Being involved in a motor vehicle accident is already horrific and traumatizing enough, but when the at-fault driver leaves the scene of the crime it can make everything worse. In these situations, there is still a way for you or your loved ones to seek financial compensation for your physical injuries and all your pain and suffering. The Simmrin Law Group is here to help with obtaining the right amount of compensation, so go ahead and chat with an Ontario hit-and-run lawyer today to begin this journey for what you are owed.
What Exactly Is a Hit-and-Run?
The legal ramifications of what exactly constitutes a hit-and-run accident vary from state to state. In California, a hit-and-run accident is when you are driving a vehicle and hit an object (like another car or a building) or a person but fail to call 911 and make a report before you leave. This is a very serious crime because you are essentially fleeing the scene of a crime, and it is even direr when there is death or injury involved as well.
When people flee the scene of the accident, is it most often because they are the ones who caused the crash and they do not want to be held responsible for their actions. It makes sense that their careless driving would cause them to get into a traffic accident and it makes even more sense that that carelessness would spill over to them not wanting to stay for police and paramedics to show up after the accident has occurred. This is extremely dangerous because if someone was injured from the accident and needed medical attention then the at-fault driver should help them receive that medical care rather than just driving off to save their own skin.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in the latest year of reporting, there were 2,049 deaths from hit-and-run accidents in the US. If you or someone you know has recently been involved in a hit-and-run accident, then you may be entitled to financial compensation due to the severity of the crime. Contact the Simmrin Law Group today to start building your case for just compensation.
For a free legal consultation with a hit-and-run accidents lawyer serving Ontario, call (310) 896-2723
Hit-and-Run Penalties in California
Hit-and-run accidents are taken very seriously in a court of law, but especially so in California, since the golden state sees more of these types of accidents than most other US states. According to California state law, hit-and-run charges can be either a misdemeanor or a felony, which just goes to show how extreme the state is willing to take it. The severity of the penalties will be determined by:
- The amount of damage
- The cost of the damage
- The number of people involved
- The severity of the injuries
- Whether or not there was a death involved
These punishments can include suspension of a driver’s license, hefty fines, probation, and/or a long prison sentence. And it is imperative to know that under California state law, anyone who leaves the scene of a motor vehicle accident without filing a report with the police can be held legally responsible. So, even if you were not the driver who caused the crash, you are still required to call 911 and file a police report. Otherwise, you could also face rough punishments.
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Finding the At-Fault Driver
In a traffic accident court case, whoever is found to be the at-fault driver typically pays the victim damages, which can usually include medical bills and insurance costs. This cannot happen with a hit-and-run accident case because the whole concept of a hit-and-run accident is that the at-fault party drove away and fled the scene.
At Simmrin, we are determined to help you get the compensation that you deserve. We are willing to help with tracking down the at-fault driver and making sure that they are held responsible for what they did. To accomplish this, we plan on interviewing possible witnesses, examining police records, and reviewing traffic camera footage.
Once the suspect has been identified, we make it our top priority that he or she is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. This includes paying damages to you, paying hefty fines, and serving a long prison sentence. If you want the person who caused you pain and suffering to be found and forced to answer for their crimes, then reach out to one of our hit-and-run lawyers in Ontario today.
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Uninsured Motorist Coverage
As a citizen of California, there is a high likelihood that you carry something called uninsured motorist coverage. This is optional insurance coverage that can be added to your car insurance. This helps ensure that you get paid for damages to your car and/or medical bills for your injuries from the crash when the other driver is at-fault and doesn’t have an insurance policy.
Most California drivers have this coverage and it is of great help when someone is a victim of a hit-and-run accident but the other driver doesn’t have auto insurance. It also helps when the other driver fled the scene of the accident and their identity remains unknown. However, you can still receive financial compensation for your damages even if you don’t have uninsured motorist coverage through the help of a hit-and-run attorney in Ontario.
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How a Hit-and-Run Lawyer Can Help You
As previously mentioned, a hit-and-run accident lawyer can help you seek the financial compensation you deserve. Still, you may be wondering how exactly we plan on doing that. Your compensation will be determined through several variables. This includes:
- Medical Bills
- Surgery Costs
- Physical Therapy Costs
- Prescription Drug Costs
- Doctor’s Visits Costs
- Car Insurance Costs
- Missed Work Payments
Since your financial compensation will be determined through these factors, it is going to be a pretty reasonable package for you to be able to get back to the way you were living your life before the tragic accident.
However, sometimes, victims of hit-and-run accidents don’t want to go through the legal process of obtaining compensation. This can be because they feel as if there I no hope since the identity of the at-fault driver remains unknown. But it is important to know that this is not true in the slightest because you can and should still speak with a hit-and-run lawyer as soon as you can after the accident.
Reach Out to Simmrin Today
We hope that nobody ever has the misfortune of being a victim of a hit-and-run accident, but the reality is that these types of traffic accidents will continue to take place as long as there are drivers on the roads. The Simmrin Law Group is here to help you obtain the financial compensation you are entitled to. Contact us today and speak with an Ontario hit-and-run attorney during your free case evaluation.
Call or text (310) 896-2723 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form