Leaving the Scene of an Accident

- Client Reviews

When a car accident occurs, all parties involved have a legal and moral obligation to remain on the scene to ensure all involved are safe, that the correct contact information is exchanged, and that when police or emergency response arrives they are informed of the situation.

Leaving the scene of an accident, or a Failure to Remain crash, is unlawful and negligent behavior that happens very often in Ontario and abroad. Defined by the Criminal Code of Canada as, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, a hit-and-run incident can bear a penalty of five years in prison for the guilty party, depending on the amount of injury or fatalities involved.

Were you the victim of a car accident because of another drivers negligence? If so, you may be entitled to compensation because of the injuries and damage you sustained from the accident. The compensation that is awarded following a successful verdict or settlement can help cover the costs of medical bills, rehabilitative fees and lost wages due to time you were unable to work.

The compassionate and knowledgeable car crash lawyers of Greg Monforton & Partners are prepared to fight for your rights in a court of law and we always stand up for the victims of negligent drivers. We will pursue the MAXIMUM amount of compensation available to our clients from their case.

To find out how we can help, call us today at (866) 320-4770 for your free consultation.

Reasons People Flee Accident Scenes

In many cases, leaving the scene of an accident is a sign that a driver fears either being apprehended for being the cause of the wreck, or they do not want to risk receiving any additional penalties, such as a DUI citation if they were driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Some of the reasons that drivers will flee an accident scene include:

• Driver does not have a valid licence
• Driver is impaired by drugs or alcohol
• Driver struck a pedestrian or bicyclist
• Driver is an illegal alien
• Driver has a prior record with warrants for arrest
• Driver does not have insurance

Under Canada’s Highway Traffic Act, the penalty for a Fail to Remain is:

• A fine no less than $400 and no more than $2,000
• A prison term of not more than 6 months
• Six demerit points
• Licence suspension up to 2 years

By Ontario law, drivers are responsible for staying at the scene of an accident, offering any possible assistance to the driver they hit, and to provide any contact or insurance information as requested by an officer or the victim.

What to Do if You Have Been Hit

Maintaining composure after you have been struck is key:

• Assess the well being of yourself and your passengers before exiting the vehicle
• Move your vehicle to a place away from traffic
• Attempt to get a look at the vehicle that hit you or a description of the driver
• Licence plate number, make, model and color of the vehicle are very helpful details
• Contact authorities and wait until they arrive on the scene
• File a police report, providing the officer with a description of the driver and vehicle, if possible

The police will do investigative work to determine who the negligent driver was. Once they are found, contact a solicitor with experience in Failure to Remain accidents, and rest assured knowing that your case will be handled while you recover from the shock of the accident and any injuries you may have sustained.

Contact Our Skilled Hit-and-Run Law Firm Today

At Greg Monforton and Partners, our highly trained personal injury lawyers are proud to assist the injured in obtaining the justice they deserve in a court of law. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident that resulted in injury or death, the victim may be eligible to receive compensation for their losses and damages. Seeking legal guidance from an experienced Ontario litigation team can be the best way to recover.

Located in Windsor, we are licenced to serve the entire Province of Ontario and proudly serve injury victims in:

To obtain additional information on how we can assist you in your time of need, or to schedule a free no-obligation consultation, we kindly welcome you to contact us at (866) 320-4770 and a member of our intake team will gather information from your accident and quickly connect you with one of our helpful lawyers.

Our lawyers proudly work on a contingency fee basis, which means that we will not charge you unless we win a successful verdict or settlement, and we are ready to help you today.

For those that would prefer to start immediately, click “here” to reach us online.