#UTAH BUMPR LAW DRIVER#

Witness testimony is invaluable in a personal injury case.Ĭall the police immediately, inform them that the other driver left the scene and that you require emergency assistance. If anyone else saw the accident, get their identification and statement of what occurred. Any information you can collect may help your case, including the color, make and model of the suspect’s vehicle, the suspect’s hair color, build, and whether he or she was driving with passengers in the car. If you or a loved one suffered property damage or personal injury due to a Utah hit-and-run accident, it’s crucial you contact a litigation attorney as soon as possible. Even if the other driver hit your parked car and left a note, it is still a good idea to call the police so an accident report can be prepared and an investigation can begin. CCTV surveillance could assist authorities in identifying the potential defendant. Speak to the store manager or owner of the parking lot intersection and find out if surveillance footage of the parking lot is available. No one should walk out of a grocery store or shopping mall to find their car damaged, but it does happen far too often. If they are unable due to an emergency, they need to inform the authorities that they were in a collision with a parked vehicle and provide their information so the other driver can file a claim with their insurance company. Even if a person strikes another car with a grocery cart, if the force of the collision caused property damage, that person needs to remain at the scene. What About Collisions With Parked Vehicles?Ī collision with a parked vehicle is still considered a hit-and-run, and therefore a crime if the driver does not leave their information or wait for the owner of the vehicle to return. If multiple victims were killed in a hit-and-run crash, the defendant would be charged with multiple counts of the same crime. In addition, a hit-and-run resulting in the death of another person is also classified as a third-degree felony. This is because a hit-and-run causing serious bodily injury is classified as a felony. If the defendant causes serious personal injury to the victims in a hit-and-run, they could be looking at nearly five years in prison and over $5000 in potential fines.

A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2500 fine. If the defendant hits another vehicle and causes physical injuries to the occupants, he can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor at the very minimum.

A Class B misdemeanor is punishable by up to six months in jail in addition to $1,000 in fines. For example, if a defendant strikes another vehicle and does not cause physical injury to the occupants of the other car, he or she can be charged with a Class B misdemeanor. Whether a defendant is charged with a misdemeanor or a felony for a hit-and-run depends on the circumstances of the accident. Is a Utah Hit-and-Run a Misdemeanor or a Felony? While a simple auto accident is not a crime in of itself, failing to wait for police to arrive at the scene or exchange information can subject the other driver to criminal penalties. Similarly, failing to stop at all after colliding with another vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist is also considered a hit-and-run. Leaving the scene of an accident before you have had the chance to exchange information with the other driver is considered a hit-and-run offense. For a suspect to be charged, the police must have probable cause to make an arrest. In Utah, hit-and-run driving offenses are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

#UTAH BUMPR LAW FREE#

While we’re based in Logan, we serve the entire state including Salt Lake, Provo, Ogden, and St George.Ĭlick the button below to schedule a free legal consultation. If you’ve been in a motor vehicle accident of any kind in Utah and need a personal injury lawyer or criminal defense lawyer, we can help you.

If the hit-and-run driver is caught, can John and Katie bring civil charges against them for the personal injury and property damage they have caused? Do they have to wait until criminal charges are filed? Stuck in traffic with a damaged driver’s side door, left quarter panel, and white smoke leaking out of the hood, they are forced to abandon their car and wait for help. John and Katie are stunned until they realize the police are in pursuit of the hit-and-run driver who has struck multiple vehicles in an attempt to evade them. Just as the traffic starts to move, a truck sideswipes their car, careens into the median, crosses the other lanes of traffic going the wrong direction, and keeps going. They are stopped in bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-15 in Tremonton with no end in sight. John and Katie are driving to a party on a rainy October day.

What are the Utah hit-and-run laws? Consider this situation.

Utah bumpr law