What Should I Do If I’m the Victim of a Hit and Run?

 Posted on May 18, 2022 in Personal Injury

Being in a motor vehicle accident, especially if you are injured, can be a jarring experience. That experience can be made worse if the other driver does not stop. Wisconsin law requires drivers who know or believe they have caused a traffic accident to stop. If you do not have the other driver’s information, you may not know where to turn. By calling an experienced hit-and-run attorney, you can start to put the pieces back together and receive the compensation you deserve. 

Hit-and-Run Laws in Wisconsin

Under Wisconsin law, after a traffic accident you must stop, exchange information with the other driver, call the police if the accident is serious or caused an injury or death, and provide reasonable assistance to the driver and passengers in the other car. Failure to stop or meet the other requirements can open a driver up to civil and criminal consequences. 

The criminal penalties for hit-and-run drivers can be very severe. If the driver does not meet their obligations under the law, the charges they face depend on the severity of the injuries suffered by the victim. For an accident with only minor or moderate injuries, the driver faces misdemeanor charges with up to 9 months in jail, plus probation and a fine of up to $10,000. For more severe injuries, felony charges are possible. The driver could face up to 15 years in prison, probation, and $50,000 in fines. For a fatal hit-and-run accident, the legal consequences are a higher-degree felony with up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. 

If you are in a hit-and-run accident, you should call the police and seek medical assistance if needed. Without another driver to exchange information with, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible. We can begin to pursue the other party's identity and make sure all relevant information about the accident is collected to strengthen your compensation claims. We will work with the police to find the party responsible, seek compensation from their insurance company, and begin working towards a personal injury lawsuit. 

Milwaukee County Lawyer for Hit and Run Accident Victims

If you have been the victim of a hit-and-run driver, it is essential to seek legal representation to recover compensation for damage to your vehicle and any injuries you have suffered. The experienced Racine County personal injury lawyers at Bucher Law Group, LLC will work with the police to investigate and protect your rights. Call our office at 262-303-4916 or contact us by email for your free consultation today. 

Source: 

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/346/xi/67