You're driving. It's a normal, ordinary day. Maybe you're trying to get to work or school or just go home. Maybe you're visiting friends or loved ones. Whatever the case, you suddenly and unexpectedly find yourself in a car accident. In the ensuing confusion, you don't give your information to the driver of the car you hit (or the owner of the property you damaged). You might have just panicked, a natural reaction, or perhaps you were afraid or simply confused. Regardless, you have just been involved in a potential hit-and-run case. You might not have even hit another car: so long as you did any damage to another person's property, you can be found liable for a number of hit-and-run related offenses.
In California, cases of property damage resulting from hit-and-runs are usually treated as misdemeanors. The penalties, however, can be steep. If convicted, you could face substantial fines along with a jail term of up to six months!
If, on the other hand, your accident results in the injury or death of another person, the stakes involved get raised substantially. You will likely face felony charges. You might even be charged with vehicular homicide! With such charges come devastating fines and, potentially, a long prison sentence. In many ways, this simple accident could ruin the rest of your life.
With so much at stake, it's important that you acquire good legal representation as quickly as possible when an incident such as the one described occurs. A lawyer can often substantially reduce the charges or penalties you will receive and may even to get the case against you dropped entirely.
If you're in the Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar, Perris, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Banning, Corona, Winchester or Riverside areas, contact us as soon as possible. We will deal with your hit-and-run case on a personal level, giving you individualized attention from beginning to end and ensuring that you get the defense you deserve.