Follow along to find out how you can rectify being made a victim of a hit-and-run and how a proficient Tampa car accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help you achieve justice in the matter.
Why must I not flee the scene of my auto accident?
It is common for a driver’s “flight or fight” to be activated immediately upon their involvement in an auto accident; meaning that their initial response is to flee the scene. While this is an understandable reaction to such a traumatic event, you must fight against it and remain in place. This is because a hit-and-run is considered a criminal offense in the state of Florida. So if you are found guilty of this, you may be up against the following consequences:
- If you caused property damage in your accident and then fled:
- A fine of up to $500.
- A jail sentence of up to 60 days.
- If you caused serious bodily injuries in your accident and then fled:
- A fine of up to $5,000.
- A prison sentence of up to five years.
- A revoked driver’s license of at least three years.
- If you caused a death in your accident and then fled:
- A fine of up to $10,000.
- A prison sentence of four to 30 years.
- A revoked driver’s license of at least three years.
Of note, these criminal penalties may be tacked onto the damages you must pay in a personal injury lawsuit placed against you. This is all to say that, even if your initial instinct is to keep on driving, you must come to your senses and loop back around to the scene.
How can I rectify my being made a victim of a hit-and-run accident?
On the flip side, say that you were made a victim of a hit-and-run accident. You may think that there is no way to recover your damages now that you cannot exchange contact and insurance information with the at-fault driver. However, there may be alternative initiatives to rectify the situation.
Firstly, while still in your field of vision, you must make a mental note of the automobile’s make, model, color, and license plate number. This is in addition to memorizing the driver’s physical characteristics (i.e., sex, skin color, hair color/texture, clothing, etc). Also, you must take notice of their general direction of travel.
All this information must be relayed to a police dispatcher upon your calling 911. From here, the dispatcher may send law enforcement officers to track down the fleeing driver on your behalf. They may also dispatch a law enforcement officer to the scene of your accident, with whom you must share your personal account of the accident event. Also dispatched may be medical first responders, with whom you must seek initial treatment for your bodily injuries.
This is not to mention the present witnesses with whom you must exchange information, along with asking them to also provide a law enforcement officer with their personal statements.
Even if you are just considering legal action as your next step, it is best to first consult with a talented Tampa auto accident lawyer. So please contact us at Merricks Law Group, P.A. today.
