California Injury Blog
A woman was injured in a hit-and-run car accident involving two vehicles. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the crash occurred the night of October 5, 2017 at the intersection of Katella Avenue and California Street in Orange. Officials said the woman was transported to an area hospital. The nature and extent of the woman’s injuries is not known. It is not clear if anyone else was injured. One of the drivers fled the scene on foot and is being sought. Police have not provided a description of the hit-and-run suspect.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured victim of this hit-and-run crash. We wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Crash Statistics and Hit-and-Run Laws
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2014 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were six fatalities and 868 injuries reported as a result of traffic accidents in the city of Orange. In Orange County as a whole, 165 people died and 13,736 were injured due to car accidents during the same year.
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the other vehicle abandoned his car and fled the scene of an injury accident. Under California Vehicle Code Section 20001 (a), it is against the law for a motorist to leave the scene of an injury or fatal accident. In addition to stopping immediately and remaining at the scene of a crash, it is also important that motorists exchange pertinent information with other parties and most importantly render aid to anyone who has been injured.
If You Have Been Injured
If you or a loved one has been injured in a hit-and-run crash, there are a number of steps you can take to protect your legal rights. First, make sure you get medical attention, treatment and care for your injuries. Try to collect as much evidence from the scene as possible including debris left behind by the hit-and-run vehicle and photographs of the accident scene. Talk to eyewitnesses to see if anyone got information such as a physical description of the driver, the color, make and model of the vehicle involved and a license plate number. Even a partial license plate number could be extremely helpful when it comes to tracking hit-and-run drivers.
Contact an experienced Orange County car accident lawyer who will stay abreast of the official investigation and help protect your rights. A knowledgeable lawyer will also be able to advise you regarding how your auto insurance policy might work in a hit-and-run case where the driver hasn’t been apprehended or when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured.