Massachusetts Hit-and-Run Motorists Are Subject to Civil and Criminal Liability
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Massachusetts motorists must stay at the scene of a crash to provide their information to injured parties—the failure to do so carries serious civil and criminal consequences. Under Massachusetts law, the crime of leaving the scene of an accident involves leaving the scene after “knowingly colliding with or otherwise causing injury” to another vehicle, person, or property, or “to avoid prosecution or evade apprehension” after a collision resulting in death, and without stopping and providing the driver’s name, residence, and vehicle registration number.
Massachusetts car accident victims may be able to use another driver’s act of leaving the scene as evidence of that driver’s negligence in a subsequent civil lawsuit. A criminal conviction for leaving the scene of an accident might be used to show the driver was at fault for the crash or as other evidence. Even for drivers that fear the consequences, leaving the scene is illegal and is never a good idea. Police are often able to track down hit-and-run drivers through video and witnesses.
The Massachusetts criminal statute carries a sentence of six months to two years imprisonment and a fine of $500 to $1,000. In the event of death, the statute carries a sentence of two and a half years to ten years in state prison, or of one year to two and a half years in jail, and a fine of $1,000 to $5,000. Massachusetts personal injury lawsuits can provide substantial compensation to the accident victim and their family.
Massachusetts Woman Charged in Fatal Hit-and-Run
A Massachusetts woman was charged in a recent fatal crash in Easton, Massachusetts, as reported by one news source. According to the District Attorney’s office in Bristol County, the 33-year-old driver was speeding when she crashed her car with another car, leaving both people inside the other car dead. The driver reportedly ran from the scene after the crash occurred. She was later located and arrested in West Bridgewater. The two people killed in the car were a man and woman, who were both in their 70s.
The defendant driver was charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury. According to witnesses, police were chasing the driver’s car before the crash. An investigation is still ongoing. Other charges may be filed later, according to the report.
Contact a Massachusetts Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been injured in a hit-and-run, or in another type of Massachusetts car crash or other accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Kelly Neumann is an award-winning personal injury attorney who has a lengthy track record of success. The Neumann Law Group has more than 200 years of combined experience and is dedicated to helping accident victims navigate the legal system and obtain their rightful compensation. Call us today at 1-800-525-6386 or complete our online form to set up a free consultation. Calling is free, and we will not bill you for our services unless we can help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
