Los Angeles Hit and Run Attorney

There are two kinds of hit and run crimes in California. Penal Code 2001 applies to vehicle accidents that involve injury or death; and Penal Code 2002 applies to accidents involving only damage to property. The law for both requires that any driver who is involved in an accident must immediately provide their name and current residence to the other driver involved in the accident. If not, it is considered a hit and run – a crime that is punishable by fines, administrative penalties like loss of your driver’s license privileges and even prison time.

The accident doesn’t even have to be your fault in order for you to be charged with hit and run. If you leave the scene of an accident involving either property damage or injury without providing your contact information to the other driver, you can be charged. However, there are times when leaving the scene is justified, such as leaving to seek necessary medical attention for yourself or someone else.

If you’re arrested for hit and run car accident, you should also realize that a charge is not the equivalent of a conviction. A prosecutor still must prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, so you can benefit from working with an experienced criminal defense lawyer. Call a Los Angeles hit and run attorney with the Miranda Rights Law Firm as quickly as possible if you are charged with either felony or misdemeanor hit and run in Southern California.

HIT AND RUN PENALTIES

The precise circumstances of a hit and run incident and how you react are usually crucial in the determination of innocence or guilt in hit and run cases. California categorizes hit and run offenses as misdemeanors or felonies depending on the type of damage involved. You may be charged with misdemeanor hit and run if you leave the scene of an accident without identifying yourself to the other parties involved and if another person’s property was damaged. Don’t be fooled by the fact that this charge is a misdemeanor. All criminal charges are potentially serious, including those related to driving. The penalties for a misdemeanor hit and run are severe, and may include a fine up of to $1,000 and up to six months in county jail.

If anyone is injured or killed, the hit and run will be charged as a felony without regard to who was at fault in the accident itself or how much damage or injury is suffered. If you are convicted of a felony hit and run, you may face a fine of up to $10,000 and up to three years in state prison.

If someone is hurt or killed, you may also face civil penalties. The victim or the victim’s family could sue you in civil court to receive compensation for their medical expenses, pain and suffering and loss of wages.

Hit and run charges are nothing to take lightly. If you have been charged with a hit and run, speak to an experienced Los Angeles hit and run attorney as soon as possible.

WE ARE READY TO FIGHT FOR YOU

Many drivers with a few years behind the wheel in southern California traffic could conceivably be charged at some point in time with a misdemeanor hit and run. You can be charged if you leave the scene of a minor accident where the other driver was plainly at fault; if you damage and drive away from someone’s fence, parked vehicle, commercial building, home, or other property; or if you leave the scene of an accident you caused even if you weren’t in the actual collision.

In many cases, hit and run is simply a misunderstanding or mistake. A motorist, for instance, may not even realize that he has hit another vehicle. On a dark street, he may not even realize that he struck a pedestrian, or a person in dark clothes riding a bicycle on a dark street. In most of these cases, people don’t even realize that they have done anything wrong, and are surprised when they face charges. Besides, you could face misdemeanor charges even if you strike someone’s property with your car, and leave without speaking to the owner of the property about the accident.

If you were confused, if you weren’t aware of the accident when it happened, or if it was actually another driver and you’ve been wrongly accused, Los Angeles hit and run attorney Douglas Miranda will make sure that your side of the story is told. Los Angeles hit and run attorney, Douglas Miranda has more than a decade of experience fighting for clients who face hit and run charges. He is ready to fight for you.

WHEN CARS HIT BICYCLES

Hit and run accidents involving bicyclists surged 42 percent from 2002 to 2012 in Los Angeles County, according to the Los Angeles Times. What’s curious about the surge is that in the same period of time, the overall number of hit and runs involving cars, motorcyclists, and pedestrians dropped by 30 percent. Between 2002 and 2012, more than 5,600 bicyclists were injured in Los Angeles County and at least 36 died in crashes in which drivers fled the scene. Call an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer as quickly as possible if you are charged with either felony or misdemeanor hit and run in the greater Los Angeles area.

For bicyclists who are injured by drivers, a major disappointment is how rarely hit and run drivers are caught. The Los Angeles Police Department closed only one in five hit and runs from 2008 to 2012, meaning about 80 percent of these cases remain unresolved. With so many hit and run drivers getting away, prosecutors are “throwing the book” at those who are arrested. It’s a crime you really do not want to be charged with in Los Angeles today. If you’re charged with hit and run in the LA area or anywhere in Southern California, do not plead guilty, and do not attempt to act as your own attorney when facing criminal charges. Instead, get trustworthy and dependable legal representation by contacting an experienced criminal defense lawyer immediately.

SET UP A FREE APPOINTMENT

If you’ve been charged with hit and run in Southern California, put an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney to work for you. Douglas Miranda will explain your legal options and develop the most effective possible defense. At the Miranda Rights Law Firm, we put our experience to work for you. To schedule a free consultation with an experienced Los Angeles hit and run attorney, contact us today. Send an email, or call 213-293-1207. Se habla español.