Short Answer

To open an injury claim after a hit-and-run, contact your own auto insurer, report the crash as a hit-and-run, ask whether uninsured motorist coverage may apply, and request a bodily injury claim number and adjuster contact information. North Carolina law treats certain hit-and-run claims as uninsured motorist claims, but reporting, notice, policy terms, and proof of injury still matter. A medical provider may need the claim number and, if you have a lawyer, a letter of representation.

What it means to open your own insurance claim after a hit-and-run

After a normal car accident, the injured person often starts with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. A hit-and-run is different because the other driver may be unknown, uninsured, or impossible to contact. In that situation, your own auto insurance policy may be the place to open the injury claim.

In North Carolina, this is commonly handled as an uninsured motorist claim, often called a UM claim. UM coverage is designed to protect insured people in certain crashes caused by uninsured drivers and hit-and-run drivers. The exact coverage depends on the policy, the facts of the crash, and whether the legal and policy notice requirements are met.

If you are receiving chiropractic care or other injury-related treatment, your provider may ask for the claim number, the adjuster’s name, the insurance company’s address, and confirmation of whether the matter involves UM coverage. Those requests are normal. Providers often need this information to document the claim, send records or bills when authorized, and understand where communications should go.

Steps to open the injury claim with your own insurer

You can usually start the process by calling the claims phone number on your auto insurance card, declarations page, or insurer’s website. When you call, make clear that you are reporting an injury claim from a hit-and-run crash, not just vehicle damage.

1. Report the crash as soon as practical. Give the date, time, and location of the collision, including that it happened in or near Durham if applicable.
2. Tell the insurer the other driver left the scene. Explain whether you have a license plate, vehicle description, witness information, photos, video, or a police report number.
3. Ask for the correct claim type. Ask whether the insurer is opening a bodily injury claim under uninsured motorist coverage, medical payments coverage if available, collision coverage for vehicle damage, or a separate property damage claim.
4. Request the claim details in writing. Ask for the claim number, adjuster name, adjuster phone number, email or mailing address, and the coverage being investigated.
5. Keep a record of every contact. Save letters, emails, claim portal messages, and notes from phone calls, including the date and the person you spoke with.

Opening a claim is not the same as the insurer accepting the claim or agreeing on the value of injuries. It simply creates the file, assigns a claim number, and starts the review process.

Why uninsured motorist coverage often matters in a North Carolina hit-and-run

North Carolina’s uninsured motorist statute, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-279.21, generally requires auto policies issued for North Carolina vehicles to include uninsured motorist protection for covered people injured by uninsured and hit-and-run motorists. In plain English, your own policy may step into the claim when the at-fault driver cannot be identified, but you still must prove the crash, injury, and legal responsibility.

For an unknown-driver hit-and-run claim, the statute also includes important notice concepts. The crash should be reported to law enforcement within 24 hours or as soon as practical, and the insurer should receive notice of the injury, the time, date, and place of the crash within a reasonable time. If the insurer sends reasonable forms after receiving notice, those forms should be handled carefully and on time.

North Carolina law also requires drivers involved in certain crashes to stop, give information, and assist injured people. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166 explains those duties after a crash. For your claim, this matters because a police report and prompt reporting can help show that the other driver left before exchanging information.

Information your insurer and medical provider may need

When a provider is trying to confirm claim information, it usually helps to gather the basic claim documents in one place. You do not need to have every document before opening the claim, but you should preserve what you have.

• Your auto insurance policy declarations page, if available.
• The claim number and adjuster contact information once assigned.
• The police report number or crash report, if available.
• Photos of vehicle damage, the scene, debris, skid marks, and visible injuries.
• Names and contact information for witnesses.
• Any dashcam, doorbell, business, or traffic camera information you know about.
• Medical visit summaries, bills, and records from injury-related care.
• Receipts for towing, prescriptions, rental expenses, or other accident-related costs.
• Written communications from your insurer, health insurer, medical providers, or any claim portal.

Medical providers often ask for a letter of representation when a law firm is involved. A letter of representation tells the provider and insurer that the law firm represents the injured person for the accident claim and identifies where communications should be sent. It does not decide coverage, does not prove fault, and does not mean the insurer has accepted responsibility.

Be careful with recorded statements and broad authorizations

Your own insurer may ask for a statement, forms, medical authorizations, or more information. Some requests may be reasonable. Others may be too broad or may require careful review before signing. Because a UM claim is still an injury claim, the insurer may investigate not only whether the hit-and-run happened, but also the extent of injury, treatment history, prior conditions, vehicle damage, and whether your conduct is disputed.

North Carolina also allows contributory negligence as a defense in personal injury claims. That means if the defense proves the injured person’s own negligence helped cause the crash, it can create serious problems for the claim. The party raising that defense generally has the burden of proving it. Evidence should address both what the hit-and-run driver did wrong and why you acted reasonably.

This is one reason to avoid guessing in recorded statements. If you do not know the speed of the other vehicle, the exact distance, or the precise timing, it is usually better to say you do not know than to estimate carelessly.

Deadlines and notice should not be ignored

Insurance claim activity does not automatically extend the time to file a lawsuit. For many North Carolina personal injury claims, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52 provides a three-year deadline for certain injury and property-damage claims. Different facts can affect deadlines, and UM claims can have additional notice and procedural requirements.

If a hit-and-run driver is later identified, the claim may shift or expand. If the driver is never identified, the insurer may continue handling it as an uninsured motorist matter. Either way, keep track of the crash date and do not assume that adjuster conversations, treatment, or settlement discussions pause legal deadlines.

How This Applies to the Current Situation

Based on the facts provided, the injured person was involved in a hit-and-run car accident and appears to be receiving chiropractic treatment for injury-related care. The medical provider is trying to confirm the insurance claim information, whether uninsured motorist coverage is involved, and whether there is a letter of representation from the law firm.

The practical next step is to confirm whether a claim has already been opened with the person’s own auto insurer. If not, the claim should be opened as a hit-and-run injury claim and the insurer should be asked whether UM coverage is being investigated. Once the claim number and adjuster information are available, that information can usually be shared with the medical provider.

If Wallace Pierce Law represents the injured person, the provider may also need a letter of representation from the firm. If representation has not started or is unclear, the provider should not assume there is a letter. The injured person or provider may need to confirm that status directly with the firm.

For more background on the same type of claim, Wallace Pierce Law has additional information about whether uninsured motorist coverage may apply when the other driver cannot be identified and what to do when you have a police report but do not know the other driver’s identity.

Common mistakes when opening a hit-and-run injury claim

• Opening only a property damage claim. If you were hurt, make sure the insurer knows you are also reporting an injury claim.
• Waiting too long to report the crash. Hit-and-run UM claims can involve prompt reporting and notice issues.
• Not getting a claim number. Providers and attorneys often need the claim number to track communications.
• Assuming UM coverage definitely applies. The policy, facts, and North Carolina law all matter.
• Signing broad releases too early. Settlement paperwork and medical authorizations can affect important rights.
• Losing evidence. Photos, witness names, camera footage, and repair records may become harder to obtain as time passes.

When Wallace Pierce Law May Be Able to Help

Wallace Pierce Law may be able to help a Durham hit-and-run injury claimant identify the correct insurance claim, communicate with the adjuster, request the claim number and coverage information, and help providers understand where claim-related documents should be sent.

The firm may also help organize medical records and bills, review insurer forms before they are submitted, evaluate whether UM coverage may be involved, and track deadlines. If a letter of representation is appropriate because the firm represents the injured person, Wallace Pierce Law can send that letter to the insurer and medical providers so communications are routed properly.

No law firm can promise that an insurer will accept coverage, agree on fault, or resolve a claim in a certain way. The goal is to help you understand the process, preserve important evidence, and make informed decisions under North Carolina law.

Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney in Durham

If your question involves injuries, insurance, fault, medical documentation, settlement paperwork, or a possible deadline, speaking with a licensed North Carolina attorney can help clarify your options. Call 919-313-2737 to discuss what happened and what steps may make sense next.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about North Carolina personal injury law based on the single question stated above. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. It is not medical advice, tax advice, or insurance policy interpretation. Laws, procedures, and local practice can change and may vary by county. If there may be a deadline, act promptly and speak with a licensed North Carolina attorney.