Founder and Managing Partner
What are my rights if I am injured in a hit and run accident?
Automobile accidents often lead to serious physical injuries and emotional pain, and the consequences can become far worse if you are involved in a hit and run. These accidents occur when a motorist is involved in an accident and flees without stopping to identify himself or herself or offering aid and assistance to others involved in the crash.
Such was the case in a recent accident on La Grange Road near Don Pedro Reservoir. A driver illegally crossed over a solid double-yellow line to pass a Toyota travelling north just as an SUV driven by a 16 year old girl with her 51 year-old mother, brother and a friend as passengers was headed south.
The SUV swerved into the dirt shoulder to avoid the oncoming passing car, went back onto the roadway and overturned onto its right side. The mother and daughter were killed when the Toyota slammed into the roof of the SUV. A passenger in the Toyota, a 72 year old man traveling with his wife, was also killed. Three others injured in the crash, two passengers in the SUV, and the driver of the Toyota remain in the hospital.
A CHP Sonora officer said the driver of the of the passing vehicle fled north after the crash, but there was no description of the vehicle or the driver who potentially faces felony no contact hit and run and vehicular manslaughter charges.
The Takeaway
In Northern and Southern California, all motorists involved in accidents that result in injury or death are required by law to immediately stop at the scene and remain until authorities arrive. They must also provide reasonable assistance to those who are injured by calling 911 or local authorities. When the police arrive, motorists must provide their name, address, and vehicle registration information.
While obtaining compensation in a hit and run can be difficult, if the other driver is identified, you can bring a claim against that person. If the fleeing driver is not found, you may still be able to obtain compensation from your insurance provider, provided that you have uninsured motorist coverage. In either case, you need to engage the services of the experienced hit and run accident attorneys at the law firm of J&Y.