Top Rated Fairfax County VA Hit and Run Lawyer • 1500+ Reviews
A Fairfax County hit and run accident occurs when a person involved in a collision leaves the scene without performing certain functions. This offense is also called leaving the scene of an accident. A hit and run violation is a criminal offense and can either be a felony or a misdemeanor depending on whether there was an injury or amount of property damage. Penalties may include incarceration, a fine & loss of driving privileges. If you have been involved in an accident in Fairfax County that is being investigated by law enforcement as a hit or run or you have already been arrested, then you will need a top rated Fairfax VA hit and run lawyer to defend your case.
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Experienced Fairfax Leaving The Scene of an Accident Defense Attorney
Riley & Wells Attorneys-At-Law is an established local Fairfax County VA law firm that specializes in defending hit & run leaving the scene of an accident cases. Our firm has been successfully representing clients for over 60 combined years. Our firm is recognized as a “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News & World Report. A Fairfax County hit-and-run violation can result in serious consequences including jail time. A common misconception is that you must be the at-fault driver to violate this law. NOTE: An arrest for hit and run is NOT a conviction. Do not waive your rights. Our Fairfax County VA hit and run lawyers have been positively reviewed more than any other law firm that defends hit and run cases.
Most Rated Fairfax Hit and Run Lawyer Defense Attorney
Representation for Fairfax County Hit and Run Accident Police Investigation
Fairfax Police and State Police investigate traffic accidents that involve a party who leaves the scene of the accident. These law enforcement investigations almost always start with the Fairfax Police making contact with the owner of the suspect vehicle. These cases sometimes involve witnesses who were involved in the incident, independent witnesses and video evidence. Law enforcement will eventually want to speak with who they identify as a target of their investigation. Speaking with Fairfax Police about a hit and run incident without first consulting a lawyer or having a lawyer present who regularly represents clients in this area can be a huge mistake. CAUTION: Law enforcement officers are trained professionals.
Free Consultation with Highest Rated Fairfax County VA Hit and Run Lawyers
Fairfax County VA hit and run charges can be more complex than you may think. You need to be careful because there may be serious consequences. The biggest issues for most are the lack of experience and legal knowledge. The average person does not understand the best course of action to defend a Fairfax hit and run case. Our Fairfax County hit and run lawyers know the best tactics for obtaining the best results. We spend hours in the Fairfax Courts every week and are familiar with the habits of the different judges and the law enforcement officers who make the arrests. This specialized knowledge is invaluable in order to best defend your case.
Fairfax VA Hit & Run Attorneys Recognized by Virginia Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from over 70 practice areas including hit & run defense who have attained a high-degree of recognition and achievement. Super Lawyers recognizes the top lawyers nationwide across a variety of practice areas. Our Fairfax County VA hit & run lawyers have been recognized as Virginia Super Lawyers since 2009 for leaving the scene of an accident defense. No more than five percent of the lawyers in a state are named to Super Lawyers and no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list. Retain a Fairfax hit & run defense attorney who has been recognized as a Virginia Super Lawyer.
Fairfax VA Hit & Run Accidents Involving an Occupied Vehicle
It is prohibited for a driver involved in a Fairfax County accident to leave the scene if there is personal injury or damage to attended property. You must stop immediately as close to the scene of the Fairfax accident as practical. The driver is also required to report name, address, driver’s license number, and vehicle registration to Fairfax Police or State Police and to the other party. A violation is a felony if the Fairfax County accident involves personal injury or property damage exceeding $1000. A violation is a class 1 misdemeanor if the Fairfax property damage is $1000 or less. There may be instances where we can convince the Judge to reduce your felony arrest to a misdemeanor.
Legal Elite Fairfax County Virginia Hit & Run Lawyer
Virginia Business is dedicated to covering legal activity in Fairfax County VA. In association with the Bar Association, top rated Virginia attorneys from various practice areas including hit & run defense have been recognized as Legal Elite since 2000. There are over 23,000 legal practitioners in the Commonwealth. Legal Elite recognitions are awarded to approximately 1400 lawyers each year. This is an exclusive list of top rated individuals who have been recognized for excellence. Only outstanding and experienced professionals are recognized for being Legal Elite. A lawyer cannot purchase his or her way in to being recognized as a member of the Virginia Business Legal Elite community. Retain a Fairfax County VA Legal Elite hit & run defense lawyer.
Assistance Requirements for Fairfax Hit & Run Personal Injury Cases
There is also a reasonable assistance provision in the law. The driver of any vehicle involved in a Fairfax County accident shall render reasonable assistance to any person injured in such accident, including taking such injured person to a hospital if it is obvious that medical treatment is necessary or requested by the injured party. If the driver is unable to comply due to injuries sustained in the crash, then the driver shall as soon as reasonably possible make the required report to Fairfax Police or State Police and make a reasonable effort to locate the person struck or the person of the attended property, and report his name, address, driver’s license number, and vehicle registration number.
Superb Avvo Rated Fairfax County VA Hit and Run Lawyers
The Avvo Rating can help you find the right Fairfax VA hit & run attorney. Avvo was derived from “avvocato”, the Italian word for lawyer. Avvo is an attorney directory that rates legal professionals using a mathematical model on a scale of 1 (Extreme Caution) to 10 (Superb). Members of our Fairfax County VA hit & run defense firm maintain a 10.0 Superb Avvo rating. Avvo collects relevant information from state bar associations, other organizations that license legal professionals and thousands of consumers to calculate its rating. The same set of standards is used on all who are evaluated. The Avvo rating is merit based. You cannot pay a fee to improve your Avvo rating.
Leaving the Scene of a Fairfax VA Accident Involving Unattended Property
Our top rated Fairfax County VA Hit and Run Lawyers will successfully present your best defense. The hit and run law also requires the driver of any vehicle involved in a Fairfax VA accident involving unattended property to make a reasonable effort to find the owner of the damaged property and provide his information. If the owner cannot be found then a note must be left along with a written report to Fairfax Police or State Police within 24 hours including date, time and place of the accident along with a description of the Fairfax County property damage. If injured, the driver shall make the report as soon as reasonably possible. A conviction is punishable as a misdemeanor.
The Hit and Run Law Also Applies to Passengers of Involved Vehicles
The Fairfax hit and run law applies to others in addition to involved drivers. The law requires certain persons accompanying the driver involved in a Fairfax County accident to make a report in cases involving attended property and unattended property. The law requires persons age sixteen or older who were in the vehicle at the time and had knowledge of the accident to ensure a report is made to the Fairfax Police or State Police within 24 hours. Such report shall include name, address, driver’s license number, and vehicle registration. A violation is a felony if there is personal injury. Property damage only cases are either a class 1 misdemeanor or a class 4 misdemeanor depending on damage amount.
Defenses to Fairfax VA Hit & Run Criminal Offenses
There may be defenses to your Fairfax County VA hit & run case. The Fairfax prosecutor has to prove identification of the driver that fled the scene beyond a reasonable doubt. A top rated Fairfax County VA hit and run attorney may be able to raise reasonable doubt that the Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney cannot meet their burden of proof that you were the driver. Lack of knowledge is also a defense. The prosecutor must prove that the driver knew of the accident and had actual knowledge that someone was injured or property was damaged. Finally, you may have tried to stop, but the other driver was the one who actually left the scene.
Leaving the Scene of an Accident Hit & Run DISMISSED Court of Appeals
Riley & Wells Attorneys-At-Law represented a client who was charged felony hit & run leaving the scene of an accident. During the trial, the Commonwealth Attorney presented a limited amount of evidence regarding property damage and no personal injury evidence. The trial judge found our client guilty but we believed the trial judge misapplied the law and made an error when he found our client guilty. We appealed the case to the Virginia Court of Appeals. We convinced the appeals court to reverse the trial court’s ruling. Our client was acquitted and the case was dismissed. See case file for full opinion.
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10/8/2024 | Updated 10/26/2024