Los Angeles Hit and Run Lawyer Blog
We get a lot of clients who call that have not yet been contacted by officers for a statement, or for an investigation for a San Diego Hit and Run. These clients always inform us that they are just looking for information, but since officers have not yet contacted them, there is no need to retain an attorney. This is a myth. The work on a Hit and Run case can begin before a case is ever filed. This allows a person to be prepared to speak to officers and to give a statement that could help reduce the charges or even lead to the case not being filed at all.
Let’s consider an example and walk through the steps an experienced San Diego hit and run lawyer would take to help resolve the case.
Dina calls Hoffman and Associates and speaks to one of our experienced lawyers. She was driving home from a holiday party and accidentally hit a parked car in a neighborhood on her way home. She left a note on the windshield, with her contact information, but due to the high winds, the note did not stay. She did not hear from the owner so she believes they did not get her note.
Dina retains a legal professional well before she has been contacted by another driver, the police department, or any insurance company. Our office gets to work on the case immediately. We contact people around where the car was parked to determine if anyone knows who the owner could have been. In addition, we speak to people to determine if there were any potential witnesses who saw that Dina had left a note, or if there were any house cameras that could possibly have any footage of her efforts.
Speaking to different neighbors, we not only learn that there are witnesses who saw Dina leave a note, but also that someone does know the owner of the vehicle that was damaged. The owner is contacted immediately, and one of the attorneys speaks to the driver on behalf of Dina. They also speak to the driver’s insurance company and obtain information that is necessary to make amends for the damages.
After having readily made amends for the damages, Dina requests that the driver sign a Civil Compromise. A Civil Compromise is an agreement that the damages have been remedied and the person who had the damage has been made whole. It essentially states that they do not wish to press charges.
When officers finally contact Dina, an experienced lawyer speaks on her behalf. They provide the officers with the Civil Compromise, with declarations of neighbors stating that Dina did leave a note, and footage if it is available.
Seeing the overwhelming evidence, officers determine that there is not enough to press formal charges and dismiss the case. This is a direct result of the efforts of a lawyer who is experienced and has years of addressing Hit and Runs.. If you are facing potential Hit and Run Charges, it is never too early to retain a lawyer!