After a Texas hit and run accident, it’s critical that the victim take immediate action to retain an experienced Texas auto accident injury attorney to help safeguard their rights and secure evidence against the Texas hit and run driver. The efforts of that skilled attorney could supplement the efforts of law enforcement and help you hold the driver financially accountable for the crime. The justice systems will hold the driver criminally liable.
Law enforcement officers and government prosecutors will be engaged in building a criminal caseagainst the Texas hit and run driver. Their efforts could put the driver behind bars and result in a fine that goes to the state.
Texas Hit and Run Penalties
The Texas Penal Code in Title 3, Chapter 12, Subchapter A, Section 12.34(a) and (b) states that a person who’s caught for fleeing the scene of a hit and run accident that causes death or serious bodily injury faces a 3rd degree felony charge. The Texas auto accident injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC note that a person convicted on a 3rd degree felony charge gets a prison term of between 2 and 10 years and can also be punished by a fine up to $10,000.
How You Could Hold a Texas Hit and Run Driver Accountable for Your Harm
In addition to the criminal charges pursued by the State of Texas, a victim injured by a Texas hit and run driver or a deceased victim’s surviving family members can also pursue monetary compensation from the hit and driver in a civil lawsuit. Monetary compensation could include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, vehicle repair costs, and many other expenses. For you to hold that driver financially accountable for the needless harm you have suffered, you must file a civil case against the driver.
Your case is separate from the state’s criminal case, has a different standard of proof, and requires different types of evidence for you to win your claim. Your experienced Texas auto accident injury attorney will understand all of this, and should have had successful experience in many other such cases. You should ask about this before you hire the attorney.
An Example of a Typical Texas Hit and Run Accident
On Sunday around 2 a.m., a black Camaro struck a pickup truck at the intersection of the Sam Houston Parkway and Westheimer in southwest Houston. The Texas hit and run driver fled the scene, no doubt thinking he had escaped liability for his crime. But the man only got about a mile. The front tire of his black Camaro had been wrecked in the Houston hit and run accident. Police arrested him for fleeing the scene of the crash. (Source: KPRC click2houston.com, 6/2/13)
Contact the Experienced Texas Auto Accident Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC When You Need Help after a Hit and Run Crash Harms You or Your Loved One
We’ve been helping the injured victims of needless wrecks win the monetary compensation they deserve for their injuries for more than 16 years. We could help you too. Our Texas auto accident injury attorneys are Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Law. That means that we have more extensive trial experience, legal education, and experience in gathering strong evidence for all types of accident cases than non-certified attorneys. If you want to win your compensation claim, you need knowledge and experience on your side.
Contact us today for a free and confidential initial legal consultation to discuss your specific accident injuries. We could evaluate your potential eligibility for a full financial recovery for your injuries. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. Reach us direct at 281-369-4363 or just fill out our online contact form. Our Texas auto accident injury attorneys don’t charge attorneys’ fees unless we win your case, so there’s no financial risk to you. Let us help you recover.