There is nothing nice about being involved in a car accident, but unfortunately, they are a common occurrence, and most people will inevitably be on one side of an accident at some point in their lives. What can make these accidents even more traumatic is when the other driver decides to leave the scene of the crime. This is called a hit and run, and cases of this happening are on the rise in Tampa and across the rest of Florida and have been for several years.
By law, in Tampa and Florida in general, you have to stop at the scene of a car accident. According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV), Florida is already one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a driver or a pedestrian. Every single year Florida has over 400,000 accidents leading to over 3000 fatalities. Worryingly, over 100,000 of these accidents are hit and run car accidents. Often due to a driver Leaving the scene after a car accident when they are driving under the influence and panic, causing them to make a foolish decision to leave the scene.
Hit and run crimes are a lot more serious and vastly more complex than your typical car accident. As the hit and run driver has left the scene, they can often be very hard to identify or locate, especially if there are no witnesses to the hit and run crash, and the victim has been injured and is incapacitated. It also means that the victim is left to deal with their injuries, if they have been left unconscious, this can mean the difference in surviving or dying from a road accident. It also means that the victim will have to pay their own medical bills for something that was not their fault and may not even receive the same level of medical care they need due to the cost.
At The Law Place, we think this is completely unacceptable and are here to help. We hate the injustice caused by reckless drivers who do not stick around to deal with their mistakes. Call us on 941-444-4444 for your free consultation with a Tampa personal injury lawyer today. We are ready to fight your corner aggressively and use our vast investigation powers to seek the compensation and justice you deserve.
What Should I Do If I’m Involved in a Hit and Run Accident in Tampa, Florida?
If you or a loved one have been the victims of a hit and run accident in the Tampa area, the most important thing you can do after prioritizing your safety and health is to contact a skilled Tampa, FL personal injury hit and run accident lawyer for a free consultation. The sooner they can begin investigating, the less chance the evidence will be harder to dig up. Your personal injury attorney will also be able to liaise with your insurance company, which stops them from tricking you into accepting liability or lowering their payout to you.
Hopefully, you are reading this before being involved in an accident. Unfortunately, that may not be the case, and you may be on the scene of the accident, unsure of what to do. Here is what you should do at the scene of the accident.
- First and most importantly, if you have not done already, make sure you call the emergency services straight away. Firstly, the first responder will ensure that all injuries are addressed and correctly handled. Secondly, the police will turn up and may be able to track the driver down. They will also create a legal document called a police accident report. These can be extremely handy later on down the line in terms of claiming.
- If you are in a capable and stable condition, take down as much evidence as you can. Document as many details as you can about the other vehicle, the age, the state, the color, the make, the registration, anything you can think of could potentially help the police track down the driver.
- If there were any witnesses, get their details as quickly as possible, witnesses are often happy to give these details at the scene but can be reluctant if they are found later down the line to give any useful information.
- Contact your attorney as soon as possible if you are going to use one, they will advise you what to do in a clear-headed and easy to understand way.
After the hit and run, if you have received an injury, these are the things that you need to do to give enable yourself a fighting chance in court later on.
- Keep all records of all of your personal injury medical costs. This includes transport costs as well as any alterations you have to make at home.
- Get your car repaired, but keep all of the bills relating to it so you can seek these damages later on.
- Keep track of any lost wages that you have incurred due to the accident.
What Will a Tampa, FL Hit and Run Lawyer Do for Me?
After calling a reputable Tampa hit and run lawyer, this is what they will do for you from the very first instance:
- Firstly, you will be called in for a free consultation about your hit and run accident. During this consultation, you will be asked some simple details and questions so your attorney can get a good idea of where you stand and what to advise you to do. This is no-strings-attached and won’t cost anything.
- If you decide to proceed with the representation, your hit and run lawyer will call you in for a more detailed interview. During this meeting, they will lay out their fee structure in a clear and easy to understand manner. They will also find out more details about your accident and collect any evidence you can give them. Once you are happy, you will sign the paperwork, and we will take over the hard work.
- From this point, your personal injury lawyer will begin investigating your hit and run case for you, speaking to the police from the scene and any witnesses, they may also call in expert witnesses and reconstructions to strengthen your case.
- Once they have finished their investigation, they will know what they think you are entitled too, and they will then attempt to seek this from the insurance company outside of court.
We’re here to serve you. Our phones are open 24 hours a day.
What If a Hit and Run Driver Is Never Caught?
Unfortunately, many hit and run drivers are never caught after Tampa hit and run accidents. This can leave a victim in a terrible situation. This is why we always advise motorists to buy the best possible uninsured motorist insurance they can afford. This creates a safety net for this situation and will mean you do not end up in thousands of dollars of debt due to another driver.
If you have bought uninsured motorist insurance in Tampa, your accident insurance should cover you for the cost of your property damage and injuries. Speak to a hit and run accident attorney for a free consultation and they will advise you what to do in terms of speaking to your insurance company.
We’re Florida’s top litigation team with over 75 years of combined experience
Call The Law Place Today!
Our car accident lawyers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help you out. When you ring up, we can give you some free unbiased and honest advice on your case. It is no-strings-attached advice that might seriously help you out.
We have a collective experience of over 75 years dealing with hit and run accident cases just like yours in the state of Florida. Contact us at The Law Place on 941-444-4444 today.
