Del Rio Hit & Run Accidents

Del Rio hit and run accidents are an ever growing and steadily fatal issue facing drivers of all ages. Indeed, this is as true for the entire United States as it is Del Rio. Just last year, Colorado ratified a state law which upgraded the gravity of a hit and run accident to a Class 4 felony. This means that a hit and run offense now carries the same weight and consequence as a drunk driving arrest, also a Class 4 felony, in that state.

In the United States, one in five pedestrian casualties on or near roadways occurs in hit and run accidents. In fact, approximately 1,500 die every single year in various types of hit and run related incidents. Hit and runs claimed almost 15,000 lives within the nine year span of 1994 to 2003. The numbers also indicate that the amount of fatal hit and run collisions may be steadily increasing; from the years 2009 to 2011, the United States experienced almost a 14% increase in such incidents. But even these statistics compiled by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety hardly scratch the surface in describing the potential devastation left in the wake of a Del Rio hit and run accident.

If you or someone you care about has been involved in a hit and run accident in the Del Rio area, or anywhere in Texas, there is an attorney at the law firm of Carabin Shaw willing and able to handle your case. Our lawyers want to see you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled following the accident, and our Del Rio hit and run accident lawyers will stop at nothing to help you recover from any and all injury and personal loss accrued.

The main cause of hit and run collisions, perhaps unsurprisingly, is irresponsible motorists driving under the influence of alcohol. In 2014, the state of Florida enacted new legislation which extended the minimum mandatory sentence for a drunk driver who leaves the scene of a collision from 2 to 4 years. Citizens living in the most densely populated areas of the United States pose the greatest and most prominent risk of involvement in a hit and run accident. Cities like Los Angeles and New York City, where heavy traffic and swarming crowds of pedestrians meet, offer countless opportunities for hazard and tragedy every single day. But these types of accidents can occur anywhere, including Del Rio and surrounding regions.

Negligent drivers can, at any moment, put surrounding motorists at risk and subsequently flee the scene, leaving other involved parties victimized and unsure about the best approach to regain some semblance of their life before the accident. In the case of a collision with another car, however minor or serious the collision may be, there is a certain procedure that is proper and necessary to facilitating any settlement of related claims. These steps are, in order:

1. Discern whether passengers are hurt or injured, and if so, to what extent.
2. If your car is able, pull over to a SAFE location off the side of the road, along with other involved vehicles.
3. Examine the damage done to other parties’ vehicles and your own, and have the other drivers at the scene do the same.
4. TAKE PICTURES. Take pictures of all angles, every dent and scratch and scene from the aftermath. The more documentation you do in these preliminary stages of developing a case, the more counter-evidence you will have in the event that another party attempts to claim any falsehood later on.
5. Write down or otherwise exchange information with all other drivers, including insurance information and driver’s license information.
6. Call the police and file a police report.

When at-fault parties ignore these standard and responsible post-accident routines in the heat of the moment, it can further complicate an already potentially convoluted predicament. Don’t allow a hit and run accident to affect you without the legal guidance and very best chance to receive maximum compensation from the at-fault motorist and their insurance company that a skilled lawyer provides.

Physical injuries are frequent consequences of hit and run accidents. Some injuries very often suffered by the victim in the case of a hit and run collision include:

• Spinal fracture
• Broken bones
• Head, brain, or neck trauma
• Loss of limb
• Paralysis
• Loss of other motor functions
• Disfigurement
• Blood loss
• Death

Additionally, there are other less tangible but just as potentially devastating after-effects of involvement in Del Rio hit & run accidents, such as:

• Mental anguish
• Psychological trauma
• Loss of wages
• Job loss following the accident
• Unforeseen time off from work

The lawyers of Carabin Shaw have over 25 years of experience representing hundreds of clients in various types of personal injury cases, up to and including Del Rio hit & run accidents. We understand that the period of time after a hit and run collision can be a difficult and stressful one for victims and their loved ones. Del Rio auto accidents can happen to anyone, at any time.

When you find yourself a victim of another motorist’s decision to flee the scene of a collision in Del Rio or anywhere else in Texas, call the Del Rio lawyers of Carabin Shaw toll-free, day or night, at 800-862-1260. We are prepared to offer you a no-obligation and duty-free preliminary consultation to help you determine the most effective course of action moving forward.