify your insurer promptly, but remember that a UM claim is still an insurance claim.

The company may ask how the collision happened, what injuries you suffered, and what evidence supports the claim.

Be accurate.

Do not guess about things you do not know, and be cautious about giving a detailed recorded statement before you understand what is being requested.

Step 4: Consult a Fort Worth Hit and Run Accident Lawyer

A Fort Worth car accident lawyer can help identify the insurance coverage, find available evidence, and address disputes that arise during the claim.

That may involve contacting nearby businesses about surveillance video, locating witnesses, reviewing policy language, working with law enforcement information, or investigating the fleeing vehicle if new details become available.

Parker Law Firm also represents clients in Bedford and surrounding Tarrant County communities through its Bedford hit-and-run accident practice.

Does Uninsured Motorist Coverage Protect You When the Driver Is Never Found?

If the fleeing driver is never identified, your own uninsured motorist coverage may become one of the most important parts of the case.

Whether coverage applies depends on the policy and the circumstances surrounding the crash.

That is why we want to see the actual insurance documents rather than assume what coverage someone has.

How Texas UM Coverage Works After a Hit and Run

Texas insurers generally offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and the policyholder can reject that coverage in writing.

If you carry UM coverage and the driver who caused the collision cannot be identified, the policy may provide benefits for losses covered under its terms.

Those losses may include medical expenses, lost income, pain, and other damages depending on the policy and facts.

Parker Law Firm has additional information about uninsured motorist claims and why this coverage can become especially important after a serious collision.

What Happens When Your Own Insurer Disputes the Claim

People are sometimes surprised when their own insurance company asks hard questions about a UM claim.

But the insurer still has to investigate the loss.

It may question how the crash happened, whether another vehicle actually caused it, the extent of the injuries, or whether certain damages are covered.

That does not mean the insurer is automatically acting unfairly.

It does mean you should document the claim carefully.

We look at the police report, photographs, video, witness information, medical records, and anything else that supports what our client says happened.

When there is a legitimate dispute over coverage or claim handling, an attorney can address that directly.

Why Liability Limits Matter

A serious crash can create medical costs far beyond the minimum liability coverage another driver carries.

That is why reviewing your own policy matters even when the fleeing driver is eventually identified.

You may need to investigate several layers of insurance.

The responsible driver may have liability coverage.

Your own policy may include UM/UIM coverage.

Another policy may also apply depending on the circumstances.

We want to know what is actually available before assuming a single policy limit defines the case.

What Deadlines Can Affect Your Texas Hit and Run Claim?

Texas generally gives an injured person two years to file a personal injury lawsuit after a motor vehicle collision.

But that is not the only deadline that may matter.

Claims involving government entities can have separate notice requirements that arise much earlier.

The evidence itself also has a deadline.

Video can disappear. Witnesses can become harder to reach. The scene changes.

That is why I wouldn’t wait until the deadline is approaching to investigate a serious hit-and-run crash.

The 2-Year Statute of Limitations for Texas Personal Injury Claims

Most Texas personal injury lawsuits coming from a crash must be filed within two years.

But that does not mean every claim should be treated identically.

Exceptions exist, and other types of claims may follow different rules.

An attorney should review the particular facts rather than assuming the general deadline answers every question.

Claims Involving the City of Fort Worth

If a City of Fort Worth vehicle, roadway condition, traffic signal, or another city-related issue may have contributed to the collision, additional notice requirements apply.

Those deadlines can be much shorter than the personal injury statute of limitations.

That is why identifying a government role early is important.

If there is any reason to believe a city vehicle or city-controlled condition played a part, tell your attorney immediately.

What a Government Notice May Need to Include

Government notice requirements can be technical.

Depending on the entity and claim involved, the notice may need to identify the incident, injuries, location, circumstances, damages, and other information.

Do not assume an ordinary insurance claim or police report automatically satisfies a government notice requirement.

When a government entity may be involved, review that issue separately and early.

Why Do Fort Worth Hit and Run Victims Need an Experienced Lawyer?

Hit-and-run cases can involve several problems at once.

The person who caused the crash may be missing.

Evidence may be limited.

Your own insurance coverage can become central to the case.

And if the driver is later identified, the investigation can change again.

An experienced Fort Worth hit-and-run accident lawyer can help keep those pieces organized and make sure the claim is evaluated based on the evidence.

Dealing With Your Own Insurance Company After a Hit and Run

A UM claim can feel strange because you are making a claim under a policy you purchased yourself.

But the insurer will still investigate what happened and what it owes under the contract.

That means we prepare the claim carefully.

We gather the evidence, understand the medical treatment.

We document lost income and other damages.

And we address questions about how the collision happened.

Parker Law Firm has additional information about what a car accident lawyer does when handling these issues.

Damages You May Be Able to Pursue

Depending on the circumstances, a hit-and-run claim may involve both economic and non-economic losses.

Economic damages can include:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Diminished earning capacity
• Property damage
• Future treatment when supported by the evidence

Non-economic damages can include:

• Physical pain
• Mental anguish
• Disfigurement
• Physical impairment
• Other personal effects of the injury

Parker Law Firm’s resource on types of damages available in Texas personal injury cases explains these categories in greater detail.

The important thing is not to assume the value of the case before we understand the injury and the available insurance.

How Parker Law Firm Helps Tarrant County Hit and Run Victims

We start by listening to what happened.

Then we look at what we can still find.

That can involve the police report, vehicle damage, witnesses, surveillance footage, traffic cameras when available, medical records, and insurance policies.

We also look for information that may help identify the fleeing driver.

Sometimes the driver is found.

Sometimes the person is never identified.

Either way, we want the client to understand their options.

About Brad Parker

Brad Parker has represented injured Texans since 1985 and founded Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers in 2001. Before becoming an attorney, Brad worked as a journeyman electrician and later attended Texas Tech School of Law.

He is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and has recovered more than $75 million for personal injury clients. Brad has also served as President of both the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the Tarrant County Bar Association.

His approach is simple: find out what happened, preserve the evidence, tell the client the truth about the case, and be prepared to stand up for the injured person when the insurance company will not deal fairly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid After a Texas Hit and Run

• Waiting to get medical care. If you are hurt, get evaluated. Delaying treatment can make it harder to understand when symptoms began and how the injuries developed.
• Leaving without reporting the crash. Call the police and create an official record of the hit-and-run. That report may also help law enforcement locate the fleeing driver.
• Assuming your UM claim will be automatic. Your insurer will still investigate the crash and the claimed damages. Treat the claim seriously and preserve the evidence.
• Waiting too long to investigate possible video or witnesses. Nearby cameras may not keep footage indefinitely, and witnesses become harder to locate over time.
• Assuming the driver has to be found before you can do anything. Your insurance policy may offer another path, depending on the coverage you purchased.
• Signing a release before you understand the injury and available coverage. Once a claim is fully resolved, you generally cannot reopen it because the injury later turns out to be worse than expected.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are my legal duties after a car accident in Texas?

Drivers involved in a Texas crash generally have to stop and fulfill certain duties at the scene.

That can include exchanging and identifying insurance information and providing reasonable assistance when someone is hurt.

The duty to stop is separate from who caused the collision.

Even a driver who believes the other person was responsible still needs to comply with the legal requirements after the crash.

What happens if I was injured by a hit-and-run driver in Fort Worth and they are never identified?

If the driver is never identified, uninsured motorist coverage may be able to offer another path to compensation, if it applies under your policy.

We want to review the policy, police report, medical evidence, photographs, witnesses, and anything else showing how the crash occurred.

Do not assume there is no claim because the fleeing driver has not been found.

Is a hit and run a felony in Texas?

It can be, depending on the harm caused.

Leaving the scene of a property-damage-only crash may involve misdemeanor-level consequences.

When the collision causes serious injury or death, the potential criminal exposure can become much more serious.

The criminal case is separate from the injured person’s civil claim for compensation.

How long do I have to file a hit-and-run injury claim in Texas?

Most Texas personal injury lawsuits arising from a motor vehicle crash are generally subject to a two-year limitations period.

Additional, shorter notice requirements may apply when a government entity is involved.

That is why I would not wait to have a serious hit-and-run case reviewed.

Even when the general filing deadline is far away, evidence may become harder to locate much sooner.

What information should I gather after a hit-and-run accident in Fort Worth?

If it is safe and you are physically able, write down everything you remember about the fleeing vehicle.

That may include:

• Make and model
• Color
• Partial license plate
• Damage
• Direction of travel
• Company logos or markings
• Distinctive features

Take photographs of your vehicle, visible injuries, debris, the roadway, traffic signals, and other conditions around the scene.

Get witness contact information when possible.

Also note nearby businesses or homes that may have surveillance cameras.

You do not have to investigate those cameras yourself, but knowing where they were can help later.

Does uninsured motorist coverage apply to hit-and-run accidents in Texas?

It may.

Texas insurers generally offer uninsured motorist coverage, and policyholders may reject that coverage in writing.

If you have UM coverage and can’t identify the driver, your policy may provide benefits depending on the facts and policy language.

The claim still needs to be supported with evidence.

If your insurer disputes coverage or damages, an attorney can review the policy and the basis for the company’s position.

When the Driver Leaves, the Investigation Becomes Even More Important

A hit-and-run driver may disappear from the scene, but the evidence does not always disappear with them.

A witness may remember part of the license plate.

A nearby business may have a camera.

Debris may identify the other vehicle’s make or model.

Police may locate the driver later.

Or the person may never be found.

That is why we keep looking at every available option.

At Parker Law Firm, we want to know what happened, what evidence still exists, what insurance coverage may apply, and what this crash has done to our client’s life.

The driver leaving the scene should not be the point where the investigation stops.

It is where a different kind of investigation begins.

Talk to Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers About Your Hit and Run Claim

If you or someone you love was injured in a hit-and-run accident in Fort Worth, Bedford, or elsewhere in Tarrant County, contact Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers and tell us what happened.

We can look at the police investigation, available video and witness information, insurance coverage, medical evidence, and other facts surrounding the crash.

If we later identify the driver, we can evaluate the claim against that person.

If we never find the driver, we can review whether uninsured motorist coverage or another source of recovery may be available.

You do not need to know every answer before you call.

Finding those answers is part of our job.

The consultation is free, and there is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.

Brad Parker, the attorney you want but hope you never need.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.