I retained Paul Padda after firing my other lawyer. Best decision I ever made! He did a fantastic job for me in handling my personal injury case. Always courteous and cares about his clients. Great office staff that cares about people. With Mr. Padda, I felt comfortable every step of the way. My first choice for a lawyer!
Paul Padda is a great attorney that cares about his clients. I hired him and was impressed. Very good in court and handled my case really well. He took the time to understand my case and cared about me as a person. He would be the first person I call if I need an attorney again.
Overview
Compassionate Legal Support After the Unthinkable Happens
There is a unique kind of shock and betrayal that comes with a hit and run accident. In the blink of an eye, your life is turned upside down by a violent collision. But instead of stopping to help, checking if you are okay, or taking responsibility for their actions, the other driver simply speeds away, leaving you alone to deal with the wreckage, the injuries, and the mounting questions.
Right now, you are likely feeling angry, overwhelmed, and intensely stressed about the future. You might be staring at a totaled vehicle, dealing with severe physical pain, and wondering: How am I going to pay for these medical bills if we don’t know who hit me? You do not need legal jargon right now, and you do not need generic advice. You need an ally. You need someone who knows exactly how to navigate the Nevada legal system and deal with stubborn insurance companies so that you are not left paying for someone else’s cowardly mistake.
At Paul Padda Law, we understand the deep frustration that follows a hit and run crash. We know that you feel entirely wronged, and we are here to help make it right. You are not out of options, and you are not alone. Our dedicated legal team is ready to step in, take the burden off your shoulders, and fight relentlessly for the financial compensation you need to heal and rebuild your life.
Why Choose Paul Padda Law for Your Hit and Run Case?
When a driver flees the scene of a crash, your legal case immediately becomes more complex than a standard car accident. Because the at-fault driver is missing, your own insurance company becomes your primary source of compensation. Unfortunately, your insurance company is not your friend—their goal is to pay you as little as possible. You need a formidable advocate who knows how to force them to honor your policy.
Here is why injured people across Southern Nevada trust Paul Padda Law:
Former Federal Prosecutor Experience
Attorney Paul Padda brings a formidable, elite background to personal injury law. As a former federal prosecutor, he has handled high-stakes, complex litigation at the highest levels of the justice system. We prepare every hit and run case with the meticulous detail required for federal court. Insurance companies know our reputation; they know we are not afraid to take cases to trial, which forces them to take your claim seriously from day one.
We Know Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a unique city with unique traffic challenges. From the endless influx of tourists in rental cars on the Strip, to high-speed reckless driving on the 215 Beltway and I-15, we know the local roads. We also have deep ties within the community and understand how to work efficiently with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) and the Nevada Highway Patrol to track down accident reports and secure crucial evidence.
Client-Centered, Empathetic Representation
At Paul Padda Law, you are never just a case file. We pride ourselves on treating every client like family. From your very first consultation, you will be met with respect, transparency, and deep empathy for your situation. Our attorneys and case managers handle all the stressful phone calls, the aggressive insurance adjusters, and the complex paperwork so you can focus entirely on your physical and emotional recovery.
No Upfront Costs or Hidden Fees
We believe that everyone deserves top-tier legal representation, regardless of their current financial situation. We handle all hit and run accident claims on a strict contingency fee basis. This means we advance all the costs associated with investigating and building your case. You pay absolutely nothing out of pocket. We only get paid if we successfully recover a financial settlement or verdict for you.
What to Do Immediately After a Hit and Run in Las Vegas
If you have just been involved in a hit and run, the steps you take in the immediate aftermath are critical to your health and your future legal claim. Adrenaline can cloud your judgment, but doing the right things can make or break your ability to recover compensation.
1. Stay at the Scene and Do Not Chase the Driver
Your first instinct might be to step on the gas and chase down the fleeing driver. Do not do this. Chasing a fleeing vehicle is incredibly dangerous, can lead to a secondary, more severe collision, and forces you to leave the scene of an accident—which is technically a violation of Nevada law itself. Pull over to a safe location out of the flow of traffic and turn on your hazard lights.
2. Call 911 Immediately
Do not let anyone talk you out of calling the police. When the police arrive, tell them exactly what happened. Provide them with any details you can remember about the fleeing vehicle, no matter how small. Even a partial license plate, a vehicle color, or a description of a custom bumper sticker can help LVMPD track down the culprit. Ensure an official police report is filed, as your insurance company will require this to process a hit and run claim.
3. Write Down Everything You Remember
Human memory fades rapidly after a traumatic event. While you are waiting for the police to arrive, use your phone to write down or voice-record every detail you recall about the other car and the driver.
- What was the make, model, and color of the car?
- Was the car an older or newer model?
- Did you see the driver? (Male, female, approximate age, hair color?)
- Which direction did they flee?
- Were there any distinguishing marks on the car, like existing body damage or specific rims?
4. Document the Scene and Gather Witnesses
If you are physically able to do so without putting yourself in danger, take photos of everything. Photograph the damage to your vehicle from multiple angles, the position of your car on the road, skid marks, debris left by the fleeing vehicle (like a broken taillight), and your visible injuries. If anyone stopped to help or saw the crash, get their names, phone numbers, and email addresses. Witness testimony is pure gold in a hit and run case.
5. Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Do not try to “tough it out.” The violent force of a car crash often causes injuries that are masked by adrenaline. Whiplash, internal bleeding, and traumatic brain injuries can take days to manifest symptoms. Go to the emergency room or an urgent care clinic immediately. This ensures your safety and creates a documented medical record that links your injuries directly to the crash.
6. Silence is Golden: Call Paul Padda Law Before Speaking to Insurance
Your insurance company requires you to notify them of an accident promptly, but do not give a recorded statement until you have spoken to an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask leading questions that can minimize your injuries or shift the blame onto you. Let your Las Vegas hit and run lawyer handle the insurance company for you.
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How Can I Get Compensation if the Driver Fled the Scene?
The most common fear after a hit and run is that you will be left entirely financially responsible for your medical bills and vehicle repairs because the at-fault driver is gone. Fortunately, Nevada law and your auto insurance policy often provide a crucial safety net.
Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage Explained
In Nevada, a hit and run driver is legally treated as an “uninsured motorist.” If the police cannot locate the driver who hit you, we will look directly to your own auto insurance policy to recover compensation through your Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.
UM coverage is designed specifically for this exact scenario. It steps into the shoes of the missing driver’s liability insurance and pays for your losses, up to the limits of your policy. Through your UM coverage, we can help you recover compensation for:
- Emergency room visits and hospital stays
- Surgeries and specialized medical care
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Lost wages if you are unable to work
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering and emotional distress
Insurance companies frequently fight tooth and nail to avoid paying out full UM limits to their own customers. They may argue that your injuries aren’t severe, or that you somehow contributed to the crash. Having Paul Padda Law on your side ensures that your insurance company is held accountable to the policy you have been paying premiums for.
Collision Coverage for Property Damage
UM coverage in Nevada generally covers bodily injury, not property damage. To get your vehicle repaired or replaced after a hit and run, we will utilize your policy’s Collision Coverage. You will be responsible for paying your deductible, but we can manage the claims process to ensure your vehicle is repaired properly and promptly.
What if the Fleeing Driver is Found?
Our team does not just accept that a driver got away. We conduct our own aggressive investigations. If we, or the police, successfully locate the hit and run driver, your legal options expand significantly.
When a driver is identified, we can file a third-party liability claim against their auto insurance policy. Furthermore, because fleeing the scene of an accident is a severe crime in Nevada, we can often pursue punitive damages against them in a civil lawsuit. Punitive damages are designed to financially punish a defendant for exceptionally reckless and malicious behavior, significantly increasing the overall value of your settlement.
Common Causes of Hit and Run Accidents in Las Vegas
Why do people run? In our years of practice, we have found that drivers rarely flee a scene simply because they panicked. Almost always, the driver runs because they are trying to hide a secondary, more serious crime or liability.
Common reasons drivers commit hit and runs in Las Vegas include:
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI): The driver is intoxicated by alcohol or drugs and knows that waiting for the police will result in an immediate arrest and felony charges.
- Driving Without Insurance or a License: The driver is undocumented, has a suspended license, or simply failed to pay for auto insurance, and fears the financial and legal repercussions.
- Tourists in Rental Cars: Las Vegas sees millions of visitors a year. A tourist in a rental car may panic about the financial implications or missing a flight, choosing to flee instead of facing the consequences.
- Outstanding Warrants: The driver has active warrants for their arrest and knows that interacting with LVMPD at an accident scene will send them straight to jail.
- Stolen Vehicles: The driver is operating a stolen car and uses the crash as an opportunity to abandon the vehicle or flee before police arrive.
Types of Hit and Run Cases We Handle
Hit and run accidents can happen to anyone, anywhere in the Las Vegas Valley. Our legal team is equipped to handle the most complex and devastating scenarios, including:
- Vehicle-to-Vehicle Collisions: Whether you were rear-ended at a red light on Flamingo Road or sideswiped on the highway, we can help.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Las Vegas has a notoriously high rate of pedestrian accidents. When a driver strikes a vulnerable pedestrian and flees, the injuries are often catastrophic or fatal.
- Bicycle and Motorcycle Accidents: Riders have very little physical protection. A hit and run driver can easily force a cyclist or motorcyclist off the road and speed away, leaving the victim with life-altering injuries.
- Parked Car Damage: You walk out of a grocery store or wake up in the morning to find your parked car has been smashed by an unknown driver.
How Our Investigative Team Tracks Down the Truth
We do not wait around for the police to hand us answers. Paul Padda Law employs a proactive, aggressive approach to investigating hit and run accidents. When you hire us, our team immediately goes to work preserving evidence before it disappears.
Our investigative strategies include:
- Canvassing for Surveillance Footage: We immediately dispatch investigators to the accident scene to look for traffic cameras, residential ring doorbells, and security cameras from nearby businesses (gas stations, casinos, retail stores) that may have captured the crash or the fleeing vehicle’s license plate.
- Analyzing Physical Evidence: We look closely at debris left at the scene. Paint transfer on your vehicle or a specific piece of a broken bumper can often be traced back to a specific make, model, and year of a vehicle.
- Interviewing Eyewitnesses: We track down the people who saw the crash happen and secure their recorded statements while their memories are still fresh.
- Collaborating with Law Enforcement: We maintain open lines of communication with the investigating detectives to ensure your case does not just become another forgotten file on a desk.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will my insurance rates go up if I file a hit and run claim on my own policy?
In Nevada, it is illegal for your insurance company to raise your rates or cancel your policy simply because you filed an Uninsured Motorist (UM) claim for an accident that was not your fault. You pay for this coverage precisely for this reason, and you should not be penalized for using it when you are the victim of a crime.
How long do I have to file a hit and run lawsuit in Nevada?
The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Nevada is generally two years from the date of the accident. However, your insurance company has much stricter, immediate deadlines for reporting a hit and run and filing a UM claim—sometimes within 30 days. It is critical that you contact a lawyer immediately to ensure no deadlines are missed.
What happens if the police never find the driver who hit me?
If the driver is never identified, you still have the right to seek compensation. We will file a claim against your own Uninsured Motorist (UM) policy. As your attorneys, we will negotiate aggressively with your insurance company to ensure they pay the maximum available limits to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Can I still recover damages if I was a pedestrian or on a bicycle when I was hit?
Yes. If you were struck by a fleeing driver while walking or riding a bicycle, you can still utilize the Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage on your own auto insurance policy to cover your injuries, even though you were not inside your vehicle at the time of the crash. If you live with a family member who has UM coverage, their policy might protect you as well.
Does standard liability insurance cover a hit and run?
No. Standard liability insurance in Nevada only pays for the damage you cause to other people. It does not pay for your own injuries. To be covered for your injuries in a hit and run, you must have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. To have your vehicle repaired, you must have Collision coverage.
Get the Justice You Deserve Today. Contact Paul Padda Law.
Being the victim of a hit and run is a deeply traumatic experience, but it does not mean you have to accept financial ruin. You did not ask for this to happen, and you should not have to bear the burden alone.
At Paul Padda Law, we have the resources, the elite legal background, and the aggressive determination required to hold insurance companies accountable and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve. We will handle the legal battle so you can focus on healing your body and your life.
Do not wait for evidence to disappear or for your insurance company to deny your claim.
Call Paul Padda Law today at (702) 707-7000 or fill out our secure online form to schedule your free, no-risk consultation. We are available to listen to your story, explain your rights, and build a winning strategy for your recovery. Let us be your voice for justice.