California has strict requirements about what you have to do after a car accident. Among other things, drivers have to remain at the scene of a collision when it causes property damage of $1,000 or more, personal injury, or death. Drivers also assume responsibility for reporting the accident and producing their driver’s license and insurance information. Unfortunately, not everyone sticks around after getting into a car accident in Santa Rosa, California.
When a driver leaves a wreck without stopping or takes off before providing their information, it’s classified as a hit and run.
Since California is a fault-based state for insurance, hit and run accidents, which can carry criminal charges for the driver who leaves the scene, often make it very difficult for crash victims and families to recover compensation. If you’ve been injured in a Santa Rosa hit and run accident, it’s important to put an experienced legal team in your corner.
At Singleton Schreiber, our award-winning Santa Rosa car accident lawyers have an undisputed ability to handle complex legal disputes and help clients recover life-changing monetary awards. As fearless advocates unafraid to go above and beyond for the people we represent, we’ve successfully won over $3 Billion in damages.
Contact our Santa Rosa, CA, law office today to discuss the details of your hit and run accident case. Your first consultation is free.
How Common Are Hit and Run Accidents in Santa Rosa?
Dozens of hit and run accidents are reported in the city of Santa Rosa, California, every year. In 2023, there were 49 hit and run car accidents throughout the city, which resulted in no fewer than 59 deaths. This represented a slight drop from the year prior in terms of accidents, injuries, and fatalities when 51 Santa Rosa hit and run traffic accidents caused 65 injuries and one death.
Hit and run accidents in Santa Rosa don’t just affect motorists. In fact, a large percentage of hit and run victims aren’t in cars, at all.
Out of the 49 reported hit and run collisions in 2023:
- 30.6 percent involved pedestrians
- 4.1 percent involved bicyclists, and
- 2 percent involved motorcyclists.
Statistically speaking, about one out of every four hit and run accidents in Santa Rosa occur on one of the major highways that runs through the city, including SR-12 and US-101.
Why Do Drivers Leave the Scene of a Car Accident If It’s Against the Law?
Hit and run accidents don’t just complicate a victim’s ability to recover compensation. When a driver leaves the scene, they can also potentially be charged with misdemeanor and/or felony hit and run, depending on the extent of the damage caused.
Why would a driver drive away from an accident and risk facing criminal charges?
- The driver doesn’t realize they were involved in an accident because they were distracted, drunk, or asleep at the wheel.
- The driver causes the accident because they were speeding, distracted, impaired by drugs or alcohol, or engaged in an act of road rage and they’re afraid of the consequences.
- The hit and run driver is uninsured.
- The driver caused the car accident intentionally.
- There are warrants out for the hit and run driver’s arrest and they want to avoid being taken into custody on unrelated charges.
There’s really only one reason a driver can leave the scene of an accident legally - to seek emergency medical care for themselves or another injured party. Even then, the driver is required to return to the scene (if possible) and/or notify the police of their involvement.
How Can I Get Compensation If the At-Fault Driver Leaves the Scene of My Santa Rosa Car Accident?
Another driver caused your car accident in Santa Rosa. They fled the scene. You didn’t catch their license plate or any other identifying information. Under California’s fault-based insurance system, they’re supposed to take responsibility for your crash-related damages. What now?
The good news is that you shouldn’t have to cover the costs on your own, especially if you’ve added Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) to your car insurance policy.
File a Claim Against Your Uninsured Motorist Policy
In California, UM is optional coverage that you can add to your car insurance policy. In the event that you’re involved in a car accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance, you can use it to cover your crash-related medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and other damages.
UM can also be used if you’re involved in a hit and run car accident.
You file a claim to recover benefits from your Uninsured Motorist policy, which essentially takes the place of the hit and run driver’s insurance coverage. If the hit and run driver is discovered after your insurance company pays these benefits, it will likely pursue a claim against the driver for the costs of the accident. In California, minimum UM benefits include $30,000 in bodily injury (per person, up to $60,000 per accident) and $15,000 in property damage.
Seek Damages Through a Civil Lawsuit
In California, liability for a car accident is proportionate to fault. If someone other than the hit and run motorist contributed to your accident, you can seek compensation from them. They’ll be liable to the degree their negligence caused your accident.
You can also file a lawsuit against the hit and run driver once they’re located. In fact, California permits the statute of limitations - which is typically two years from the date of a car accident - to be tolled until the hit and run driver is located and can be served with a summons.
Singleton Schreiber Helps Hit and Run Accident Victims in Santa Rosa, CA
Hit and run accidents can be stressful. Getting compensation can be a challenge. Hiring an experienced Santa Rosa personal injury lawyer to help you navigate your car accident claim can make a world of difference.
At Singleton Schreiber, we’re known for our hard-hitting legal strategies and clearcut ability to win top-dollar case results for our clients. When you ask for our help after a hit and run, you benefit from an award-winning team of California litigators with decades of experience and an in-depth knowledge of state hit and run laws. We’ve won billions in settlements and jury awards. Now, we’re here to be your fearless advocate in pursuit of financial justice, too.
Call our Santa Rosa law office to get started and arrange your free consultation today.
