Any resident of Alberta that must deal with such a problem, can seek help from Alberta’s Motor Vehicle Claims Fund. That fund pays up to $200,000 to anyone that has been involved in a motor vehicle accident.
Some residents also qualify for some added help. Those are the car owners that have purchased an insurance policy with a SEF4 provision. Also known as the Family Protection Enhancement, it provides accident victims with a second way to seek compensation for damages. The added protection can prove useful, if benefits for a minor injury have been capped.
Steps that lead to receipt of money from Motor Vehicle Claims Fund
• Try to obtain information on the identity of the responsible driver.
• Submit to offices of the Fund a written notification of plans to file for a claim. See that submission has been made no more than 90 days after the accident.
• Prove that the accident resulted from the responsible driver’s demonstration of negligent behavior. Include proof in form that gets studied by members of the Motor Vehicle Claims Fund.
• Seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
• Show clearly the full extent of injuries to the driver and/or passengers. This information must also get included in the document that gets sent to the Fund.
Work on developing a detailed description of the vehicle that was driven away from the scene. What information was collected from its license plate? What was the make, year, model and color of that same vehicle?
Get a picture of the accident scene. Visit stores or other businesses in the area, to see if any had a video camera. Was such a camera focused on the accident scene at the time when the driver hit an unsuspecting cyclist, pedestrian or motorist? Take notes on the width of the road, and on any posted signs or any traffic lights.
Call emergency. Report incident to police. Speak with witnesses; take notes and get their contact information. Record the date and time of the accident. Record specifics that help with identifying the location. Write down information on any obstructions at that location. Record direction in which responsible driver was heading; it could be that the sun was shining in the driver’s eyes.
Contact your insurance company to get an assessment of damages, if you were driving a car. Save all the receipts received, when you paid out of your pocket some money that covered some aspect of your recovery, or addressed a significant loss.
Hire a personal injury lawyer in Edmonton, and share such receipts with your lawyer. If the responsible driver has been located, prepare to meet the same driver in your lawyer’s offices. Complete all required paperwork. Then await word of the decision from Alberta’s authorities.