A board certified Civil Trial Lawyer with almost five decades of experience in Ohio Personal Injury Law.
If you are injured in a hit-and-run near the Youngstown State University campus, it is crucial to know what to do in the aftermath to have a better chance of recovering compensation for your damages. Whether you will be able to claim compensation from the driver who hit you entirely depends on whether the local police can find and arrest them after the accident and if you hire experienced legal counsel to handle your case.
What to Do After a Hit-and-Run Near the Youngstown State University Campus
The first steps you take following a hit-and-run accident are crucial. If you are able to do so, record as much as you can from the accident, including a description of the at-fault driver and their vehicle, and as much of their license plate number as you remember. The sooner you provide this information to the police, the more likely they are to catch the hit-and-run driver.
There were 5,596 recorded vehicle crashes in Mahoning County in 2025, according to data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. National data from 2018 to 2022 show that about four million people in the US were involved in hit-and-run accidents during this period, and more than 12,000 of these accidents caused fatal injuries. In Ohio, it is illegal for drivers to leave the scene of the crash before responding police officers allow them to leave.
You should seek medical care right away, even if you think you only sustained minor injuries, and then hire a hit-and-run lawyer at your first opportunity. Your legal options after this type of accident entirely depend on whether the hit-and-run driver is located. If they are, then they are likely to face criminal charges from the state along with civil liability for your damages. If they are not, then your own auto insurance policy may be your only recovery option.
Claiming Compensation for a Hit-and-Run Accident
Ohio law requires every driver to have an auto insurance policy that meets minimum requirements for bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage. When a covered driver causes an accident, their policy can pay for the damages they caused to others, up to the policy’s coverage limits. Filing an auto insurance claim against an at-fault driver is usually your first recovery option after an accident.
However, if the at-fault driver fled the scene of the crash they caused, you will need to identify and locate them before you can file a claim against their auto insurance policy. It’s possible that the driver fled specifically because they did not have insurance. If this is the case, or if the police are unable to locate the at-fault driver, then you may need to file a claim against your own insurance policy, but you may only be able to do so if you have specific coverage.
Ohio law requires insurance companies to offer underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage. If you buy this coverage with your policy, then you will have coverage from your own insurance company if you are injured by an uninsured driver or in a hit-and-run accident. If you are able to file an auto insurance claim, having an attorney’s help greatly increases your chances of receiving a fair settlement offer from the insurance carrier.
If the at-fault driver is located but they do not have insurance, you can file a personal injury claim against them to recover your losses. However, if they have limited assets, recovering compensation for all of the damages you suffered could be very difficult. Ultimately, hit-and-run accidents around the Youngstown State University campus can lead to various legal challenges, so it’s important to have legal counsel you can trust handling your case.
The Gervelis Law Firm has decades of experience helping injured accident victims in Youngstown and throughout Mahoning County. Founding attorney Mark Gervelis is a Board Certified Trial Lawyer you can trust to provide compassionate and results-driven legal counsel through all stages of your case. Reach out to our firm after a hit-and-run near the Youngstown State University campus to learn how we can help with your recovery.
FAQs
What Are the Penalties for Hit-and-Run in Ohio?
The penalties for hit-and-run in Ohio depend on whether the offense is charged as a misdemeanor or as a felony. The at-fault driver can face a misdemeanor charge if they only caused property damage, but they face a felony charge if they caused bodily injury or death. Penalties can include driver’s license suspension, fines, and incarceration, along with civil liability for the damages they caused to others.
What Evidence Is Needed in a Hit-and-Run Accident Case?
The evidence needed in a hit-and-run accident case includes anything that can help the police identify and locate the at-fault driver. Eyewitness statements with descriptions of the driver and their vehicle, cell phone camera footage, dashcam footage, and traffic camera footage can be especially valuable in these cases. Hire a hit-and-run lawyer right away so they can start gathering the evidence needed to establish liability for your accident.
How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Hit-and-Run Accident?
The amount of compensation you can claim for a hit-and-run accident largely depends on the severity of your injuries and whether you are able to claim compensation with an auto insurance claim and/or personal injury case against the hit-and-run driver. Your attorney can determine the legal options available and help you secure as much compensation as possible for vehicle repairs, medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering.
Why Should I Hire a Hit-and-Run Lawyer?
You should hire a hit-and-run lawyer to increase your chances of reaching a favorable outcome in your case. The right attorney can help you hold the hit-and-run driver accountable if the police successfully locate them. If they do not, your attorney may be able to help you claim compensation through your own insurance policy.
The team at the Gervelis Law Firm has years of proven experience handling some of the most challenging vehicle accident cases in Youngstown. If you or a loved one are injured in a hit-and-run near the Youngstown State University campus, contact us today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Youngstown hit-and-run attorney you can trust with your case.
