You may have failed to stop after entering an auto accident with another driver, motorcyclist, bicyclist, pedestrian, etc. You may assume that this is fine if no involved party is seemingly hurt, and you believe you were not at fault for the accident to begin with. However, this action may be considered a serious criminal offense, namely, a hit and run. With that being said, please continue reading to learn the penalties for prompting a hit-and-run accident and how one of the experienced Bergen County criminal defense attorneys at McNerney & McAuliffe can help you defend that this was not the case.
What are the penalties for a hit-and-run accident in New Jersey?
Importantly, New Jersey law requires a driver involved in an auto accident to stop, report the crash to local law enforcement, exchange information with other involved parties, and assist injured parties until emergency medical services can arrive at the scene. A failure to follow these steps constitutes a hit and run. This may be charged as either a traffic violation or a criminal offense, depending on the severity of damage a driver fled from.
For one, say that you left the scene of an accident where other involved parties only incurred property damages. Well, this may count as a traffic violation. Even still, though, you may be up against serious penalties, such as a fine of $200 to $400, jail time of up to 30 days, a driver’s license suspension of up to six months, and two points added to your driving record.
Secondly, say that one of the involved parties was left injured at the scene. This may be charged as a misdemeanor or felony offense. Usually, for a first-time offense, this means a fine of $2,500 to $5,000, jail time of up to 180 days, a driver’s license suspension of one year, and even a permanent revocation of your driver’s license.
Lastly, if a party’s injuries were rather serious and, unfortunately, resulted in their death, this may most definitely be punished as a felony. Specifically, you may be sentenced for assault by auto or vehicular manslaughter. This may entail a hefty fine of up to $15,000, a sentence of three to five years at a state prison, and, of course, a driver’s license suspension or revocation.
What other consequences can I expect after a hit-and-run accident?
To reiterate, your hit-and-run offense may not only lead to criminal consequences but also affect your ability to drive. As mentioned, you may expect a driver’s license suspension or revocation and points added to your driving record, but there is also the possibility of your auto insurance premiums skyrocketing and fulfilling SR-22 requirements.
Besides this, though, you may also have to defend yourself in a separate civil lawsuit. That is, the other involved party may file a personal injury claim against you to recover financial compensation for their incurred property damages and bodily injuries. Or, the family of an involved party who died in the crash may come forward with a wrongful death claim, leaving you financially exposed to economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.
If this is what you are currently up against, do not try to put up a fight without the legal assistance of one of the skilled Bergen County criminal defense attorneys from McNerney & McAuliffe. We urge you to retain our services as soon as possible.