Los Angeles Hit and Run Lawyer Blog

Many of our clients come to us and want an analysis of their case. Each case is different and each set of facts is different. This makes it difficult to predict how a case will be addressed and what the outcome may be. However, there are some significant factors that are addressed in each case to determine how the case will be approached.

Criminal history:

If a person has an extensive criminal history, it will have a bigger impact on the outcome of their case than someone who does not have any prior convictions. The Courts will take this into consideration when issuing a sentence, especially if the prior is a Hit and Run. In addition, if the prior case is recent, then the person being charged could also be on probation. Then the new charge could result in a probation violation. A probation violation is a separate case, and will have to be addressed in addition to the new Hit and Run case.

A Los Angeles Hit and Run can be a complicated case because of all the different parties that can be involved, and the different factors at play. These factors and considerations will help determine the outcome of a potential Hit and Run case and will help guide a Los Angeles Hit and Run attorney as to which steps need to be taken immediately to help mitigate the consequences of your case.

A Hit and Run lawyer with over thirty years of experience can do a lot towards the consequences of your case. A lawyer knows the court system, if familiar with the evidence and police departments and knows exactly which steps to take to get you the best possible outcome.

There are many factors to consider. The following are just a few.

When you have been charged with a Los Angeles Hit and Run, you will be contacted by officers. It will either be in person, through the mail, or a phone call. But before officers contact you regarding a Hit and Run, they will have to gather the evidence that may potentially make you a suspect.

The evidence they gather is sent to the Prosecutor’s office. It is the prosecutor that determines whether there is enough evidence to support a case against you. In order for a case to be brought, the prosecutor must determine that there is reasonable doubt that you committed the offense. In making that determination, prosecutors heavily rely on the evidence presented by officers.

Officers will work to gather their evidence in several different ways. As soon as there is an accident, officers will appear at the scene to investigate. If all parties involved in the accident are present, it will not be an investigation for a Hit and Run. But if one person has fled the scene, then the officers will be gathering evidence for a Hit and Run.

If you have been arrested for suspicion of a Los Angeles Hit and Run, it is likely that you do not thoroughly understand the case against you, the rights you have and the options you can take. That is why it is extremely important to speak to a Los Angeles Hit and Run Lawyer so that the lawyer can guide you through the process.

There are many things an experienced lawyer can do that can help reduce your charges, or even to dismiss them. He can speak to the write parties, including the person who suffered the injury or damage to property, the prosecutors, as well as officers. The lawyer can also assess the case and determine what steps need to be taken immediately, and gather enough evidence so that the strongest possible argument can be made.

Statements

There are many different types of Hit and Run cases. Some involve injury, and some involve damage to property. Others involve just the driver of a vehicle, and some involve multiple passengers. Accordingly, there are many different ways to help mitigate a Hit and Run case, but one thing remains certain: the more immediately you take steps to mitigate your case, the higher probability you will have of it being reduced or dismissed.

The reason it is important to act immediately with a Hit and Run case is because certain actions can be taken prior to the Prosecutor’s even filing charges against you. If this can be completed successfully, then there is a chance that Prosecutor’s will not feel the need to file charges at all. Your case would then be dismissed.

A San Diego Hit and Run lawyer would contact the person or persons, or property to which damage or injury was incurred. If damages are paid for, or injuries are paid for, to the satisfaction of the injured party, then Prosecutor’s may be more inclined to drop charges since amends have been made and the person being charged has been proactive.

Oftentimes in a Los Angeles Hit and Run there will be a person who has been negatively impacted by a person’s alleged actions. It may be someone that has been injured or that someone’s property has been injured. Either way, they may seek some restitution and for amends to be made.

It is extremely important that this alleged victim of a hit and run be addressed as soon as possible. A Los Angeles Hit and Run lawyer has over thirty years of experience handling alleged victims, and addressing their concerns at the very beginning of a case. This helps mitigate possible consequences early on, and can even lead to dismissal. To understand how an attorney can help calm down an angry victim lets walk through an example.

Donnie is driving home from a work happy hour. He lives outside of the city and it is a particularly snowy day. The roads are slick and he cannot see too far ahead of him. As he is driving home at night, his car slides, and he hits a parked car in front of a house causing some damage to the rear bumper. Being that it is cold and late at night, Donnie decides to go home and address the owner the next day. Before Donnie can speak to the owner, officers are at his house charging him with a Hit and Run. Donnie immediately retained a Los Angeles Hit and Run Lawyer.

There are two ways to be convicted of a criminal offense in Los Angeles. You are not automatically convicted when you are arrested or when you are charged. In order to be convicted, you must have entered a plea of guilty voluntarily before the Court, or have been found guilty by a jury or Judge in trial.

Once you have been convicted, the Court will issue a sentence that is appropriate with your offense. Most statutes that authorize the Court to charge you with a specific offense, will also specify a range of sentencing for that offense. There is a range because no two cases are the same, and each set of facts and each person’s background will yield a different sentence. This is beneficial to a person because that means there is a plenty of room for negotiation.

This is why a Los Angeles Criminal Defense attorney is of the highest benefit to a person who is facing criminal charges. An experienced attorney will know the Judges well, the courthouse procedures, as well as the prosecutors they are facing. They are able to articulate the best possible argument and defense to help fight the case. When it comes to sentencing, they are aware of what facts and evidence needs to be presented so that the final sentence falls at the lower end of the spectrum.

If you have been arrested for the suspicion of having committed a Hit and Run in Los Angeles, it is important to remember that you have not yet been convicted. In order to be convicted a plea must be entered by either you or finding must be made by a jury. During the period between charges being pressed against and a conviction actually being found, there is lots of room for negotiation and reduction of charges.

Certain actions you take during this period of time can help strengthen your case for dismissal or reduced charges, and certain actions you take can make the situation worse. That is why retaining a Los Angeles Hit and Run lawyer early on in the case is helpful. A legal expert will know exactly what steps to take and how to guide you so that you act only in a manner that increases your chances of dismissal and reduction.

One important aspect action that many of our clients take that can help make or break their case is in statements they give to police officers, their own insurance company, and the other party’s insurance company. These statements are extremely important and should be made carefully, after consulting with an attorney.