South Florida Hit and Run Accidents
There is nothing good about having an accident on the road or in a parking lot. If you have one you certainly hope that no one is injured and you also hope the incident can be handled smoothly, letting the police and insurance companies do their jobs so you can move on. Sometimes a bad situation is made worse when one of the parties involved in an accident decides to leave the scene and not accept responsibility or provide certain information as required by law:
Under Florida Statute 316.027, if a person is involved in an accident or crash that results in injury or death to any person, including a passenger, the person is required to:
a) Stop Immediately.
b) Provide their name, address, registration information, and driver’s license.
c) Render reasonable assistance to the injured or deceased person by transporting, or making arrangements for the transportation, of the person to a medical professional for treatment if it is apparent that treatment is needed or the person requests assistance.
The term most often used when someone fails to do these things is “hit and run accident” and more than one hit-and-run crash occurs every minute on U.S. roads, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
If you are involved in a serious accident and the other driver tries to flee the scene, what should you do?
If you are able, try to take note of the make, model, and color of the vehicle and hopefully the license plate. Call the police immediately and tell them about the other vehicle. Do not attempt to chase or stop the car and driver. There’s a reasonable chance this person will resist and you could be injured.
Most people are quite shaken after an accident, and this is normal. Once things are settled it’s a good idea to call an attorney who specializes in vehicle accidents who can help you get compensation for damages and injuries through your insurance company or the individual who left the scene. The sooner you call, the better. Don’t despair, help is available.
The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been helping the victims of hit and run accidents since 1992, getting the compensation they need to move on with their lives. Please call us at (954) 356-0006 for a free and confidential consultation.
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