What Should I Do If I Was In A Hit-and Run?
No one wants to be involved in a car accident. You must deal with insurance, injuries, other parties, and a whole host of issues. What could be worse than this? Being involved in a hit-and-run. Did another car hit you and just take off? Was your vehicle damaged while you were away from your vehicle? The attorneys at Leifer & Ramirez can help. We are dedicated to preserving your rights and fighting for the justice you are entitled to.
Florida Accident Requirements
Florida Statutes §316.031-316.063 lay out the requirements of what a driver is supposed to do in the event of a car crash. The requirements are:
- Stop immediately at the scene of the accident and stay at the scene until all requirements are met.
- Give the owner of the other vehicle their name, address, and registration number.
- Produce a driver’s license if requested by the other party
- Cooperate with police officers, including providing driver’s license, proof of registration, address, and other information that is requested.
If the owner of the vehicle damaged is not present, the driver who caused the damage must locate the owner, if possible. If the owner cannot be found, the driver must provide a notice to the owner of the damaged vehicle their name address, and registration. Then, the driver must contact police.
What if the other driver leaves?
While there are all these requirements of what should be done in the event of a crash, the world is not perfect and hit-and-run accidents occur. It is important to know a few tips for what needs to be done.
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Call 911 immediately if anyone in your vehicle is injured. Even if no one is injured, still contact the police to make a report. The police will come to make a report and this could make it more likely that the other party is held responsible. This creates a record of the incident that can be used to relay information to insurance agencies, or even be used in future litigation.
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Do not try to chase the vehicle that hit you. This is very dangerous and could cause more problems. If possible, try to take a picture of the vehicle or take a description of it – license plate, make, model, etc.
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Look for witnesses and see if they remember anything from the accident. You can get their contact information, or have them give it to the police, to further aid in finding the driver who left the scene.
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Document your damages and take pictures, including pictures of the scene. These can be used to prove the accident occurred to insurance agencies or to the court.
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Contact your insurance company as soon as you can. If the responsible party is found, they will be held liable for the damages.
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Contact an attorney.
Contact an automobile accident attorney as soon as possible. They can help you determine your rights and what the next steps should be.
Let the experienced Florida attorneys at Leifer & Ramirez handle your case. We will help you every step of the way to navigate and solve your issues.
Resource:
leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0316/0316ContentsIndex.html
