Moving Through Your Personal Injury Journey

Did you know that you are required by law to claim responsibility for any damage you cause? This may sound very basic and obvious, but hit and runs are actually surprisingly common. If someone has damaged your property or caused you bodily harm with their vehicle, you should talk to a hit and run attorney. This is a specialized branch of personal injury law, which can get serious fast. For example, did you know that there are misdemeanor hit and run accidents, but some accidents could merit a felony? Here are a few ways that courts determine which type of crime has been committed.  

Misdemeanor Hit and Run 

The basic lapse of information after an accident will merit a misdemeanor hit and run. A misdemeanor is a criminal act that is will be penalized with more than a simple citation, but offenders will not be sent to prison. A misdemeanor hit and run is when someone causes an accident but does not stick around to be responsible. They leave no note, they do not offer to pay for the damage they have caused, nothing. They simply cause the problem and then run away (hence the name). This is a big deal because it is leaving someone high and dry with no financial help for something that they did not cause or anticipate. It is incredibly unfair to the person who received the damage, which is why the police do not deal with it lightly. 

Felony Hit and Run

A felony is a serious crime that could be punished by time in prison or even death row. The driver of a hit and run accident could be charged with a felony if there were any of the following situations: serious bodily harm, death, alcohol involvement, or a police chase. All of these accidents are extremely serious and are not dealt with lightly. It is better for you to own up to an accident than to run away even if a person was seriously harmed or died in a car accident you caused. The law respects those who will face the music and are remorseful for their actions. 

With this information, you may begin to understand the gravity of this kind of situation. If you have been involved in a hit and run or your property or person has been damaged by one, talk to a hit and run attorney near you as soon as possible. For more information about this type of accident, speak to an attorney at an office like Law Office of Daniel E Goodman, LLC.