A car accident causes plenty of trouble on its own. However, when that accident is a hit-and-run, victims are faced with additional problems. Property damage, bodily injury, and financial distress are likely consequences, but how can victims pursue compensation when the perpetrator flees the scene?
Do not give up on securing that settlement. Reach out to White Law PLLC for help from our Michigan car accident lawyers. With extensive resources, experience, and grit, a Michigan hit-and-run accident lawyer from our firm will fight to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.
Michigan’s Hit-and-Run Laws
In Michigan, committing a hit-and-run is illegal. According to Michigan law, vehicle drivers who know or have “a reason to believe” they have been in an accident on public or private property must stop their vehicles “immediately at the scene of the accident.” They should remain there until they fulfill their other legal requirements by reporting the incident to law enforcement. If they feel they are at risk of being harmed, they can leave but still must notify the closest authorities.
These legal requirements mean you must provide the following information:
- Your contact information
- Your vehicle registration number
- The contact information for the vehicle’s owner, if the owner is someone other than the driver
- Your driver’s license
All this must be shared with the other driver or passengers in other involved vehicles, a police officer, or the person struck. Drivers involved in accidents must also render reasonable aid to anyone hurt in the accident, perhaps by calling for emergency care or providing transportation to a facility.
Penalties for Failing to Stop
Suppose one or more of the drivers involved in an accident fail to fulfill their legal requirements of stopping when the accident causes damage to another vehicle. No matter if the damaged vehicle is occupied or unattended, the offending drivers can be charged with a misdemeanor. Upon conviction, offending drivers can face 90-day imprisonment or a fine of up to $100, or both penalties.
If the accident caused serious bodily injury or death, offending drivers face felony charges and consequences. Depending on the specific violations, drivers can face:
- Five years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both
- 15 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both
Clearly, Michigan takes hit-and-run accidents seriously, and so does White Law PLLC.
Your Fight Is Our Fight
Types of Hit-and-Run Accidents
When hearing of a hit-and-run, the scenario that most likely comes to mind is of one driver hitting another driver’s vehicle and then speeding away. Certainly, that is one type of hit-and-run. It just is not the only type.
You can be the victim of a hit-and-run when you are nowhere near your vehicle. You may have left your car in a parking lot while you ran errands or parked it on the street in front of your house while you were inside. When you return to the car, you could find it damaged and without a note from the hit-and-run driver on your windshield. This counts as a hit-and-run because the offender has not provided you with their contact information or acknowledgment of the accident.
Hit-and-run accidents can also involve pedestrians. These are perhaps the most egregious type of hit-and-run as pedestrians have no protection when hit by a vehicle and can suffer greater pain and injury if the at-fault driver leaves without giving or calling for medical assistance.
We know how to get our clients the results they need in the toughest legal arenas.
How a Hit-and-Run Accident Lawyer in Michigan Can Help
Though hit-and-run accidents create challenges when it comes to recovering compensation, a hit-and-run accident attorney in Michigan can help. Protecting victims’ rights is the top priority for the team at White Law PLLC, and we will fight hard to find and hold the at-fault driver accountable to get you justice and fair compensation.
Investigating the Accident
Your Michigan hit-and-run accident attorney will carry out a thorough investigation of your accident to identify the at-fault party. White Law PLLC knows how to look for evidence. Your attorney will acquire security or traffic camera footage, speak to witnesses, and consult with accident reconstructionists and law enforcement.
Filing a Claim
If the hit-and-run driver is located, your attorney will help you file a personal injury claim against that driver so you can collect damage for your losses. Even if law enforcement charges the driver with a crime, you can still file your injury claim in civil court.
In most cases, injury cases are settled out of court through negotiations with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Do not attempt to navigate these negotiations on your own. Insurance companies are not on your side, and you need a bold, knowledgeable legal representative fighting for you.
Collecting No-Fault Insurance
If the at-fault driver is not apprehended immediately or at all, your own personal insurance policy should provide coverage. Michigan requires all drivers to carry minimum driver’s insurance policies. A hit-and-run lawyer in Michigan will fight to ensure your insurance company honors your policy and treats you fairly.
Holding Other At-Fault Parties Accountable
Though the obvious culprit in a hit-and-run accident is the other driver, there are situations when other factors contribute to the accident. The driver is criminally liable for leaving the scene, but another party may still hold some–or even most–of the responsibility for the accident.
For example, if a broken traffic signal led to your crash, the government office responsible for maintaining those traffic signals may be responsible. If another driver’s recklessness caused the hit-and-run driver to crash into you, that other driver may bear fault.
Trust White Law PLLC to find any and all parties responsible for your accident and hold them accountable for paying you damages covering:
- Medical costs
- Lost income
- Property damaged or destroyed
- Emotional trauma
- Physical pain and other injury consequences
- Losses to the enjoyment of life
We know how to get our clients the results they need in the toughest legal arenas.
We Fight Back for You
Hit-and-run drivers start an unfair fight. White Law PLLC fights back for you, and we fight hard. We will work tirelessly to ensure you are not victimized twice, first by the accident and then by the perpetrator’s disappearing act. As a hit-and-run accident victim, you deserve the bold representation a Michigan hit-and-run lawyer from our team provides. To get a free consultation, simply call or send a message. We are on your side.
We’re Experienced. We Care.
We Exceed Client Expectations.
