HIT AND RUN CAR ACCIDENTS

The car accident attorneys of Madalon Law are here to help injury victims in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and other Florida counties.

As bad as a car accident may feel, a hit and run accident just seems to be even worse. You are following the rules of the road and you are suddenly hit by another vehicle. Once the initial few seconds of absolute shock pass, you begin to do what most would naturally do (stop your vehicle, make sure you are ok, call the police, check to see the other driver is ok). Unfortunately, not everyone is as honest as you and will leave the scene of the accident.There are drivers that will hit another person and leave without stopping and rendering assistance. They will not check if you are ok. They will not check to see if you need medical attention. You could be left traumatized and injured. Who will pay for the medical bills? Who will pay for your lost wages? Who will pay for your damaged vehicle? In the unfortunate case of a hit and run death, who is going to compensate the family of the victim? It’s not right.

WHY HIT AND RUN DRIVERS LEAVE THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT

In Florida, drivers must carry car insurance in order to get a driver’s license. Unfortunately, there are drivers that once they have their license, they may drop their coverage or stop making their premium payments. Even though it is illegal to drive without insurance, uninsured motorists will continue to drive and figure it’s worth the risk because they probably wouldn’t get in an accident. Then it happens. Without auto insurance, drivers can be tempted to leave the scene of an accident.

STEPS TO TAKE AFTER A HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT

Like any car accident, there are steps that need to be taken like making sure you are getting out of the car in a safe place and watch for oncoming traffic, calling the police, taking pictures of the scene, seeking medical attention and getting the statements and contact information from any and all witnesses.

But when the accident involves a hit and run driver, you must somehow gather yourself and get the best look at the other vehicle possible. The license plate number is the best piece of information, but may be difficult to see. If you miss the license plate, then try your best to catch the make and model of the vehicle, color, and any other identifying marks. Also, make sure you ask any and all of the witnesses what they saw.

SPEAK TO A CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

The Fort Lauderdale car accident attorneys at Madalon Law have helped accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, disability and other loses including death. We offer a free consultation and will take on the cost and expenses of your case. We will not send you a bill unless we win your case. We know you’ve been through a lot. It’s time for you to get some answers about your hit and run accident. Contact our firm today and we will gladly go over your case with a free consultation.

How to Identify the Other Vehicle

HIT AND RUN ACCIDENTS: HOW TO IDENTIFY THE OTHER DRIVER

THE CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS OF MADALON LAW HAVE SUCCESSFULLY HELPED HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT VICTIMS

The moments after a car accident can leave anyone rattled for good reason. What is even more shocking is when you realize the other driver is trying to leave the scene of the accident they may have caused. How could they do this? How could they not even care if you or anyone else in the car is ok or needs medical attention?

The last thing you should do is begin to chase the other driver. This will not only endanger you and other drivers on the road, but there is also the added danger of not knowing what the other driver is capable of. They could be driving without insurance, driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or have warrants for their arrest.

As much as this may have you feeling emotions of shock and anger, this is the moment you need to breathe and compose yourself. You need to clear your mind of everything else and take the best look that you can at the other vehicle.

HT AND RUN: IDENTIFY THE CAR LEAVING THE SCENE

We do realize identifying a car right after an accident can have different levels of difficulty depending on how severe the accident was. Even though our firm has won cases with less information, it is still very helpful to get a good look at the other vehicle starting with these things:

The License Plate: This is the first thing you have to look at. If you do happen to see the license plate number, repeat it out loud over and over again until you are able to write it down. Unlike the other helpful details that can be recalled by memory (make, model, car, driver), the license plate number can be easily forgotten if not written down.

The Driver: It is common the moment an accident happens for both drivers to look at each other. If this happens, take a mental snapshot of the persons face. If they rear end you, then take a good look as they drive by. The minute that car drives by, lock your eyes on that license plate and get the number.

Make, Model and Color: The moment the car has created enough of a distance that you cannot read the license plate number, you need to put your full attention on the make and model of the car. This should be fairly easy if it is a newer car, but in some cases, there are older cars that may be missing the decals that identify the model. In this case, you need to take a good visual picture of the vehicle and its shape and design. Don’t panic if you are in this situation because with today’s technology, you could probably figure out the car at the scene of the accident with the help of a couple of people and a smartphone with access to Google.

The Other Details: Then there are the other details that can always help like bumper stickers, unique rims, aftermarket kits or anything else.

HIT AND RUN WITNESSES AND ASSISTANCE

If you were not able to get all of the details listed, chances are there may have been other vehicles or witnesses that saw this. Once the police get there, explain everything for the report and make sure you talk to every witness at the scene. Take their contact information and also details about what they saw. Make sure you also seek medical attention if needed.

SPEAK TO A HIT AND RUN CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

The Fort Lauderdale accident attorneys at Madalon Law have won multiple hit and run cases and have been able to recover compensation. Contact one of our Florida offices today for a free consultation with one of our accident attorneys.