Leaving the scene of a car accident can cause serious consequences even if you were the victim of the accident.

Why?

Every driver must stop at a car accident scene, provided it is safe to do so. Leaving the scene without offering help to injured persons, exchanging contact information, and speaking to the authorities can result in a hit-and-run charge.

The results?

Depending on your situation, you may face:

• Jail time
• Stiff fines
• Revocation of your driver’s license
• Calculation of your insurance coverage
• Civil liability issues

What Is a Hit and Run Car Accident?

A hit and run car accident happens when an individual leaves a car accident scene without dropping their contact information and offering assistance to anyone who needs it.

This accident can be with another car, a pedestrian, a fixed object, or an animal. Furthermore, most states apply their hit-and-run laws to all locations, including parking lots.

So, if an individual backs into an empty car in a parking lot, one should leave their contact information on the windshield of the vehicle they collided with.

Many states’ laws do not consider if you are responsible for the accident or not. Simply leaving the scene without identifying yourself is enough for the hit-and-run charge.

So unless you left the scene briefly to get assistance or contact emergency services, you would be charged with a hit and run. The hit and run driver must make sure to take responsibility for their actions, and our law firm is here to help victims of hit and run accident situations.

Penalties For A Hit And Run Car Accident Charge

There are many possible penalties for leaving the scene of a car accident without dropping your contact information. These are:

• Criminal penalties for a hit and run car accident charge

Depending on the circumstances of the accident, a hit and run can be a felony or misdemeanor.

A hit and run offense is a felony if someone is injured in an accident. The injured person can be a pedestrian or an occupant of the collided vehicle. The felony hit and run penalties include fines of between $5,000 and $20,000.

Depending on the circumstances of the accident at the resulting injury, a felony hit and run convict could spend up to 15 years in prison.

A hit and run offense is a misdemeanor if there is no injury from the accident. Although the term “misdemeanor” makes the offense seem mild, it could attract fines up to $5,000 and jail time up to one year.

• Administrative Penalties for a hit and run car accident charge

Almost every state imposes administrative penalties if you are found guilty of a hit-and-run offense. These penalties related to your driver’s license are melted out by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

A hit and run conviction generally gets you a six-month automatic suspension or revocation of your driver’s license. The period can be as long as three years in some states.

Depending on the circumstances of the car accident and resulting injuries and damages, your driver’s license may be revoked for life.

• Civil Penalties for a hit and run car accident charge

You will most likely face lawsuits for monetary compensation if you cause a car accident. However, getting convicted for a hit-and-run offense can make your case harder to argue and increase the damages the court may award against you.

Some states award punitive or “treble damages” against hit and run drivers. Punitive damages are awarded to punish the driver’s dangerous or reckless behavior.

Treble damages mean that the judge automatically triples the damages awarded by the jury. If your state allows treble damages, the judge can force you to pay three times the amount awarded.

Car insurance providers rarely cover punitive and treble damages, so you have to pay for them out of pocket.

• Insurance penalties for a hit and run car accident charge

Some car insurance providers cancel the insurance policy of any driver that commits or is convicted of a hit and run.

This practice can increase your financial exposure, especially if facing a lawsuit for monetary compensation.

How To Avoid A Hit And Run Charge After An Accident

It is easy to get confused or afraid after an accident. Here are some tips to guide you.

• Don’t leave the scene without exchanging contact information. If no one is available on the scene, drop your contact information on the windshield or any visible spot. You may also take a picture of proof that you dropped your contact information.
• Assist the injured. If you or anyone is injured, call 911 immediately, regardless of the degree of the injury. Unless you are a trained professional and have the right tools, do not attempt to perform medical assistance. It is best to leave the victims as they are unless there is a risk of imminent external danger.
• Contact the emergency services (police, firefighters, medical services) and get their contact information. You should also get the names and contact information of any witnesses.
• Go To The Hospital – If you are injured or feel injured in one of these incidents, visit a healthcare professional.
• Get information about the car(s), people, and other objects or animals involved in the crash. For cars, ensure you have the vehicle make, model, year, license plate number, and general description. Pictures of the car damage, other people/animals/things involved in the crash, and the road condition also help.
• Don’t assume or deny responsibility without speaking with your attorney. Regardless of what others believe, assume neutrality until you have talked to your attorney. New evidence might prove the other party was responsible for the accident, even if you think you are at fault.
• Get a lawyer: Don’t speak to anyone, excluding police officers, after a car accident until you have talked to a lawyer.

Talk to a hit-and-run lawyer for free.

Speak with a car accident lawyer immediately. The lawyer will examine your case and determine if it is a civil matter or requires criminal defense.

Contact us to get your free initial consultation.