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It only takes a single moment of distraction or carelessness to cause an accident. Although car accidents happen often, the last thing anyone would expect is to see a negligent party leave the scene.
Leaving the scene of an accident is a crime in Acworth and one that can carry serious legal consequences. If they fled the scene, do not let them get away.
The attorneys at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm know that you may have a claim if you found yourself in a car accident where the other party left the scene. To maximize your chances of retrieving the compensation you need to pay medical bills and other damages, call us right away!
Call (833) 254-2923 or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation with the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm today.
How an Acworth Hit and Run Accident Attorney Helps
A hit-and-run situation is terrifying — one that may lead to life-threatening injuries, property damage, and unexpected financial burdens. If you were in a car accident where the other driver fled the scene, you can seek legal advice and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Choosing to work with a qualified personal injury lawyer provides these services throughout your case:
- Care and counsel
- Legal strategy
- Representation
- Resources
In addition to the above, your Acworth hit-and-run lawyer is ready to gather information and evidence, review Georgia law, and apply it to your case. With the gathered evidence and documentation, they can calculate the loss of wages, related medical bills and expenses, property damage, and pain and suffering.
Although there is no rule stating you must work with a lawyer, when you choose to work with one, they will have the skillset, patience, time, and resources at their disposal. Injuries and property damage caused by a hit-and-run accident may take a long time to recover from.
When you hire an experienced hit-and-run attorney, you have the help needed to oversee your case and legal matters while you focus on recovery and returning to your usual daily routines.
Georgia Law Has Statute of Limitations
Every state in the US has passed laws limiting the time a victim may file a personal injury claim. In Georgia, residents have two years after an incident to file a claim in the State’s court system.
While there are some exceptions to the law, the two-year limit applies to most personal injury cases, limiting time to gather evidence, prepare a case, and negotiate with other parties before standing before a judge.
Negligent parties will have their insurance policy intended to cover liability claims. However, insurance companies are not always forthcoming and often present low-ball offers or nothing at all.
Your attorney will need time to perform negotiations in hopes of reaching a satisfying settlement for your claim before both parties must present it before a judge.
While a qualified attorney will do their best to settle outside the courts, it is not always possible. Giving your legal team ample time to negotiate can work in your favor to reach a satisfying settlement before being obligated to file a lawsuit with the court system.
Causes of Hit-and-Run Accidents
Hit-and-run accidents occur when someone involved in a collision leaves the scene without first talking to police or exchanging information with the others involved. Some common examples of hit-and-run accident scenarios include when a pedestrian is struck and left on the side of the street or someone backs into a car at a parking lot with no intention to help pay for damages to the victim’s car.
Whether the negligent party leaves on purpose or due to a fight-or-flight response, what they did was illegal, and they can face serious criminal consequences.
The causes of hit-and-run accidents are no different than a typical accident aside from the aggressor leaving the scene. Accidents are frequently caused by:
- Aggressive driving
- Distracted Driving
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Drowsy driving
- Speeding
Types of Hit and Run Collisions
Car accident-related injuries can take multiple weeks, if not months, to fully recover from — with the worst cases never reaching full recovery at all. Hit-and-run accidents differ from usual accidents in that the victim is not always in a car.
They may be struck while crossing the street, riding their bike, skateboarding, or driving a golf cart.
As one can imagine, the chances of facing significant injury when coming face to face with a moving car at high speeds are likely and, in the worst cases, lead to a fatal result. Those who do survive face injuries that take months, if not years, to recover from with life-altering limitations fully.
It is not a surprise that victims of hit-and-run accidents face brutal injuries. When pedestrians are involved, their bodies hit the car many times before the accident is over.
Injuries endured in these accidents are brutal and potentially fatal. Commonly, victims have broken bones, lacerations, TBIs, and more, with injuries that take longer to recover.
Injuries and Medical Complications Associated with Hit and Run Accidents
The road to recovery is challenging, with many back-to-back doctor appointments, prescriptions for pain medications, surgeries, and multiple physical therapy sessions. Victims will likely face the loss of working hours, which can have significant financial impacts on their family’s usual lifestyle and stability.
Injuries from a hit and run may lead to the inability to work and create permanent disabilities like brain damage, loss of limb function, nerve damage, limb loss, and permanent limitations. These limits to the body potentially have critical impacts on the family’s present financial situation and can lead to negative consequences for their financial future.
Especially for families where the victim is the main income earner for the household, their injuries can have lifelong effects that prevent them from doing their job properly or limit their ability to take on more responsibilities, limiting their careers for high-paying positions in their industry.
Psychological Impacts of a Hit-and-Run Accident
Physical injury is not the only impact an accident has on a person. They will also face psychological consequences that will require multiple months of therapy with a licensed professional.
Some typical psychological results from being in a hit-and-run accident include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD
Additionally, there is the chance that a head injury may present changes in the person’s memory, levels of consciousness, sleep schedules, personality, and more. These are best known as brain injuries, and they can be a sign of concussions or more severe TBIs.
If you suspect that you or someone you love is displaying odd changes to their behavior after a hit-and-run accident, seek medical attention immediately.
What to Do if You Were in a Hit-and-Run Accident
It is understandable if someone in a hit-and-run accident panics after the incident. Hit and runs are terrifying, traumatizing, and painful. But, if you can help it, try to remember these tips on how to react if you find yourself in this situation:
- Call 911 right away — Calling authorities will not only dispatch the police but medical assistance as well. The police will investigate and review damages to your case, as well as prepare a police report that details their findings. They will include talking to witnesses as part of their investigation and can help with their testimony to better understand how the events took place. The police will work towards finding the driver, which they will apprehend if they find them.
- Accept Medical Care — Depending on the circumstances of the hit-and-run accident, you may need medical attention. Even if you feel fine, your body is running on high adrenaline levels, preventing you from feeling pain at the scene. EMTs will take your vitals and look you over. If they see something wrong, they will immediately take you to the ER.
- Seek Medical Care — Visit the ER or a nearby medical care provider, even if you don’t feel hurt or were already looked over by the EMT team. They do not have all the tools available to address all injuries. Injuries like TBIs may present later. If you hit your head, medical staff may choose to perform a CT scan or MRI to find any injuries that are not visible without medical equipment.
- Gather pictures and evidence — If possible, take pictures and video, and gather contact information of witnesses willing to testify on what happened in your case. Also, write down as much as you can remember about the incident, the vehicle that hit you, and other other details. Although it is not always possible due to injury, it helps solidify the compensation requested in your claim when it is available.
- Call the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm — Schedule your consultation with our staff so that we can complete a case review and begin working on your case if there is a claim.
The police will do whatever is possible to identify the negligent driver, but locating them is not always possible. If they cannot do so, speak to your attorney for further instructions. You will need to file a claim with your own insurance company or against another liable party to recover compensation for your injuries and property damage.
Choose Our Experienced and Compassionate Acworth Hit and Run Accident Law Firm
A hit-and-run accident is unexpected, shocking, and life-changing for victims. But with the help of the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, you can expect quality and expert legal care as we manage your case and navigate through the claims process.
Do not let someone hurt you and walk away without compensating you for your losses. Contact a legal team who will be there every step of the way. Schedule your free initial consultation today when you call (833) 254-2923 or contact us online.