Chicago Hit and Run Accident Lawyer
If a driver hit you and fled the scene in Chicago or the surrounding Cook, DuPage, Will, and Kane County communities, Ori Law Group can help. We represent victims of hit-and-run crashes — not drivers facing criminal charges. Joe and Kristen Ori personally handle every case, and with more than 40 years of combined trial experience and over $150 million recovered, they know how to secure compensation even when the at-fault driver is never found. The key is your own uninsured motorist coverage, which Illinois law requires on every auto policy — and you may have rights you don't even know you have.
Being hit by a driver who then sped off is uniquely infuriating — you’re injured, the person responsible is gone, and it feels like there’s no one to hold accountable. There almost always is. At Ori Law Group, we represent hit-and-run victims, and the path to compensation usually runs through your own uninsured motorist coverage, which Illinois law requires on every auto policy. Joe and Kristen Ori handle every case personally, and they know how to build a recovery even when the at-fault driver is never identified. To be clear about who we are: we represent people who were injured, not drivers facing criminal charges for leaving the scene — those are different lawyers.
The reason hit-and-run cases are won in the first days is that the evidence vanishes so fast. The fleeing car is often captured on a traffic camera, a business or parking-lot security system, a doorbell camera, or CTA bus footage — but those recordings are overwritten within days. We send preservation demands immediately, canvass for witnesses while their memories are fresh, and work any partial plate, vehicle color, or body-style detail you can recall. A few characters of a plate combined with footage is frequently enough to identify the car. When the driver is found, the act of fleeing — a felony under 625 ILCS 5/11-401 — is willful and wanton conduct that can support punitive damages, and your civil claim proceeds independently of whether the driver is ever criminally charged.
When the driver is never identified, your own UM coverage becomes the case. Illinois treats a hit-and-run driver as an uninsured driver, so your policy pays for your injuries up to its limits — and your rates cannot be raised for a no-fault UM claim. That coverage reaches further than most people realize: it covers phantom-driver crashes where a car forced you off the road without ever making contact, and Illinois courts have confirmed that pedestrians and cyclists struck by a hit-and-run driver can recover under their own auto policy’s UM coverage. If you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, the rideshare company’s commercial UM coverage may also apply. We find every policy in play.
Because we’re based in Oak Brook, we handle hit-and-runs on the suburban roads and expressways the downtown firms treat as an afterthought — and we file in DuPage County’s 18th Judicial Circuit alongside Cook, Will, and Kane. Watch the deadlines: an identified-driver claim runs two years, but your UM policy may impose its own shorter notice requirements, so the time to act is now. The consultation is free, there’s no upfront cost, and we work on a contingency basis. Call Joe or Kristen at (312) 621-0000 to find out exactly how you can recover.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Ori Law Group is responsible for the content of this website.
What to Do After Your Accident
- Call 911 right away and report it as a hit-and-run — the police report is the foundation of your claim, and Illinois law requires reporting within a short window.
- Get medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine — adrenaline hides serious injuries, and a treatment gap becomes the insurer's argument that you weren't really hurt.
- Write down everything you remember about the fleeing vehicle — make, model, color, any part of the plate, dents, stickers, and the direction it went.
- Photograph the scene, your vehicle, the point of impact, debris, skid marks, and your injuries before anything is cleaned up.
- Find witnesses fast — get names and numbers from anyone who saw the crash or the car that fled.
- Look for cameras — traffic cameras, business and parking-lot security, doorbell and Ring cameras, and CTA bus footage often capture the vehicle, but the recordings are overwritten within days.
- Notify your own insurer that you intend to pursue an uninsured motorist claim, but do not give a recorded statement until you've spoken with an attorney.
- Keep every bill, record, and note about how the injury affects your work and daily life, and talk to a lawyer before accepting any settlement.
Common Causes & Types
- Driving without a license or insurance — drivers who flee because they have no license, no insurance, or both.
- Impairment — intoxicated drivers who leave to avoid a DUI arrest.
- Outstanding warrants or immigration fears — drivers who run to avoid contact with police.
- Distraction and panic — drivers who never saw the person they hit, or who panic after striking a pedestrian or cyclist.
- Phantom drivers — a driver who forces you off the road or into another object and never makes contact — and never stops.
- Stolen vehicles and drivers fleeing the scene of another crime.
Who Can Be Held Liable
- The hit-and-run driver, if identified through investigation or later police work
- Your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, when the driver is never found
- The owner of the vehicle, when a different person was driving it
- An employer, when the fleeing driver was working in the scope of employment
- A rideshare company's commercial UM coverage, if you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft
- The Illinois Crime Victim Compensation Program, for certain crime-related expenses
Injuries We Handle
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Spinal cord and back injuries
- Broken bones and orthopedic trauma
- Internal and chest injuries
- Lacerations and disfiguring scars
- Catastrophic and permanently disabling injuries
- Pedestrian and cyclist impact injuries
- Wrongful death
Illinois Law & Deadlines
Damages You Can Recover
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and loss of a normal life
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Punitive damages for the willful and wanton act of fleeing
- Wrongful death damages for surviving family members
How the Legal Process Works
- Free consultation & rapid investigation
We start immediately — pulling traffic, business, and doorbell camera footage, canvassing for witnesses, and working any partial plate before the trail goes cold, all at no cost to you.
- Uninsured motorist claim
When the driver is never found, we open and document your UM claim, because your own insurer becomes the party that has to pay — and adjusters fight these claims hard.
- Demand & negotiation
We present a demand backed by evidence and negotiate for full value, including punitive damages where the act of fleeing supports them.
- Arbitration, litigation, or trial
UM claims often go to arbitration under your policy; identified-driver claims go to court. Joe or Kristen prepares your case either way.
| Driver identified | Driver never found | |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays | The fleeing driver's liability insurer | Your own uninsured motorist coverage |
| Legal basis | Civil negligence claim against the driver | Your UM coverage under 215 ILCS 5/143a |
| How it's resolved | Settlement or trial in court | Often arbitration under your policy |
| Deadline | Two years (735 ILCS 5/13-202) | Set by your insurance contract — act early |
You Can Still Recover Even If the Driver Is Never Found
The most common fear after a hit-and-run is that there's no one to hold responsible. There almost always is — it's your own insurance company.
Illinois law requires uninsured motorist (UM) coverage on every auto policy under 215 ILCS 5/143a. A hit-and-run driver is treated as an uninsured driver, which means your UM coverage steps into the shoes of the fleeing driver and pays for your injuries up to your policy limits. You paid for this coverage; using it after a hit-and-run is exactly what it's for, and Illinois law forbids your insurer from raising your rates for a no-fault UM claim.
UM coverage even reaches phantom-driver crashes — when a driver forces you off the road or into another object and never makes contact. Illinois recognizes these "no-contact" claims, though they require corroboration, which is why preserving witness statements and camera footage matters so much.
And UM rights aren't limited to people inside a car. Illinois courts have confirmed that pedestrians and cyclists struck by a hit-and-run driver can recover under their own auto policy's UM coverage — even when the policy language seems to say otherwise.
Evidence Disappears Within Days — and Fleeing Is Willful Conduct
Hit-and-run cases are won or lost on how fast the evidence is preserved, and the fact that the driver fled can open the door to punitive damages. Knowing what's at stake protects your claim.
- Surveillance footage is time-critical — traffic cameras, business and parking-lot security, doorbell cameras, and CTA bus footage are often overwritten within days — we send preservation demands immediately.
- A partial plate is enough to start — even three or four characters, a vehicle color, and a body style can identify the car when combined with footage and witness accounts.
- Fleeing is willful and wanton — leaving the scene of an injury crash is a felony under 625 ILCS 5/11-401, and that willful conduct can support punitive damages under 735 ILCS 5/2-1115.05.
- Your civil claim is independent — you don't need a criminal conviction to recover — the civil case proceeds on a preponderance of the evidence, not beyond a reasonable doubt.
Local Resources
Why Choose Ori Law Group
Ori Law Group is a women-owned, two-attorney trial firm in Oak Brook. We represent hit-and-run victims — people injured by a driver who fled — not drivers facing criminal charges. When you call, you reach Joe or Kristen, not a paralegal or an intake screen. Joe Ori has concentrated in personal injury for more than 25 years and has been named to Super Lawyers every year since 2013; Kristen Ori leads our litigation and was recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star. Together they bring over 40 years of combined trial experience and more than $150 million recovered, and they prepare every case to be tried, not just settled. We represent hit-and-run victims throughout Cook, DuPage, Will, and Kane Counties — including the suburban roads and expressways where so many of these crashes happen.
Case Results
Recovered for a retired Chicago police officer who sustained back and neck injuries in an auto accident.
Recovered for a 72-year-old man who sustained head and neck injuries in an auto accident.
Awarded to a minor who sustained a pelvic injury in a school bus accident.
Recovered for a police officer who sustained leg injuries after being struck while on foot on a public roadway.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. See more results →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file a hit-and-run claim if the driver was never found?
Yes. When the at-fault driver flees and is never identified, you recover through your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, which Illinois requires on every auto policy under 215 ILCS 5/143a. Your insurer steps into the shoes of the fleeing driver and pays for your injuries up to your policy limits, and Illinois law forbids raising your rates for a no-fault UM claim.
What is uninsured motorist coverage and does it apply to a hit-and-run?
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is part of every Illinois auto policy. It pays when the at-fault driver has no insurance — and a hit-and-run driver is treated as uninsured. It is the primary path to compensation after a hit-and-run, and we open and document the claim because your own insurer is the party that has to pay.
Can a pedestrian or cyclist file a hit-and-run claim through their own UM coverage?
Often yes. Illinois courts have confirmed that pedestrians and cyclists struck by a hit-and-run driver can recover under their own auto policy's uninsured motorist coverage, even when the policy language appears to say otherwise. You do not have to have been in a car to use the UM coverage you pay for.
What if I only saw part of the license plate?
A partial plate is often enough to start. Three or four characters, the vehicle's color, and its body style — combined with traffic and security camera footage and witness accounts — can identify the car. We work partial plates against every available source while the evidence is still recoverable.
Are punitive damages available in a hit-and-run case?
They can be. Leaving the scene of an injury crash is a felony under 625 ILCS 5/11-401, and that willful and wanton conduct can support punitive damages under 735 ILCS 5/2-1115.05 when the driver is identified. The act of fleeing is the textbook conduct these damages are meant to punish.
What's the deadline to file a hit-and-run lawsuit in Illinois?
A claim against an identified driver generally must be filed within two years (735 ILCS 5/13-202). A UM claim is governed by your insurance contract, which can set its own — sometimes shorter — notice and demand deadlines, so read the policy and act early. If the driver is identified later, the limitations period may run from the date of identification under the discovery rule.
What if the hit-and-run happened in DuPage County instead of Chicago?
We handle them. Our office is in Oak Brook, and we represent hit-and-run victims on the suburban roads and expressways — I-88, I-355, I-294 — and file in the DuPage County 18th Judicial Circuit as well as in Cook, Will, and Kane Counties.
What does it cost to hire Ori Law Group?
There is no upfront cost. We handle hit-and-run cases on a contingency basis — we are paid a percentage of your recovery only if we win or settle your case, and your consultation is free. You pay nothing out of pocket to get started.
Will Joe or Kristen personally handle my case?
Yes. As a two-attorney boutique firm, Joe and Kristen work directly with you from the first consultation through resolution. Your calls reach the lawyers actually working your file.
Legally reviewed by Joseph and Kristen Ori · Last reviewed June 24, 2026. This page is attorney advertising and is for general information only — it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship.
Injured by a Driver Who Fled? Let's Talk.
Free, confidential consultation — call (312) 621-0000. Even if the driver is never found, you may be able to recover. No upfront cost, and Joe or Kristen handles your case personally.