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Hit and Run

Hit and Run

Georgia state law requires anybody involved in a motor vehicle accident to stop and exchange certain types of personal information with all other people involved in the wreck. When a negligent motorist leaves the scene of a crash after causing a collision or striking a pedestrian or bicyclist, it is often referred to as a hit and run accident.

For people who have suffered catastrophic injuries as the result of hit and run crashes, a driver leaving the scene without providing information can be an extremely stressful, confusing, and frightening experience. Fortunately, law enforcement in Atlanta has a vested interest in apprehending drivers who violate the state’s leaving the scene law, and victims may still be able to obtain the compensation they need for medical bills, lost wages, and other costs through alternative means even if the offender is never caught.

Attorney for Hit and Run Accidents in Atlanta, GA

Did you sustain serious injuries or was your loved one killed in a hit and run crash in Georgia? You will want to contact Marcus A. Roberts & Associates as soon as possible for help holding the negligent party accountable.

Marcus A. Roberts is an experienced personal injury lawyer in Atlanta who represents clients hurt in auto accidents all over Fulton County, DeKalb County, Gwinnett County, Cobb County, and Clayton County. Call 404-577-4444 right now to have our attorney review your case and help you understand all of your legal options during a free, no obligation consultation.


Overview of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Injuries in Fulton County


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Georgia Requirements Following Accidents

Under Georgia Code § 40-6-270, the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or the death of any person or any damage to a vehicle which is driven or attended by any person is required to immediately stop at the scene of the accident or as close thereto as possible and return to the scene of the accident and do all of the following:

  • Give his or her name and address and the registration number of the vehicle he or she is driving;
  • Upon request and if it is available, exhibit his or her operator’s license to the person struck or the driver or occupant of or person attending any vehicle collided with;
  • Render to any person injured in such accident reasonable assistance, including the transporting, or the making of arrangements for the transporting, of such person to a physician, surgeon, or hospital for medical or surgical treatment if it is apparent that such treatment is necessary or if such transporting is requested by the injured person; and
  • Where a person injured in such accident is unconscious, appears deceased, or is otherwise unable to communicate, make every reasonable effort to ensure that emergency medical services and local law enforcement are contacted for the purpose of reporting the accident and making a request for assistance.

When a hit and run crash is the proximate cause of death or a serious injury, leaving the scene of an accident is a felony offense. In all other cases, it is a misdemeanor. More importantly, a conviction for leaving the scene of an accident creates civil liability.

When a driver is convicted of a hit and run offense in Georgia, a personal injury lawyer can file a lawsuit against that motorist to possible obtain damages through his or her insurer. Following convictions, victims may be entitled to economic damages for tangible expenses such as medical expenses and time away from work, noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering, and possibly punitive damages (also called exemplary damages or vindictive damages) specifically intended to punish offenders for certain additional types of misconduct, such as driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs.


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Uninsured Motorist Claims for Hit and Run Crashes in Atlanta

Even if the negligent driver is never apprehended, hit and run accident victims are often able to obtain compensation through uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on their own automobile insurance policies. The Georgia General Assembly passed a law during its 2008 Session requiring automobile insurance carriers to provide revised UM coverage to all policyholders unless they specifically reject this coverage in writing.

While a UM or UIM claim is a first-party claim that allows injured individuals to obtain compensation through their own insurers, victims will still want to make sure that they have attorneys representing them. Insurance companies are businesses that seek to pay as little as possible to resolve all claims, and a personal injury lawyer will fight to make sure that you receive fair and full compensation that covers all of your immediate and long-term needs.


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Georgia Resources for Hit and Run Accidents

Atlanta Police Department | Special Operations Section — Visit this section of the Atlanta Police Department to learn more about its Special Operations Section. The Accident Investigations Unit investigates fatal and hit and run crashes. You can also learn more about other special units.

Special Operations Section
180 Southside Industrial Blvd.
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 209-5260

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) | National Pedestrian Crash Report — View a June 2008 NHTSA report analyzing trends in pedestrian fatalities and police-reported motor vehicle crashes involving a pedestrian in the United States since 1997. The report states that 18 percent—nearly one in five—of all pedestrian deaths were the result of hit-and-run crashes. You can also find statistics about the frequency of driver behaviors—such as hit and run drivers—in fatal pedestrian crashes by year.


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Marcus A. Roberts & Associates | Atlanta Hit and Run Injury Lawyer

If you suffered severe injuries or your loved one was killed by a hit and run driver anywhere in Georgia, it is in your best interest to immediately retain legal counsel. Marcus A. Roberts & Associates represents individuals hurt in crashes where drivers left the scene in communities throughout Fulton County, Cobb County, Gwinnett County, Clayton County, and DeKalb County.

Atlanta personal injury attorney Marcus A. Roberts understands the challenges involved in these types of cases and fights to get victims and their families the compensation they need and deserve. He can provide an honest and thorough evaluation of your case when you call 404-577-4444 or complete an online contact form to schedule a free initial consultation.