When you’ve been injured in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and it’s someone else’s fault, you may, understandably, believe that they deserve to go to jail for the pain that they’ve caused you.
It is natural to ponder questions such as, “can you get arrested for causing an accident with injuries?”
However, whether or not someone is criminally charged for their behavior is almost entirely left up to the county prosecutor.
If you do believe that someone not only acted negligently, but criminally towards you, you will need to file a police report immediately.
Can You Get Arrested For Causing an Accident?
Questions such as “can you get arrested for causing an accident with injuries” may be answered right away.
Under certain circumstances, a party who caused an accident or injury will be accused of a crime immediately.
This usually occurs where it is clear that someone’s criminal behavior led to your personal injuries.
For example, police officers can write tickets after a traffic accident for a number of driving offenses ranging from failure to stop at a red light to driving under the influence.
Depending on the severity of the offense, the person who caused the accident can end up before a judge or even behind bars.
Other Circumstances
If a police officer was not present at the scene to write the offending party a ticket, you must file a police report in order to press charges.
Only if the prosecutor decides to go forward with the case will the other party be required to appear before a judge.
Consider, for example, a scenario where John intentionally hits a bike rider with his car, causing serious injuries. Not only can the bike rider sue for damages, he can also file a police report.
The prosecutor will, then, determine whether there is enough evidence to prove that a crime occurred.
Things to Consider
If you do choose to press charges, remember that you will not be suing the other party. That will be the prosecutor’s job.
Your only role in the trial will be that of a testifying witness or victim. This means that you will not hire your own attorney and will simply be a part of the proceedings in a limited capacity.
However, you will always have the option to sue for monetary damages in a civil lawsuit with the aid of an experienced personal injury attorney.
Initial Consultation and Case Evaluation
Being injured by another person can cause a lot of emotions and you may want to ensure that justice is served on your behalf.
If you or someone you know has been hurt due to someone else’s negligence, please contact a Tulsa personal injury attorney to discuss your available legal options.
Consult with an experienced attorney at The Personal Injury Law Office of Tulsa, by calling (918) 924-5528 today.
If you prefer, you can use the box in the upper right-hand corner of this page to send a question or brief message.
