What Are an Oregon Driver’s Obligations Following a Car Accident?

A hit and run accident occurs when a driver leaves the scene of a crash or collision without first stopping to see if anyone is hurt, exchange information with the other drivers involved, and contact local law enforcement to report what happened. Many drivers deliberately fail to do any of these things, however, often because they know they caused the accident and hope to avoid any legal or financial responsibility for their actions. Not only can this frustrate the ability of accident victims to seek financial compensation for their losses, it also places the hit-and-run driver at risk of potential criminal prosecution.

Leaving the Scene of an Accident Can Be a Felony

Indeed, leaving the scene of an accident is a felony under Oregon law in some cases. By law, the driver of a vehicle who “knows or has reason to believe” they were just involved in an accident that resulted in injury or death to another person must not leave the scene and instead take the following actions:

• The driver must immediately stop their vehicle, either at the scene of the accident or as close to the scene as possible and without obstructing traffic.
• The driver must “reasonably investigate” what they hit.
• The driver must give the other driver, surviving passenger, or other survivor who was injured their contact information. This includes the driver’s name and address, as well as the name and address of the vehicle’s owner if the driver was operating somebody else’s car. The driver must also provide the contact information for any other passengers in their vehicle when the accident occurred, as well as the registration and insurance information for their vehicle.
• If requested, the driver must show their driver’s license or other “official evidence of driving privileges.”
• The driver must render to any person injured in the accident “reasonable assistance.” This includes calling 911 or making other arrangements to get the injured victims to a hospital.
• Unless the driver requires emergency medical attention, they must remain at the accident scene until a police officer arrives to take an official accident report.

Failure to perform these duties is a Class C felony under Oregon law, except in cases where someone suffered a “serious physical injury” in the accident, in which case it is a Class B felony.

Contact a Portland Car Accident Attorney Today

Even if you are injured in an accident where a driver fails to meet the requirements described above, you are not without options for seeking compensation. Your own Oregon auto insurance policy includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which provides coverage for medical expenses and lost income up to a certain limit and regardless of whether or not the negligent driver is ever found. Additionally, you must carry a minimum amount of uninsured motorist coverage, which again will protect you in the event of a hit-and-run accident.

If you need specific legal guidance regarding your situation from a qualified Portland car accident lawyer, contact Rosenbaum Law Group, PC, today at 503-288-8000 to schedule a free consultation.

Source:

oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_811.705