what kind of lawyer is needed for hit and run defense

Full Answer

How can a personal injury attorney help after a hit and run?

Additionally, if you are the victim of a hit and run accident, a personal injury attorney will help you determine your best course of action, such as filing a civil lawsuit in order to recover any available damages, and guide you throughout the entire legal process.

Who is responsible for damages in a hit and run case?

The offending driver would be responsible for these additional awarded damages. Hit and run crimes that involve serious bodily harm, serious property damage, evading the police, or death, may result in felony hit and run charges, instead of misdemeanor hit and run charges.

How do the police investigate a hit and run accident?

The police primarily utilize evidence and eye witnesses when attempting to track down the driver involved in a hit and run accident. As soon as you have called them and made your complaint, they attempt to preserve as much evidence from the collision scene as possible.

What is a hit and run in traffic law?

Grow Your Practice Traffic law refers to a hit and run as a crime in which a driver causes or is involved in a collision with another vehicle, property, or person, then fails to stop and provide the following: Any other information required by statute.

Is hit and run a felony in Florida?

Punishments for a Hit and Run in Florida The Act requires any driver convicted of leaving a crash scene that resulted in a fatality to serve a minimum of 4 years in prison. For accidents involving injury to the victim, the driver can be charged with a felony in the third degree.

What is the penalty for hit and run in Arizona?

If the driver causes and leaves an accident that results in serious injury or death, the driver can be charge with a class 2 felony. With a class 2 felony, the driver faces anywhere from probation to 12.5 years in prison. If the driver has a prior felony record, the driver faces up to 35 years in prison.

What is the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident in Florida?

Your penalties, if convicted, could include up to five years in prison or five years probation and a $5,000 fine. If you leave the scene of an accident that only involved property damage, you may be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor and, if convicted, you could face as many as 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

What is considered a hit and run in Florida?

In Florida, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, or “hit and run,” is defined as the failure of a driver to remain at the site of a vehicle crash and fulfill other statutory duties, when the crash at issue involves death, bodily injury, or property damage.

What do you do after a hit-and-run?

hit and run accidentStop your car somewhere safe, preferably to the side of the road and not in the way of other cars. ... If you can, get the driver's number plate as well as the make and model of the car. ... If someone's hurt, call the emergency services.If no one is hurt, call the police, who'll give you a crime number.More items...

Can you go to jail for hit-and-run?

However, failure to stop & failure to report an accident can involve a prison sentence of up to six months. Imprisonment would normally only be imposed if you failed to stop & someone was severely injured during the accident.

Can you go to jail for leaving the scene of an accident in Florida?

If you fled the scene of an accident where a death occurred, you can be charged with a first-degree felony, subjected to prison time, and face permanent revocation of your license in the state of Florida.

What do you do if you hit a parked car in Florida?

If I Hit a Parked Car, Do I Need to Report the Car Accident to the Police? In the state of Florida, you must report the accident to law enforcement right away if property damage exceeds $500.

Can you leave the scene of an accident after exchanging information Florida?

Florida Penalizes Drivers Who Flee the Scene Hit and Run – Bodily Injury: if you fail to stop and exchange information and the accident resulted in someone being injured you will face a third degree felony charges that have a possible 5 year sentence and $5,000 in fines.

Does insurance cover hit-and-run Florida?

All is not lost for injured drivers in a hit-and-run accident in Florida because of the state's no-fault insurance law. All vehicle owners who are registered within the state are required to maintain personal injury protection, or PIP coverage, on their individual auto insurance policy.

What happens to a hit-and-run driver in Florida?

Now, the penalties for a hit-and-run in Florida include: Second-degree misdemeanor charge: $500 fine and up to 60 days in prison for property damage. Second or third-degree felony charge: $5,000 fine, up to five years in prison and minimum three-year license revocation for injuries.

How long do I have to report a hit-and-run in Florida?

within 10 daysIf a driver involved in an accident that requires reporting notifies the police and they do not investigate, that driver must submit a written report to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). Motorists must submit these reports within 10 days of an accident.

Police Investigations

When police investigate hit and run cases, they typically contact the suspect and ask that person to bring the car to the police station and give a statement. However, making a statement is not always in the suspect’s best interest. In fact, experienced hit and run lawyers recommend against answering questions without first seeking legal counsel.

Sentencing

When a suspect is charged and convicted of a hit and run, sentencing usually takes into account:

Hit and Run Law

Hit and run law is governed by individual state law. In every state hit and run is considered a serious crime. Hit and run law define this crime as failure to stop after a vehicle accident to exchange information (name, license number, and other pertinent information) with other involved parties.

The Hit and Run Driver May Never Be Located

After your accident, the police will do everything they can to track down the hit and run driver. However, it’s possible that the driver will never be identified or located. Does this mean that you are out of luck? Not necessarily. You may be able to recover compensation from your own insurance company.

A Criminal Case Could Affect Your Personal Injury Claim

Everything will go smoothly once the hit and run driver is located, right? Not necessarily. The driver may be arrested and face criminal charges for the hit and run accident. This criminal case could impact your hit and run injury claim.

Need Help?

Have you been injured in a hit and run accident? Are you struggling with medical bills and other accident-related costs? Contact Citywide Law Group for immediate legal assistance. Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers have more than 17 years of experience handling complex hit and run car accident claims.

California Vehicle Code 20002

Under California Vehicle Code 20002, a hit and run can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. Under the Vehicle Code, you will be charged with a misdemeanor hit and run if:

How a Hit and Run Defense Lawyer Helps in Court

Having an experienced defense lawyer on your side in court can be of paramount importance: an attorney will help you navigate the legal process while advocating on your behalf to the judge and jury. There are several legal defenses an attorney may use to help you avoid a hit and run charge. These include:

What Should I Do at the Scene of a Hit and Run?

In the event of a hit and run car accident in Louisiana, the court can charge you even if you were not at fault.

What are the Penalties for a Hit and Run?

Hit and run accidents in Louisiana incur different charges depending on the severity and details of the accident. They can be a misdemeanor or a felony.

What is a Hit and Run?

A hit and run is any situation in which the driver of a vehicle collides with an object, person, or vehicle, and leaves the scene without providing any information.

How much jail time do you get for a car accident?

If no serious injuries occur from the accident, the charge will likely be a misdemeanor. Fines can range from $500 or less, and you could face up to 6 months in jail.

How Do I Beat the Charge?

With 30 years of combined legal experience, Gordon & Gordon have plenty of defense options for hit and run charges. Below are some defenses that have been successful in the past.