Hit-and-run accidents are a serious problem in Phoenix and across the rest of the nation. Though it is illegal for a driver involved in a collision to leave the scene, it happens every day in the Valley, and often with serious results. Fleeing drivers who are later apprehended tend to face more severe charges by police and local authorities. In addition to any citations they would have received had they remained at the scene, these drivers are often charged additional for fleeing, a crime in Arizona. If the hit-and-run collision leaves a person injured or killed, the penalties facing a fleeing driver can be severe and often include incarceration.
The reasons behind the stiff punishments and penalties are clear: hit-and-run accidents are a serious problem and they often lead to fatal crashes. This is because in many accidents, a victim or victims may be too injured to call for help themselves and instead must rely on others to do so. But if the only other person involved in a collision flees, there may be no one to call for help, significantly delaying or eliminating a victim’s ability to receive medical attention in a timely fashion. This can lead to a worsening of injuries or even can result in death of a victim who may otherwise have survived if help had been obtained immediately. Whatever the results of a crash, fleeing the scene is not only against Arizona law, but it is also a real threat to the safety of all those who may be victims.
In the event that you are involved in a hit-and-run accident, the laws in Phoenix may entitle you to relief. This is true whether or not the fleeing driver is ever located and apprehended as the laws are designed to help the victims of crashes in any situation. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer who has experience representing car accident victims may help you understand your legal options and whether you have a valid claim for your damages if you have been involved in a collision.
Police in Phoenix were called to the scene of a hit-and-run accident last night between an automobile and a pedestrian. Unfortunately, the injuries sustained by the pedestrian were too severe and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police believe that a car approached the area of 3200 West Indian School Road around 9:30 p.m., the same area where the pedestrian was walking. For reasons that are not yet clear, the driver of the vehicle struck the walker and then fled the scene without stopping to alert authorities or to see if the pedestrian was injured. At this time, police do not know the make or model of the vehicle involved and they have not been able to determine who was operating the vehicle at the time of the collision. Anyone with information regarding the accident is being asked to call the Phoenix Police Department regarding the crash.
If you have been injured as a pedestrian in a car accident or if your loved one has been killed, you may be entitled to relief. Call the injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us provide you with a free, confidential case consultation without any obligation on your part at all. We are standing by 24 hours a day to take your call toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 and we will help you understand your legal rights following a crash. If you have been injured, do not let yourself continue to suffer at the hands of a hit-and-run driver; call us today and let us help you get the relief you deserve.
Prior Blog Entry:
New Cell Phone Ban While Driving To Take Effect in Coconino County, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published April 25, 2014.
Resource:
Phoenix PD search for driver in fatal hit-and-run, by Steve Stout, CBS 5 Phoenix, published April 29, 2014.