Hit-and-Run Accident Attorneys in OC

In California, as in every other state in America, fleeing the scene of a collision you were in is against the law. Sadly, many drivers still drive away from the accidents they cause, even when their victims have been severely inured and are in desperate need of help. There are a variety of reasons why drivers commit this negligent, cruel, and illegal act, but none of them are good or honest ones. Hit-and-run victims deserve help, and that is what we want to provide.

If you have been the victim of a hit-and-run in California, you have options under the law. While your situation may seem hopeless right now, with the right legal advice, you may be able to recover financially from your accident. Our Orange County car accident lawyers at Leslie Law Firm can help you do just that. For skilled, compassionate advice, call our office at (949) 752-7474 today.

Recovering from any of these is incredibly difficult, and even if you do fully heal, you could be left with lifelong disabilities that severely impact your ability to live your day-to-day life. For example, if you have a physical job, losing a leg could leave you unable to work, on top of ruining your hobbies, such as jogging, taking your dog for a walk, or even just going for a quick drive.

However, there are many hit-and-run victims who never get the chance to recover. Wrongful death is, sadly, a common outcome of hit-and-run collisions. To suddenly lose a loved one is traumatic, especially when their death was caused by someone else’s negligence. Thankfully, by filing a wrongful death claim, family members can recover compensation. On top of that, hit-and-runs are illegal, so there are both civil and criminal consequences that can be brought against the at-fault driver.

However, that misdemeanor quickly becomes a felony if the at-fault driver caused injury to, or killed, a person. If the at-fault driver is convicted, then he or she could be facing a state prison sentence of two to four years, and a fine of $1,000 to $10,000, or both, as well as having to pay restitution to the victim or the victim’s family.

In addition to criminal penalties, there may be consequences for hit-and-run drivers in civil court. Victims have the right to claim for damages and are likely to recover punitive damages. These additional damages are designed to punish a defendant for acting in a particularly egregious manner or intentionally or recklessly causing harm to another, to deter similar conduct in the future, and to provide victims and their families with the compensation they need to pay for medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. However, filing a claim can be difficult if the at-fault driver is never found.

Of course, a hit-and-run is unique in that the at-fault driver may never be identified. This means filing a claim may not be a straightforward process. But there are other ways to recover compensation, even when you are unsure who was to blame for your accident.

However, going through these options can be overwhelming, especially if you are recovering from an injury or mourning the loss of a loved one. You may be unsure where to start, how to tackle the gathering of evidence, how to fill out the mountains of paperwork, and whether to argue with insurance adjusters. Thankfully, with a skilled attorney by your side, you won’t have to worry about any of that.