A car crash can cause real damage to both vehicles and people, resulting in stress and compounding expenses for the injured person. If no one catches the suspect, it increases the stress of hit-and-run accidents. If you face an investigation after this type of accident, call a lawyer immediately.
When you face police questioning or criminal charges, one of our Lawyers familiar with Wellington hit-and-run investigations can help. At Leifert & Leifert, our experienced hit-and-run Attorneys can work with you to ensure you understand the impending investigation process and to help craft the strongest possible defense for your case.
What Does a Hit-and-Run Investigation Look Like?
In Florida, hit-and-runs can range from first-degree felonies to second-degree misdemeanors, depending on the situation, such as a car crash resulting in harm to property, injury to a person, or death. Leaving the scene of a car accident without giving information and aid becomes a hit-and-run if you do so “willfully,” meaning that you intend to leave before fulfilling your legal obligation.
A hit-and-run investigation seeks to determine a driver’s guilt for leaving the scene of an accident. It requires evidence to identify the driver and car involved in the hit-and-run.
Different types of evidence can factor into an investigation into a hit-and-run. For example, eyewitnesses and surveillance footage can establish who did what, as can license plate numbers and vehicle registration numbers. At the physical level, paint chips at the point of collision, other debris, and even skid marks on the road can show how cars interact in an alleged hit-and-run.
Police will take eyewitness statements at the crash scene and afterward, as well as acquire other physical and surveillance-based evidence during an investigation. Wellington Officers may also obtain warrants to search your property and car to secure evidence even before bringing hit-and-run charges against you. A Lawyer from Leifert & Leifert can help secure your rights and provide you with a solid defense during a hit-and-run investigation.
What We Can Do with a Hit-and-Run Investigation
Your first step after being questioned, investigated, or arrested for a hit-and-run should be to call an Attorney. Having a Lawyer fight on your behalf can help you defend against any charges and keep you from harassment and undue suspicion on the part of the Police.
Hit-and-run investigations include the Police searching for the kinds of evidence mentioned here, but you have a right to challenge that evidence along the way and in court. Forensic testing can produce false results, and eyewitness accounts often contain errors in human memory.
A Wellington Lawyer familiar with hit-and-run investigations can also challenge evidence acquired improperly, such as violating the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unreasonable search and seizure. Perhaps most importantly, you can bring forward evidence showing that you were either unaware of the accident or did not intend to flee the scene, as the intention is crucial to proving that leaving the scene was done “willfully.”
Discuss Your Investigation with a Hit-and-Run Attorney in Wellington
Facing a hit-and-run investigation alone can put you at risk of false accusations and an unfair process. But with a Leifert & Leifert lawyer on your side, you will not have to face anything alone.
Our Attorneys can provide expert insight into Wellington hit-and-run investigations and work with you to get the best possible result based on your situation. Call as soon as possible to set up an appointment with our professionals.
