The new law is friendly to victims of hit and runs and families who lost loved ones in such accidents.
Orange County, CA (PRWEB) January 18, 2014
California lawmakers recently increased the statute of limitations from three years to six years for prosecuting drivers who seriously injure or kill someone in a hit-and-run accident, a decision applauded by Orange County, CA personal injury lawyer John Rapillo of the Law Offices of John Rapillo.
Commenting on a report in NBC Southern California, “New Laws Coming to California in 2014” (Dec. 31, 2013), Rapillo said he has seen many serious hit-and-run cases in his office.
“Hit and run car accidents in California are serious crimes that demand strong legal action,” Rapillo said. “The new law is friendly to victims of hit and runs and families who lost loved ones in such accidents. And by giving police officers and prosecutors three more years to catch hit and run drivers, hopefully more people who commit these crimes will be punished for their crimes.”
The new hit and run law approved by California’s governor goes into effect in 2014, according to NBC Southern California. The extended deadline for prosecuting drivers that cause hit and run accidents in California applies to accidents that “caused death or permanent, serious injury,” according to the amended Section 803 of California’s Penal Code.
California, especially Los Angeles, reportedly has a high number of hit and run accidents compared to other cities and states, according to an article published by USA Today, “Fatal hit-and-run crashes on the rise in U.S.” (Nov. 10, 2013). That was partly why a California assemblyman introduced legislation extending the deadline by three years for prosecuting drivers who cause hit-and-run accidents in California, according to the USA Today article.
Hit and run accidents are among the most disturbing and frustrating accidents drivers must deal with in California, Rapillo said.
“No one ever expects to be a victim of a hit and run accident,” Rapillo said. “That’s probably why such accidents come as such a shock to so many people. Most people could probably never imagine driving away from the scene of an auto accident. And yet drivers flee from accidents all the time in Southern California. Many injury victims don’t know what to do or who to turn to for help. Luckily, our law firm has years of experience successfully handling such complicated cases – and we have the track record to prove it.”
For more information about what to do after a hit-and-run accident in Southern California and the legal options available to families, call (800) 814-4771 or complete the online contact form.
About the Law Offices of John Rapillo
An experienced, knowledgeable lawyer with more than 30 years experienced, Orange County personal injury lawyer John Rapillo provides exceptional legal advice to injury victims throughout Southern California. The Law Offices of John Rapillo has offices in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. The law firm handles a wide range of cases, including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, slip and fall accidents, dog bites, construction accidents and pedestrian accidents. Attorney Rapillo works on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing if you don’t win. Contact the Law Offices of John Rapillo today for a free case evaluation.
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