When a Car Accident Can Put You Behind Bars

Car accidents happen in Wichita, Derby and Goddard every day. In 2010, over five million accidents were reported across the United States. If the injury, stress and financial issues that arise from an accident aren’t enough, many people don’t realize they could face criminal consequences as well. Before you get behind the wheel again, make sure you know each situation that can result in jail time.

Hit-and-Run

In 2011, hit-and-run penalties got even tougher for Kansas citizens. House Bill 2044 made hit-and-run accidents a felony, which could result in prison time, if the accident involves a fatality or serious injuries. If you hit a car or pedestrian and leave the scene, you are facing huge fines, as well as prison time.

Vehicular Manslaughter

Even if you’re not at fault, hitting a pedestrian can lead to charges in criminal court. Even if the pedestrian was jaywalking or darted into the street, if the court finds you were speeding or driving distracted at the time of the accident, you may face vehicular manslaughter. Vehicular manslaughter also applies to airplane, motor boat or other motor vehicle collisions that cause serious injury or death.

DUI

It’s not a surprise to most people that driving under the influence will land you behind bars. Even if an accident doesn’t result from you driving drunk, if you are found intoxicated behind the wheel, you will still go to jail.

Reckless Driving

Reckless driving has a broad definition, but certain situations will almost certain leave you facing criminal charges. If you are found going 75mph in a school zone or dangerously merging through traffic, you could cause an accident and put lives in danger. If you are found driving recklessly, you could be charged with a misdemeanor and spend 5-90 days in jail.

At Ray Hodge & Associates, we believe in personal injury handled personally. At our office you see a lawyer from the very first meeting because we believe your case deserves an experienced personal injury attorney right from the start.

If you have had a Kansas car wreck injury that was not your fault and need medical treatment, you need an experienced professional who can help you get back on the road to recovery. Call us today at 316-269-1414 or visit our contact page here. Our Kansas personal injury attorneys will provide you a free initial consultation and if we take your case you don’t pay a dime unless we recover money for you. Even then we only take a percentage of the total amount of your recovery.

If you have questions on what you should be looking for when you are making a decision to hire a Kansas personal injury lawyer, read our article located here.

Make sure you download our free car accident app for iPhone or Droid to protect yourself in event of an auto accident.

Ray Hodge & Associates proudly represents victims and their families across the state of Kansas, including Wichita, Andover, Derby, Goddard, Haysville, Mulvane, Rose Hill, Newton, El Dorado and Hutchinson. Call today for a free consultation all over the state of Kansas. We have proudly served clients in Sedgwick, Butler, Sumner, Harvey, Kingman and Reno Counties.