When Failure To Stop and Render Aid Causes A Fatality
7/17/2019 Car Accidents John Whitfield
It’s a sad fact of life that some individuals who cause a roadway accident will flee the scene. Hit and runs are extremely common, but despite this, few people realize the legal consequences of leaving the scene of an accident. When a car accident occurs, individuals have certain legal responsibilities; and, if they ignore these duties, they can be held accountable.
Duty To Render Aid
After a motor vehicle accident, the parties involved are required to share their information. Most people know this and have done so themselves after an accident. In addition to providing information like name, address, and insurance policy numbers, all individuals involved in car wrecks are required to stop and render aid. Tennessee law specifically requires individuals to “render to any person injured in the accident reasonable assistance, including the carrying, or the making of arrangements for the carrying, of the person to a physician, surgeon or hospital for medical or surgical treatment if it is apparent that treatment is necessary or if carrying is requested by the injured person.”
Put more simply, if you are involved in a car accident, you must provide aid to the victims. This is most commonly accomplished by calling emergency services for an ambulance. One simple phone call is all that is needed to provide aid, but sadly many people selfishly choose to flee the scene and leave the victims behind. When an individual fails to render aid and leaves the scene of the accident, there is no guarantee injured victims will receive the medical treatment they need before succumbing to their injuries. It could take hours before the scene of the accident is discovered; and, by that time, victims might not have survived.
The failure to render aid could cost victims their lives. Because of this, fleeing the scene of a serious accident and failing to render aid constitute a felony punishable by up to six years incarceration. Despite the severity of criminal penalties, many people still choose to flee the scene of serious accidents. While putting the fleeing party being put behind bars may comfort some victims and their families, the criminal justice system does not financially compensate them.
Getting Compensation After A Hit And Run Accident
Victims in a hit and run accident have every right to pursue compensation from the person that fled the scene. Compensation can help cover the cost of emergency medical treatment, pain and suffering, funeral expenses, and loss of income. Contact the hit and run accident lawyers at Whitfield Bryson LLP today for a free consultation to see how we can help.