As California residents may know, there is a reason why it is against the law to flee the scene of an accident. Hit-and-run car accidents can be devastating to a victim and the victim's family in that it can leave them struggling with financial damage as well as physical injuries.

One 60-year-old driver is still struggling with the aftermath of a hit-and-run accident nearly a year after the incident. A truck driver with a 40-year perfect record, his rig was struck on the driver's side by a pickup truck who lost control of his vehicle. The impact sent both vehicles off the road.

The tractor-trailer driver suffered multiple broken bones and nerve damage in both legs, which were essentially crushed. The gear shift had also penetrated his legs, causing severe tissue damage. He barely survived, and spent five months in the hospital and trauma center.

Today, he uses a wheelchair most of the time and is unable to drive at all or even walk more than a short distance. Unfortunately, despite what he had been led to believe by the trucking company, the company did not carry workers' compensation insurance, and the driver had no medical insurance. An online fundraising page set up by supporters has only returned meager results.

Hit-and-run accidents like this can truly turn a victim's life upside down in the blink of an eye. Contacting a legal professional can help, however. An attorney will have the knowledge and the experience to handle communications with insurance companies, police and any other parties that may be involved (employers, for example). Families can then focus on the long road of physical recovery.

Source: East Bay Times, “Hit-and-run accident leaves East Bay truck driver disabled for life,” Charleen Earley, Jan. 15, 2018