Rancho Cordova Hit and Run Accident
Hit and Run Traffic Accidents
I’m Ed Smith, a Rancho Cordova Hit and Run Injury Lawyer. Having a car accident is stressful by itself. When the other party fails to stop at the accident scene the situation is made much worse. If a party to a traffic accident fails to stop it is called hit and run. Hit and run collisions may vary from bodily injury, property damage and even death.
There are many reasons a driver may fail to stop at an accident scene. It may be fear, driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and or a lack of car insurance. Failing to stop after being involved in a car crash is a crime. It does not matter why you didn’t stop.
Listed below are laws that apply in California hit and run car accidents:
Duty to Stop at the Scene of a Traffic Collision [California Vehicle Code Section 20001]. The driver of any car that becomes involved in a traffic accident which causes injury to another person (besides herself or himself) or in the death of another person shall stop immediately at the scene and fulfill requirements listed in CVC 20003-20004. (See below).
Permissible Action. Duty when property is damaged [California Vehicle Code Section 20002]. The driver of any car that gets in an accident which results only in damage to property, including cars, may go ahead and move the car, if it is possible. The car may be moved off the main lanes of roadway and into a safe spot immediately within the location of the accident. Unless doing so would cause an injury to a person or create a hazard on the roadway. Moving a car within the specifications of this section does not affect the question of fault.
Duty when someone is injured or dies [California Vehicle Code Section 20003]. The driver of any car that gets in an accident which results in injury to any person, or death to any person, shall give his or her information to the person hit or the driver or to the people in the car of any vehicle collided with. Information shall also be given to any police officer or traffic officer at the location of the accident. Information to be exchanged: name and address of the registered owner of the vehicle, registration number of the vehicle involved in accident, name and address of driver and occupants in the vehicle. Additionally, the driver shall give reasonable assistance to any person injured in the traffic accident including transportation (or making arrangements for transportation) of any injured victim to a doctor, surgeon, or hospital for treatment when it is apparent that medical treatment is necessary or when the injured victim requests help obtaining medical treatment.
Duty upon death [California Vehicle Code Section 20004]. In the unfortunate event of death of any person that results from a traffic accident, the driver of any motor vehicle involved, shall after fulfilling stated requirements of this section, and if there is no police or traffic officer at the accident scene to give this information to as required by CVC 20003, shall, without delaying, report the traffic accident to the nearest California Highway Patrol (CHP) office or duly authorized agent of a police department. In the report, provide all information required by CVC 20003.
Rancho Cordova hit and run accidents happen not only to motorists but also to bicyclists and pedestrians as well. Having an experienced attorney on your side in these types of cases may improve your chances of receiving a favorable outcome. Did you know that even when a bicyclist is injured or pedestrian is injured by a hit and run driver you may be able to recover on your uninsured motorist insurance? Generally, so long as the bicyclist or pedestrian that gets hit has uninsured motorist insurance coverage on his or her own vehicle or someone else in the bicyclist’s or pedestrian’s household has uninsured motorist insurance coverage, the bicyclist/pedestrian will normally be covered by that policy.
I’m Ed Smith, a Rancho Cordova Hit and Run Lawyer. I have been helping victims seriously injured in auto accidents involving hit and run drivers in the Rancho Cordova area for over 30 years.
My firm has compiled a top-notch accident information website called, AutoAccident.com. You will find a wealth of valuable information on our site.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Rancho Cordova hit and run accident, please contact me right away at (916) 921-6400.
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Photo Attribution: Courtesy of Rancho Cordova Police Department [Public Domain Website]