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All of Your Options After a Hit-and-Run Accident
Being in a car accident is a nightmare. The injuries, the hospital bills, and the lengthy claims process can make what should have been a leisurely drive into one of the worst moments of your life. What could make the situation even worse, however, is the at-fault driver taking off before you can get their contact info, leaving you injured, alone, and with seemingly no hope to ever receive compensation. However, there may be more options to recover compensation than you realize.
Santa Barbara Family Says It Will File Claim with Congress in Daughter’s Hit-and-Run Death
The family of a 27-year-old Santa Barbara woman who was hit and killed by a drunk driver while crossing the street says they will file a wrongful death claim with the House of Representatives.
The family contends that the driver, who was working as a congressional aide for Rep. Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) at the time of the accident, was on official business when he attended a holiday party, became intoxicated, and allegedly slammed into the victim while driving home.
He allegedly did not stop at the scene of the fatal accident at the 500 block of Anacapa Street and was only arrested after he crashed into a tree on Cabrillo Boulevard a few blocks away.
Los Angeles Experiencing an “Epidemic” of Hit-And-Run Crashes
20,000.
Incredibly, that is the number of hit-and-run crashes that occur in Los Angeles in a single year. Those hit-and-runs vary in severity — from simple fender-benders to multiple fatality accidents. According to L.A. Weekly, the national average for hit-and-run crashes is about 11 percent. Amazingly, in 2009 that rate was 48 percent in Los Angeles. Of those, 4,000 hit-and-runs within L.A. city limits resulted in injuries or deaths.
And the hit-and-run rate in Los Angeles has hovered near the 50 percent rate since 2001.
One man, whose 16-year-old son was killed by a hit-and run driver while he was jogging in the San Fernando Valley two years ago, told the Weekly “it’s like a war zone out there.” The 18-year-old driver who hit his son eventually turned herself in and did no jail time.
Safety experts surmise there are many reasons why people hit-and run: they may be drunk; they might not have insurance; they might not have a driver’s license; or they might simply think that dealing with an injury or fatality accident is going to cost too much. Regardless of the reasoning, hit-and-run drivers leave a long trail of pain, loss and suffering in their wake.
The Weekly focused on a young woman who was struck in a crosswalk so hard that her bottom teeth were knocked out, her kneecaps were shattered and her legs were broken into pieces. She currently has $10,000 in medical bills, with the likelihood that total will at least double.
The driver of the car still hasn’t been found.
To anonymously report a hit-and-run, you can call WeTip at (800) 644-8678. Or you can make a report directly on their website at wetip.com.
If you have any questions about your legal options after you have been injured in a pedestrian or automobile accident, contact The Law Office of Renée J. Nordstrand. We will fight to protect your rights. Call our Santa Barbara office at (805) 962-2022 or our Encino office at (818) 981-3530. We can also be contacted online. Your consultation will be free and confidential.
Dana Point Girl In Critical Condition Following Hit and Run Incident
http://www.ocregister.com/news/girl-248396-year-old.html
Seven-year-old Tabatha Cope remains in critical condition today after she was struck by a hit and run driver while skateboarding with friends on Monday evening, the Orange County Register reports.
Tabatha, of Dana Point, was playing in a group of fifteen to twenty children on Silver Lantern Street and La Paz Avenue at approximately 6:30 pm on Monday, when she was struck by a light-colored raised pick up truck. The truck’s driver did not stop following the collision and has not contacted authorities.
Tabatha sustained serious injuries in the incident, including a broken collarbone, broken ribs, the loss of most of her teeth, and a lacerated liver. Tabatha’s father, Joseph Cope, urged the hit and run driver to come forward.
Our thoughts and best wishes are with this Tabatha as she recovers from her injuries.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a hit and run driver, please contact experienced accident attorneys today to learn about your legal rights to monetary compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings, and future care and treatment. At the Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand, you pay no attorney fees until we win your case.
DUI Hit and Run Kills San Diego Man
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/06/family-man-mourned-family-friends/
27-year-old Oscar Lopez was killed Sunday night after being hit by a drunken driver on the Interstate 5, the San Diego Tribune reports. Lopez was sleeping in the back seat of while his wife, Angela Lopez, drove their 2004 Ford Explorer, when 43 year old William Romero struck the Lopez’ car after drifting into their lane.
Oscar Lopez was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The Lopez’ son, Oscar Jr., was also ejected from the back seat of the vehicle but sustained only minor injuries. Angela Lopez and a front seat passenger Ashley Lopez, Oscar’s sister, were uninjured.
Romero, who was driving while intoxicated, fled the scene of the accident and was later caught by authorities and arrested. He is being held on bail with felony charges of drunken driving and vehicular manslaughter.
If you have been forced to cope with sudden and wrongful death of a loved one due to a drunken driver’s negligence, please contact a wrongful death attorney today for a free consultation and to learn more about how Los Angeles and Santa Barbara wrongful death attorneys will competently and aggressively obtain compensation for funeral expenses and pain and suffering after your loss.
El Cajon Hit and Run Critically Injures Bicyclist
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/oct/15/el-cajon-8212-hit-and-run-driver-struck/?metro&zIndex=183284
An El Cajon driver struck and critically injured a bicyclist before fleeing the scene late last night, the San Diego Tribune reports. The 47 year old bicyclist was near death on the sidewalk before being taken to the hospital, where he is currently in critical condition. The man’s name has not been released.
Police continue to search for the driver of the dark, possibly maroon, 1990s model General Motors car similar to a Pontiac Grand Am or a Buick.
I wish the injured bicyclist well as recovers from his serious injuries and offer my support to the police department and investigators as they seek out the driver who caused this incident.
In 2007 alone, there were 10,521 bicycle collisions resulting in injuries, according to the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System.
At Law Office of Renee J. Nordstrand, we aggressively pursue hit and run drivers so that you can recover compensation for medical expenses as well as lost earnings from work. If you or someone you know has been a victim of a hit and run driver, consult with an experienced attorney who will give you the answers you need.