When you get involved in a car accident with another party, you may worry about your injuries, property damages, etc. Nobody wants to stay on the accident site. Leaving and getting to a safe place, perhaps your home, can be tempting. However, taking a few steps before leaving the accident scene is important.
For starters, you must exchange information with the other party before leaving the scene. You will require this information to give to your attorney if you or the other party decides to file a case. In any case, leaving the accident site immediately is not legally recommended. Speak to a personal injury lawyer in Hillsville to learn more about your situation.
Leaving the accident scene can result in a hit-and-run
In a car accident case, the law in Hillsville requires the parties involved to stop at the scene and exchange information with each other. This includes name, contact number, address, insurance information, details about the vehicles involved, and many other things. The parties should also ensure that everyone is safe and healthy and that no one has serious injuries.
In case one or more parties have suffered from an injury, someone must call law enforcement and the ambulance. It is important to take these basic steps after you realize you have been in a car accident.
The other parties may press hit-and-run charges when you do not stop at the car accident site and leave it without taking the steps mentioned above. Hit-and-run charges are very serious and can result in hefty fines and even imprisonment.
Fleeing the accident scene when you have partial or complete fault without informing the authorities or attempting to help the other parties is a felony. The only time you might be allowed to leave the accident scene is when the police officers are too busy to come there immediately.
What if I have no injuries?
If you have not acquired any injuries in the car accident, it may be okay to leave the accident site. However, even then, it is required that you stop and check on the other parties. In case of a single-vehicle accident, you may leave the site if you have no injuries. However, if other parties are involved, you should check on the other parties and if they require medical help.
If you and all the parties involved walk out of the accident injury-less, it is still important that you inform law enforcement about the accident. If you must leave, make sure you visit the police station and make a report.