If you or a loved one has been injured in a hit-and-run traffic collision, our trusted and aggressive personal injury lawyers can help you understand your legal rights and options. A hit and run accident is any accident in which the driver of a vehicle causes personal injury or property damage to another and leaves the scene of the accident, injury, or damage without stopping. These types of accidents are much more common than you might think. Silverthorne Attorneys knows first hand what an epidemic this is to our state and how immoral this type of crime is. While it can be enormously frustrating to have to deal with the injustice of a hit-and-run accident, there are remedies available. Our goal is to help you get the justice and fair compensation you deserve for your significant losses. Please contact us at 949-234-6034 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation.
An Uninsured Motorist Clause is a provision commonly found in insurance policies that provides for a driver to receive damages for any injury he or she receives from an uninsured, negligent driver. The owner of the policy pays a premium to the insurance company to include this clause. Although not exclusive, this coverage is typically added to an automobile insurance policy. In the event of a qualifying accident, the insurance company pays the difference between what the uninsured driver can pay and what the injured driver would be entitled to as if the uninsured motorist had proper insurance.
Contact Our Hit and Run Accident Lawyer in Orange County Before Your Insurance Company
Quite often our clients will contact us and let us know that they spoken with their insurance companies before speaking with us. This more often then not leads them to getting less compensation for their accident. People that work at insurance companies are taught to ask specific questions about your accident so they do not have to pay you as much as you deserve.
We also see, sometimes, where there is no contact with the other vehicle, but the client hit something that came off of the other vehicle, such as a tire, a box, etc. In this context, the client is still able to pursue a UM claim. However, in order to recover in this context, the object that they hit must be moving when they hit it, or the client is able to identify where the object came from. Again, the client should consult with an attorney as early as possible, so as to avoid the pitfalls that prevent the recovery that the party is entitled to receive.
Hit and Run Accident Statistics
According to the California Highway Patrol there were are total of 19,156 hit and run accidents in 2010. Here are the different types and how many times they happened:
- Head-On: 951
- Sideswipe: 2,578
- Rear End: 6,966
- Broadside: 3,846
- Hit Object: 1,519
- Overturned: 313
- Auto/Pedestrian: 2,104
- Other: 732
Here in California, we’re also setting the groundwork for hit and run laws with a recent law passed that takes away the statute of limitations on tracking down hit and run drivers. That means police can take several years to find those drivers and still be able to prosecute them. With the earlier-mentioned statistics, it’s a law that was long overdue.
California Laws Pertaining to Hit and Run Accidents
- Speeding or Reckless Driving
- Driving in Excess of 100 Miles Per Hour
- Certain Offenses
- Required Revocation
- Grounds for Suspension
- Out of State Conviction
- Duty to Stop at Scene of Accident
- Permissible Action Duty Where Property Damaged
- Impounding Vehicle for Investigation
- Traffic Violation Point Count
Schedule a Free Consultation Today Regarding Your Accident
Call our experienced Orange County hit and run injury lawyers today at (949) 234-6034 to get your questions answered, and discuss your possible compensation eligibility. Silverthorne Attorneys has offices in Huntington Beach, Anaheim and Ladera Ranch and serves courts throughout Southern California.
