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Hit and Run Auto Accidents

Being involved in a car accident is bad enough. Being involved in a car accident with a person who flees the scene to escape responsibility can be maddening. It’s not fair for an innocent party to be left to deal with all the consequences of a hit and run incident. It can be frustrating not knowing who to turn to after such an accident but finding an experienced personal injury attorney can go a long way to making you whole again.

Hit and Run Accident Attorney in Florida

After a hit and run it is common for victims to feel completely lost. Picking the right lawyer can help you find your way again. You deserve to be compensated if you have been in a hit and run. The attorneys at Abrams Justice Trial Attorneys are a compassionate family that will treat you like their own. We will do whatever we can to help you back on your feet.

We proudly serve clients in the greater Miami-Dade area including Miami, Homestead, Hialeah, Pinecrest, Miami Gardens, Miami Beach, North Miami, Doral, Coral Gables and Cutler Bay. Call us at (305) 709-0880 for a consultation and case evaluation.


Miami Hit and Run Information Center


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Florida Hit and Run Laws

Make no mistake, a hit and run accident is a criminal act. The laws of The State of Florida require that a driver of any vehicle involved in a crash needs to immediately stop and remain at the scene off the crash until they have done the following:

  • Given his or her name, address, vehicle registration number, and upon request, exhibit his or her driver’s license.
  • Rendered reasonable assistance to anyone injured in the crash, including carrying, or the making of arrangements for the carrying, of such person to receive medical treatment if it is apparent treatment is necessary or if requested by the injured person.
  • If no police officer is present, the driver of any vehicle involved in the crash shall report the crash to the nearest office of a duly authorized police authority.

Unfortunately, hit and run accidents happen more often than they should. The Florida Highway Patrol reported 98,000 hit and run crashes in 2017. In fact, a quarter of all accidents in the state are hit and runs. At one point Miami-Dade County lead the state in hit and run fatalities. Fatalities, like that of Miami resident Aaron Cohen, a husband and father of two who were both under the age of three when he died. In the morning hours of a typical Wednesday, Aaron went for a bike ride and never came home. He was struck and killed by a drunk driver who fled the scene. The driver, Michele Traverso, was eventually apprehended but because, he fled the scene, the prosecution was unable to definitely prove that he was drunk at the time of the incident. Traverso was only sentenced 22 months for the death of Aaron Cohen.


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Florida Hit and Run Penalties

The Florida legislature, recognizing the injustice, acted quickly. In an effort to curb the number of such accidents, the Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act was passed by unanimous vote and signed into law in 2014. The Act codified as section 316.027 of the Florida Statutes increased the penalties for hit and run drivers. The revised penalties are below:

Leaving the scene of the crash with:
PROPERTY DAMAGE Second Degree Misdemeanor
Up to 60 days in prison and $500 fine
INJURIES Second or third degree felony
Revoked license for at least 3 years
Up to five years in prison and $5,000 fine
FATALITIES First degree felony
Revoked license for at least three years
Mandatory minimum of 4 years in prison, up to 30 years in prison and a $10,000 fine

 


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Additional Resources

Florida Hit and Run Statistics – The link will take you to a news article regarding hit and run statistics released by the Florida Highway Patrol. The statistics are alarming to say the least. The article notes that there seems to be no reduction in hit and runs year to year.

Stay at the Scene – The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles  website offers valuable resources for safe operation of motor vehicles in the state. Following the link will take you to a landing page for the Stay at the Scene campaign, which is designed to encourage people involved in hit and runs to not leave the scene of the accident. The link also provides ways to contact crime stoppers if you have information about a hit and run. There is also links to active cases being investigated.


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Find a Hit and Run Attorney in Florida

Even with the increased penalties, most hit and run drivers are never caught. This can be a devastating outcome for those affected. If you’re unlucky enough to have been in a hit and run collision, you don’t need to deal with the repercussions on your own though. An experienced attorney can help you with the burden of being in a wreck.

The attorneys at Abrams Justice Trial Attorneys will stand by you and do everything they can to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve. We represent injured people in communities throughout the Miami area including North Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, Doral, Homestead, Cutler Bay, Hialeah, Coral Gables and Pinecrest and are ready to take your call at (305) 709-0880.


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