Being involved in a car accident is stressful, but any experienced personal injury attorney La Mesa will tell you that when the other driver leaves the scene, it is downright aggravating. Despite the other driver’s behavior, it is critical that you act lawfully. Contacting a personal injury lawyer San Marcos may be one of the most important things that you do after a hit-and-run accident.
A San Diego car accident attorney knows that drivers who flee accident scenes face serious consequences. These include jail time, fines and the loss of driving privileges. Yet, a study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety concluded that there is approximately one hit-and-run collision every minute in America. These consequences are only for leaving the scene of the accident. If a death or serious injury occurred, then the hit-and-run driver may face even stiffer penalties.
In addition to criminal prosecution, a hit and run driver may be sued by a victim with the assistance of a San Diego car accident attorney.
Immediately following the accident, it is critical for the remaining driver to pull over to a safe spot on the side of the road. A respected personal injury attorney La Mesa counsels that it is advisable to write down as much information about the other vehicle and driver as possible. This may include the license plate number, a description of the car and any damage that the other car may have sustained in the crash. Try to pay attention to which way the other vehicle went, but never chase it as this may be dangerous.
Call the police as soon as possible. Even if damage from the accident is relatively minor, leaving the scene is a crime, and the police will need to investigate it. They may be able to track down the other driver to press criminal charges and to give you an opportunity to receive compensation from them or their insurer with the help of a personal injury lawyer San Marcos.
A San Diego car accident attorney can apprise you of all of your options for compensation. It may be helpful to acquire eyewitness testimony from other people in the area who observed the crash, and this testimony may help to support your lawsuit for damages. The more information about the crash you are able to gather, the better prepared your attorney will be to collect compensation on your behalf.