St. Petersburg Hit & Run Lawyer

Being the victim of a serious traffic injury is traumatic enough as it is—knowing that another party prioritized their own schedule or entertainment (speeding or distracting themselves with their phone, for example) is usually quite a blow to the victim’s faith in humanity. But even worse than this, is when the other driver flees the scene, leaving the victim behind with potentially life-threatening injuries. Instead of helping and calling 911, the other driver is still thinking only of themselves, choosing to get away with their crime in order to keep their insurance premiums from rising. Fleeing the scene of any crash is a crime in Florida. If the victim is injured, the crime is that of a felony. If you were injured by a reckless hit and run driver, you deserve to be fully compensated for your injuries. Here at the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely, our St. Petersburg hit & run lawyers hold negligent hit and run drivers responsible for their egregious actions.

Hit and Run Statistics

Hit and run collisions are on the rise. According to AAA, there were 737,100 hit-and-run collisions in 2015, resulting in a hit and run every 43 seconds. Many of these are equivalent to fender benders in terms of damage, though in many other cases, a driver is able to get away in more serious collisions if their vehicle is relatively undamaged (more likely if the fleeing driver’s vehicle is larger).

Hit and Run Statistics for Pedestrians and Cyclists Are Much Worse

Fatal hit and runs have increased by 60 percent in the last decade, and are higher now than at any time in the last 12 years, according to StreetsBlog. Tragically, there were 2,049 hit-and-run fatalities nationwide in 2016, the highest ever since records have been kept. Almost two thirds of these victims were pedestrians or bicyclists. Because hitting a pedestrian or cyclist leaves the at-fault driver’s vehicle relatively unscathed, the driver is able to get away. Unfortunately, only half of these killer drivers are found later.

Damages You Are Owed

If you were injured by a hit and run driver, you can file a personal injury claim against them to recover the following damages:

• Medical expenses;
• Future projected medical expenses;
• Lost wages;
• Lost earning ability;
• Pain and suffering;
• Emotional distress;
• Loss of joy of life;
• Permanent scarring and disfigurement;
• Property damage; and
• More.

Our St. Petersburg Hit and Run Accident Lawyers Will Hold the Other Driver Accountable

Being compensated fairly in a hit and run crash may seem like a pretty easy battle to win, considering the proof of egregious actions taken by the other driver. However, this will not stop their insurance company from attempting to devalue your claim, dragging their feet when it comes time to settle, or outright ignore your emails and phone calls. As such, you need a St. Petersburg hit and run attorney on your side to be fairly compensated. Call the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely today at (727) 550-8800 to schedule a free consultation.