The last thing you want is to get in a car accident. When it happens, the drivers stop, render aid, and call the police. But what happens if the other driver flees the scene? Not only is this illegal, it’s also a huge problem.
There are 375,000 car crashes each year in Florida, and Orlando and Miami have a very high incidence of hit and run crashes. This is fueled in part by the combination of tourists driving the area, highway and road construction, and a transient population.
So what can you do if the other driver flees? Follow these steps immediately:
Call the police: Give them the best possible description of the car and driver, and the license tag if you have it.
Find any witnesses: Get their names and contact information, and find out what they saw.
Take photos and video of the scene: Gather as much data as you can.
Look for security cameras: Identify any surveillance footage that might exist and preserve it. It may include red light cameras or road traffic cameras as well as business security video.
Scan for evidence: Search for any parts that might have broken off from the fleeing car to help identify it.
Contact the best Florida car accident attorney you can: Skilled lawyers can locate witnesses, surveillance, and other clues to help find the person who caused the crash. Our accident reconstruction engineers can often identify the cause of the crash as well as the details about the vehicle involved which is now gone.
It is important to call us as soon as you can. The sooner we can get our team to work, the better chance we have to preserve and obtain the evidence needed. We work with law enforcement as well as our own expert witnesses to maximize the value of your case.
In the case above, John Leighton sued the city of Hialeah after a deadly crash involving Marco Barrios and the death of his fiancée caused by Officer Raul Somarriba. John Leighton probed why Hialeah police seemed to cover up the crash, and his investigations revealed the officer was traveling twice the legal limit in an unmarked car with his headlights off.
Attorney Marty Davis and the Legal Solutions Group know the value of acting quickly, and our team of lawyers, investigators, and paralegals can help you through this.
If you were injured, or someone in your family has lost their life in a crash, call (305) 503-2808 immediately for a free consultation with our attorneys.