Los Angeles Hit and Run Lawyer Blog
Many of our clients come to us when they have been charged with a California Hit and Run. For a person to be convicted of a Hit and Run, there must be damage to person or property, and there must be a lack of information exchange.
There are often available defenses for a Hit and Run, but any possible defense must be addressed and assessed before the first court date, and early on, in order to have the best possible chances for dismissal or reduction.
One commonly used tool to help dismiss or reduce a Hit and Run case is Civil Compromise. Civil Compromise is an agreement made outside of court between the injured party and the person being charged. The person being called to court will agree to reimburse and make amends to the injured party, and in return, the injured party will agree to not bring charges. This is a method used in Civil Court and will be a valid dismissal before the civil judge. However, while a Civil Compromise may not dismiss a case right away before the Criminal Judge, it will certainly be a powerful argument to help aid in reducing or dismissing the criminal case.
A civil compromise cannot be completed quickly a day or two before a court appearance. It takes time to contact the injured party, make negotiations, make amends, negotiate with Prosecutors and eventually present to the Criminal Judge. Because of the length of time it takes to prepare a strong defense using Civil Compromise, it is important to hire a Los Angeles Hit and Run attorney as soon as possible.
For example, a woman is charged with Hit and Run where she accidentally hit a car, left minimal damage and failed to leave a contact number or information. She was found and arrested by officers, and the damage on the cars matched providing proof that she was the one who had hit the injured party’s car. A Criminal Defense attorney will prepare a Civil Compromise with the injured party. They will negotiate the proper costs to fix the vehicle and the woman being charged will pay the total amount of damage. When all payment has been completed and the injured party is satisfied, the attorney will use that as leverage when addressing the criminal case being brought against the woman.sThis process can take a long time depending on the extent of the damage, the person’s ability to pay and the injured parties cooperation.
A Hit and Run can have many consequences on a person’s criminal record, their social life as well as their future employment and driving privileges. Seeking the help of an experienced Criminal Defense attorney who has helped dismiss and reduce hundreds of hit and run cases will prove to be very beneficial.