Alabama Hit and Run Accidents: What You Need to Know

If you or someone you care about was hurt in a hit and run crash in Alabama, you deserve justice. Understanding Alabama hit and run laws is the first step toward filing a legal claim for your suffering and getting the financial compensation you need to get your life back in order.

In this blog, Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys outlines Alabama hit and run laws and how to improve your chances of achieving a successful legal claim following one of these crashes.

What Does Alabama Law Say About Hit and Run Accidents?

If you were hurt in a hit and run, you have options under Alabama law. Some of the most critical Alabama crash laws state:

• If a driver is involved in a crash that hurts someone or damages property, they have to stop at the scene of the accident.
• The driver needs to provide contact information after a crash involving injury, death, or property damage.
• Drivers must stop and locate both the driver of the other vehicle and anything they crashed into.
• Someone must report the accident by calling the police department, county sheriff, or state highway patrol.

Essentially, these laws state that it’s illegal to hit and run after a crash in Alabama. Drivers involved in these accidents must help injured people and take responsibility for their actions. In addition, the negligent driver must pay for the injured party’s medical expenses and any damage to their property. The innocent driver may also file a court claim against the negligent driver to recover any losses and expenses resulting from the collision.

Unfortunately, these Alabama hit and run laws don’t always prevent reckless drivers from fleeing the scene of an accident. However, they do help injured and aggrieved parties in collecting fair compensation for their injuries, suffering, and damages.

Why Do Drivers Commit Hit and Run Accidents?

At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we fiercely advocate for personal responsibility. Sadly, not everyone who gets behind the wheel shares our values.

Many folks who hit and run in Alabama have their reasons for avoiding dealing with the police. Throughout our 30+ years of fighting for hit and run victims, we’ve found that many bad drivers leave the scene for one or more of the following reasons:

• They are uninsured.
• They have been drinking and driving.
• They are under the influence of illegal drugs.
• They do not have a valid license.
• They already have a warrant out for their arrest.

You can’t control others’ actions on the road, but you can control how you respond after a hit and run accident.

 RELATED: Ashley’s Story: Injured Motorcyclist Gets Results With Aggressive Representation

What to Do After a Hit and Run Accident

Immediately following a hit and run collision, you should obtain as much information as possible from the scene of the crash. Critical details that seem clear in the moment will fade over time, so it’s critical to record whatever you can as soon as possible.

Taking the steps below will preserve valuable evidence and help your legal team find the hit and run driver who hurt you.

• Call 911 to get help if there are any injuries.
• Call the police to document a police report.
• If you can, write down the license plate number, make, model, and color of the car that caused the crash.
• Take photos of the accident scene and damage (a cell phone camera is fine).
• Take down the contact information of any witnesses to the hit and run.

If you want to file a claim against the person who hurt you, their insurance company, or even your own insurance company, you’ll need to provide your Mobile vehicle crash lawyer with the evidence above. Your attorney will then use these details as the foundation of your case. Not only that, but the evidence above will help your attorney trace the hit and run driver who hurt you.

Hurt in a Hit and Run? Call the Andy Citrin Team Today

Hit and run crashes are difficult to recover from — physically, emotionally, and financially. You’ve been through a highly traumatic experience. Now you need appropriate financial compensation to move on with your life.

At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we have years of experience fighting for victims of hit and run crashes. We know how to uncover crucial evidence that less skilled lawyers often miss — including witness testimony, surveillance footage, and information about bars overserving drivers before the hit and run crash.

Recently, we were proud to represent Ashley, a motorcyclist who was nearly killed by a hit and run driver while riding his motorcycle. We investigated his case, found the drunk driver who hit him, and secured the largest hand-to-hand settlement in our firm’s history.

If you need help following a hit and run crash, please contact us today to schedule a free, private consultation. During our discussion we will learn more about your situation and offer direct advice about what to do next.

Please contact us today by calling 251-888-8888  or completing this brief online form.

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.