What Exactly is a Hit and Run in Ontario?
More pedestrians and cyclists are involved in hit and runs than what most people realize. Every day, there seems to be a news story somewhere in the world in which a person was at a crosswalk and was hit by a vehicle.
In most cases, the driver that is responsible takes responsibility for their actions and they do not drive away. However, there are times in which drivers panic and simply drive away leaving the person who was hit on their own and in need of medical attention.
What would happen if you were involved in a hit and run and were the victim that was hit? This is something that we all do not want to think about, but it is something to be aware of.
What is a Hit and Run?
A hit and run is categorized by a driver hitting a person, cyclist or even another car, then driving off before the police arrive in hopes to get away with this crime.
Those who commit a hit and run are going to face severe legal consequences as this is a major crime and will be punished as such.
Those who do commit a hit and run against a pedestrian or cyclist could face up to 5 years in prison as this is a serious criminal offense.
What To Do If You Are Hit By a Car
For pedestrians and cyclists who like to get out and enjoy walking or riding around the city, they need to know what to do in the event that they are involved in a hit and run.
The hope is that if you are hit, the driver stops, but this is not something that can be guaranteed. In addition, you hope that other people are around who can call the police in the event that you can’t.
- Get medical attention even if you feel fine right now. Remember that many times when a person or cyclist is hit, they are running off of fear and adrenaline. They may not feel the injuries that they have. Thus, it is best to get medical attention as soon as possible. If you can call the police yourself, do so and wait for the emergency responders to arrive.
- Try to remember any information that you can about the car to tell the police. Did you catch the color of the car? The make? The year of the car? Maybe even the license plate? The good news is that most intersections throughout the city have security cameras up to catch information like this. The key will be at what location you are at as to whether these are in place.
- If you are able to talk to others around the area that saw this happen, make sure that they are giving their statements to the police as to what happened. These eye witness accounts can help narrow down just who did this hit and run and help with any personal injury case you may have in the future.
- Take care of yourself and heal. No matter what type of injury you have, even those that are minor, are going to require that you take some time to rest.
- Keep your medical bills together so that you know just how much this hit and run has cost you. In addition, note any lost wages that you have suffered due to this injury.
- Call a personal injury lawyer that is ready to help you fight against this individual. In most cases, if the police are able to find the hit and run person, they are going to put them into jail for fleeing the scene.Hopefully, the person has insurance that is going to cover some aspects of the accident for you.
However, that is not always the case. There are times in which the insurance does not pay as much as you need, which will result in having to get a personal injury attorney to fight on your behalf.
Effects of a Hit and Run on Pedestrians and Cyclists
Some injuries may be obvious right away, but other important injuries and issues may go unnoticed. For example, those who have been involved in a hit and run may have a fear of going back out into the streets to walk or ride their bicycle.
This comes as a form of post-traumatic stress disorder, which can then change their entire lives. This is something that your personal injury attorney can talk with you about to see if compensation can be given for loss of the life that you once knew.
In addition, other lingering effects can include the following:
- Issues with moving due to broken bones, even after they are healed
- Brain injuries that cause issues later in life such as having a hard time with your memory, etc.
- Other bodily injuries that have a long term effect
For those who suffer from a hit and run the effects can be both short term and long term. And in the end, the person may find that their lives change dramatically.
In many cases, brain injuries are a serious issue that people are worried about when they are hit by a car. Keep in mind, that other issues may arise later in life from the injuries that you suffered at the hit and run.
What Happens if the Driver is Never Found
In most cases, a hit and run will result in the driver being found and charged for what they did. Thanks to the many people that are often on the streets, as well as security footage that can be found at intersections and on businesses in the area, there seems to be someone always watching.
This is good news for you, the victim. Let the police do their work and find the person that is responsible for the injuries that you have suffered. And once they do, you can then act accordingly.
We recommend that you contact a personal injury lawyer to help with your case. This often results in getting your claim seriously heard, and it may mean getting a higher compensation rate for what you have suffered.
What Compensation can be Awarded
When people are involved in a hit and run, the compensation that they are awarded will be based on the level of injuries that they have, as well as the details of the incident.
For example, a person who walks in a crosswalk knowing that they shouldn’t get as much as someone who was crossing when they had the all-clear and was hit.
However, since this was a hit and run, chances are the incident details will not matter as much as what people think.
To get a fair award and help with a hit and run personal injury case, contact us today. We have worked with people who have been in your situation, and we can offer you results that you will not get on your own.
We understand the pain that you are going through, and we do our best to help alleviate the mental anguish that often comes with an accident.
Contact us today for a FREE Consultation.
