Hit and Run
The experience of being involved in a motor vehicle accident is frightening enough, but the aftermath can become even more stressful and traumatic if the other driver leaves the scene of the crash without stopping to provide personal information.
Unfortunately, hit and run accidents happen with disturbing frequency all over Atlanta, from major highways like Interstate 20 and Interstate 75 to local streets like Peachtree Street in Five Points and Spring Street in Tech Square.
Most of these hit and run accidents involve a vehicle hitting a pedestrian although collisions with other vehicles or a bicyclist are also common.
The good news for those who have sustained injuries or incurred substantial damage to vehicles in “hit and run” accidents is that an experienced attorney may be able to help recover financial awards from the negligent driver or their insurance company. Even if the other driver is never identified, you may be able to recover money damages if you have uninsured motorist coverage from your automobile insurance company.
Call us to find out how much your case is worth.
It is important to seek legal representation before speaking to an insurance company or signing any settlement so you can make sure that you obtain the maximum amount of compensation.
Lawyer for “Hit and Run” Crashes in Atlanta, GA
We fight for the injured victims of hit and run crashes when another driver leaves the scene of a crash or accident. What do we do?
A personal injury attorney can help you prove liability if the other driver is known. If the other driver is not known, your attorney can help you recover benefits from your insurance company if you have uninsured motorist coverage.
In many cases, the police will find the driver who left the scene and make an arrest for leaving the scene. Your attorney can seek punitive damages because the other driver committed a criminal offense that contributed to your damages.
Your attorney can also show the full extent of your injuries and monetary damages so that you can maximize your claim in the lawsuit. Your attorney can help you handle all of the issues that come up with the insurance company and review the insurance policies.
If you were involved in an automobile accident in which the other driver fled the scene of the crash. ReShea Balams can investigate your case and make every effort to hold the other motorist accountable.
The Balams Firm fights for crash victims after the other driver leaves the scene in the greater Atlanta area, including Clayton County, DeKalb County, Cobb County, Gwinnett County, and Fulton County.
Our firm can review your case during a free consultation when you call (404) 445-2005 today.
Atlanta Hit and Run Information Center
- What do state laws say about these kinds of accidents?
- Why do people usually fail to stay at the scenes of crashes?
- What kinds of compensation might a victim be able to recover?
- What should a person do if he or she is involved in this type of accident?
Georgia Hit and Run Laws
Georgia Code § 40-6-270 states that the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in damage to another vehicle or injury to or death of another person is required to immediately stop at or near the scene of the crash and do the following:
- Give his or her name, address, and the registration number of the vehicle he or she is driving;
- Provide his or her driver’s license upon request;
- Render aid to any injured person, whether by transporting or making arrangements for the transporting of such person for medical or surgical treatment; and
- If an injured person is unconscious, appears deceased, or is otherwise unable to communicate, drivers should “make every reasonable effort to ensure that emergency medical services and local law enforcement are contacted for the purpose of reporting the accident and making a request for assistance.”
It is a felony offense in the state of Georgia to leave the scene of an accident resulting in death or serious injury. Drivers face misdemeanor charges if the crash does not result in serious injuries or death.
It is also a misdemeanor offense under Georgia Code § 40-6-271 for a driver to leave the scene of a collision with an unattended vehicle without providing written notice of his or her name and address on a conspicuous place of the struck vehicle.
Reasons Drivers Leave Accident Scenes
While every motorist should know that he or she is legally required to stay at the scene of a crash, there are a wide variety of reasons that some drivers opt to flee.
Despite the fact that these individuals can often face much more severe penalties when apprehended later on, most people who do not stay at the scenes of accidents are scared about the immediate consequences they might face because of their criminal records or certain other aggravating factors.
Some of the other issues that are typical reasons that drivers flee crash scenes include:
- the vehicle was not registered;
- the driver had an outstanding arrest warrant;
- the driver did not have automobile insurance;
- the driver was driving on suspended driver’s license or without a valid license;
- the driver was driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs;
- the driver was not a legal citizen of the United States;
- the driver was speeding or driving recklessly; or
- the driver was texting at the time of the crash or otherwise engaged in some other type of distracted driving conduct.
Possible Hit and Run Damages
One of the great injustices of a hit and run crash is that the innocent victims are often stuck having to pay several significant expenses out of their own pockets. Some of the economic damages involved in these accidents can include:
- Automobile repair costs;
- Costs for household services if victim is partially or totally disabled;
- Lost wages;
- Other types of property damage;
- Past and future medical expenses; and
- Funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and other costs arising from wrongful death.
Attorney for Claims under Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Atlanta
You might still be able to recover compensation for your personal injury claim even if the other driver is never identified. Call us to find out if you can make a claim with your own insurance company under your uninsured motorist coverage.
Your uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage can often be used when you are hit by a driver who either:
- does not carry any liability insurance;
- does not have enough insurance coverage to cover your damages; or
- when no coverage exists because the negligent driver left the scene and was never identified.
Even though you are filing a claim with your own insurer on your uninsured motorist coverage, you should still be represented by an experienced personal injury attorney.
Work with an experienced attorney before you make a statement to the insurance company or sign any settlement documents. Call (404) 445-2005 to discuss your case.
What You Should Do After a Hit and Run Accident
If you are ever involved in a motor vehicle accident in which the other driver leaves the scene, here are the steps you should take immediately afterward to give yourself the best chance at obtaining compensation:
- Write Down As Much As You Can About the Other Vehicle — Immediately record everything you remember about the description of the other driver and his or her automobile, including what he or she looked like if you saw him or her as well as the color, make, model, and especially license plate number of his or her vehicle.
- Call the Police — File a police report and make sure to request a copy of the report. Provide the police with as much information about the other driver as you can, as law enforcement is more capable of stopping that vehicle and apprehending the other driver the sooner they are notified.
- Get Contact Information of Any Witnesses — If anybody saw the collision, you should get their names and phone numbers.
- Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company — You will want to notify your insurance company that you were involved in a hit and run crash, but limit yourself to just the facts regarding the time and location. Whatever you do, you should not make any recorded statements.
- Take Pictures — Many cell phones have cameras, and you should use such devices to take as many photographs as possible of the accident scene. These pictures can your car from varying distances, any injuries you sustained, and any other evidence that is particularly time-sensitive and could possibly disappear (broken glass, skid marks from tires, etc).
- Seek Medical Attention — Even if you believe that you did not sustain injuries, you should still have a doctor review your condition, as the symptoms of many injuries are not always immediately apparent.
- Contact a Personal Injury Attorney — While your insurance company may cover this type of accident, they also have a vested interest in making sure that your claim is as small as possible. This is one reason that you will want to be sure to have legal representation looking out for your best interests, but it will also be important if you need to later file a lawsuit against the other driver should he or she be apprehended at a later date.
Additional Resources
Hit and Run Crashes in Sandy Springs, GA – Visit the website of the Sandy Springs Police Department to find information about the Traffic Unit that has three traffic officers, two DUI officers, and one hit and run investigator. The Traffic Unit in Sandy Springs, GA, is responsible for traffic enforcement, traffic complaint follow-up, fatality crash investigations and hit and run investigations. These officers on DUI enforcement and ways to reduce traffic crashes.
Atlanta Police Department’s Accident Investigations Unit – The unit for investigating accidents of focused on investigates for fatal and hit-and-run traffic accidents in the City of Atlanta.
40-6-270. Hit and Run – Find the law in Georgia regarding the criminal offense of hit and run and the driver’s duty to stop and remain at the scene of a motor vehicle accident to exchange information and help any injured person receive medical treatment. Visit Justia to find information on the Georgia Code in Title 40 for motor vehicles, Chapter 6 for the uniform rules of the road, and Article 12 for a driver’s duties after an accident.
Find a Personal Injury Attorney for a Hit and Run Case in Atlanta
Were you involved in a motor vehicle accident where the other driver did not remain at the scene of the crash? ReShea Balams represents “hit and run” collision victims from her office in Sandy Springs and throughout the greater Atlanta area. She works to recover compensation from all available resources.
Criminal charges for leaving the scene of an accident can have consequences for the victim in a civil case for money damages against the negligent driver. Call us to find out how much your case might be worth if you were injured in a hit and run crash.
The Balams Firm helps clients from College Park, Riverdale, Norcross, Forest Park, Decatur, Duluth, Lawrenceville, Milton, East Point, Dunwoody, Smyrna, Marietta, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Roswell, and Sandy Springs.
Let our firm review your case to see how we can help by calling (404) 445-2005 right now to set up a free legal consultation.
