Los Angeles Hit and Run Lawyer Blog
When you have been arrested on suspicion of a Hit and Run, having an attorney prior to your first court date can potentially help dismiss your case altogether without ever having to go to Court.
A person can be arrested for suspicion of Hit and Run but that does not mean that they have been charged by the Prosecutor yet, nor does it mean that they have been convicted. There are steps an attorney can take in order to get the issue resolved before the Prosecutor ever even files charges against you. The way an attorney achieves this is through a Civil Compromise. A Civil Compromise is a compromise between the driver and the person who suffered injury. The compromise allows for the driver to provide restitution to the injured party so there is no further need to seek criminal prosecution.
Let’s consider the example of David. David was driving home one night and fell asleep while driving and hit the fence in front of a person’s home. The fence had cost the owner of the home $1500 to put up. Not having any money at the time, David drove off without leaving his contact information. Officers were able to arrest David based on some eyewitnesses and immediately brought him into custody. At this point, there were no charges brought against David, he had simply been arrested. The District Attorney’s office now has a year to make the decision of whether they would like to bring formal charges against David or not.
David, afraid of the consequences, immediately hires a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney. The attorney calls the owner of the home and negotiates stating that if David pays the owner $1,500 then the owner is made whole. In that situation, there would be no reason for the injured party to pursue criminal prosecution. The owner of the home agrees and the attorney prepares a civil compromise. The attorney then presents the civil compromise to the prosecutor’s office and shows that there is no reason to pursue charges since all issues have been resolved and both parties are doing what they need to do to resolve the issue.
It is easier to persuade the district attorney’s office to never file the charges,sinstead of having filed charges dismissed. It is not always a guarantee that a case will not be filed when there is a civil compromise but it helps to significantly influence the prosecutor. Hiring an attorney as soon as you have been arrested is very beneficial in a hit and run case. It can help you completely avoid any criminal record and avoid the hassle and unnecessary expenses of the criminal court system. If you find yourself having been arrested with a hit and run in Los Angeles, do not delay! Consult a criminal defense specialist today!