Criminal and Civil Penalties for Hit and Run Car Accidents
All over the United States, many individuals, including children, adults, and senior adults, become victims of hit-and-run accidents daily. Most drivers leave the collision scene after killing or hurting pedestrians and damaging other vehicles to escape serious penalties. Most of the victims who sustain severe physical injuries in hit-and-run crashes experience trauma and distress.
Hiring a well-versed Kent car accident lawyer is paramount if you or a loved one gets hit by a car, which speeds away. A legal professional with years of experience handling hit and run car accident cases can help you qualify for compensation for damages and injuries. Keep reading to learn about criminal and civil penalties for hit-and-run auto collisions.
Criminal Penalties
A driver guilty of a hit and run crash can face criminal penalties for any of these three:
- Misdemeanor
- Gross misdemeanor
- Felony
According to Washington Law, if your four-wheeler was parked when the hit and run incident occurred, it is a misdemeanor. The guilty may have to pay a fine of up to $1000 and stay in police custody for up to three months.
Hit and run collisions involving a car colliding with another fall under the gross misdemeanor level. On proving guilty, the driver may have to pay a fine of up to $5000 and stay up to a year in jail. If an individual dies in a hit-and-run car accident, the Washington Law will consider it a felony.
The fine for this particular level ranges from $10,000 to $20,000. The guilty may have to stay anywhere between 5 years and 10 years in police custody.
Criminal Penalties
There’s no doubt that the moment a car driver hits a pedestrian, bicyclist, cyclist, or another four-wheeler, they know they are at fault. Therefore, these drivers run away from the accident spot. A victim’s lawyer can file a civil suit against a driver guilty of a hit-and-run crash, make them face penalties, and obtain compensatory injury damages.
If your attorney succeeds in proving the faults of the driver who hits and injures you, you will become eligible for compensation for the following:
- Hospital bills
- Costs related to medications
- Mental sufferings
- Economic damages
- Loss of income and enjoyment
If you or a family member suffers permanent physical disability or impairment after sustaining injuries in a hit and run car accident, ensure you hire an astute injury attorney. Doing so will help you have peace of mind as a proficient hit-and-run accident lawyer knows the best way to negotiate settlements. Your lawyer will keep negotiating and trying to prove with solid evidence that the worth of your injury claim is not less than millions of dollars.
Final Words
Make sure that you rely on a competent hit-and-run accident attorney if you want to sue the driver liable for your injuries, pain, and suffering. A lawyer with years of expertise in litigating hit-and-run accident cases can help you recover damages and make the at-fault driver face penalties.
