What a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Do for You After a Hit and Run Accident

Prove Liability If the Driver Is Known

The driver who caused the accident is sometimes caught after a hit and run accident. This person usually faces some type of criminal charges. You will still need to prove liability in your civil case even if the driver is convicted criminally. Proving liability is a highly technical process that requires a good knowledge of the law. A lawyer will help by trying to establishing all the legal requirements to show that the driver was responsible for the hit and run accident. This is important since both courts and insurance companies need to see liability before any compensation is paid.

Assemble Supporting Evidence

You are going to need evidence in order to prove that you were injured in a hit and run accident. You are also going to need evidence to show the extent of the injuries that you sustained. What a normal person considers evidence might not be acceptable to a court or insurance representative. A skilled attorney will know how to assemble evidence that supports your claims and the facts of the case. This includes evidence that shows exactly how severe your injuries are, whether they are permanent and how they are affecting your life.

Meet Deadlines and Respond to Communications

If you were involved in a hit and run, then it is likely that you will be recovering from your injuries for a long time. You might even have a partial, total or temporary disability. This can make it hard to do the footwork necessary to sustain your claim. A personal injury attorney will help you to meet deadlines and respond to communications. This includes handling letters from insurance companies, responding to legal motions and filing documents with the courts on time.

Stop Unfair Insurance Company Tactics

Some victims hit by car drivers who flee the scene never see the liable person again. This means the only way to get compensation is through the insurance company. Insurers often go to great lengths to make the process of receiving compensation as difficult as possible. Without representation, you might encounter aggressive insurance representatives, deceptive tactics and confusing settlement offers that strip you of your rights. A good attorney will be able to stop unfair insurance tactics. Your lawyer will work hard to protect your rights and win fair compensation.

Seek All Damages Including Punitive

You are likely dealing with many different factors after a hit and run that could be considered damages under the law. Few people without legal training understand how to calculate damages accurately for a personal injury claim. An attorney can quantify your damages to arrive at a solid monetary figure that will compensate you fairly for what you have gone through. Your lawyer might be able to ask for money to cover medical fees, future treatments and medical devices. You could be compensated for pain and suffering or future lost income. If the driver is found, then you also need a lawyer because you could get additional punitive damages due to the maliciousness of the driver.

Work Out a Fair Settlement

Most personal injury claims today do not result in a court battle. They are settled outside of court. This is true for many hit and run accidents. Negotiating with an insurance company, attorney or liable party is not easy. You could easily fall into a trap or be strong-armed into an unfair settlement. An experienced attorney knows the tricks that are used during these negotiations. Your lawyer can potentially do many things to speed up the negotiations and get you the fair compensation that you deserve through a settlement.

Take the Case to Trial

Hit and run cases can become very complex and messy especially if there are insurance companies and other parties involved. This means a settlement might not be possible. The only option left will be to take the case to trial. You need an attorney with litigation experience to have the best chance of winning. A lawyer with years of experience can fight for your rights and for fair compensation in court against even the largest opponents.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: The St Petersburg Attorney Michael Babboni
Since October of 1987, Babboni has practiced personal injury, civil and criminal litigation in St. Petersburg, Florida. He has been lead counsel in jury trials from Pasco County to Sarasota County on the West Coast of Florida, and from Sanford south to Sebring in Central Florida. Michael J. Babboni has also litigated extensively before the Second District of Appeals, winning reversals on several important appellate decisions.

Michael J. Babboni was selected by the St. Petersburg City Council as a charter member of the city's Nuisance Abatement Board, which has served as a model for other large municipalities throughout the state of Florida. Michael J. Babboni also served on the City of St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce Committee, which helped attract a major league baseball team to the city. In 1997, Michael J. Babboni was certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a Circuit Court Mediator.

Copyright Goldman Babboni Fernandez Murphy & Walsh




Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication at the time it was written. It is not intended to provide legal advice or suggest a guaranteed outcome as individual situations will differ and the law may have changed since publication. Readers considering legal action should consult with an experienced lawyer to understand current laws and.how they may affect a case. For specific technical or legal advice on the information provided and related topics, please contact the author.