I have made a mistake, and now I'm not sure what I'm looking at.

[Idiot]

A few nights ago my girlfriend and I went out after being pent up for months due to unemployment. My car being uninsured and recently taken off the road I decided it was a great idea to throw plates on to take her to dinner. Needless to say after dinner when I was driving home I heard a thud as if I hit a parked car with my mirror. I stopped the car and didn't see anything then left because of the previously mentioned insurance / registration problem. The next morning there were cops going door to door and when I asked them what was up they told me that some one was on a bar crawl and was hit the night prior by a vehicle fitting my description and was hurt, not mentioning the severity. I then showed them my car in the garage and told them I believe I may have been involved and described what happened and where. The cop thanked me and said he believes it all matched up and took me to the station where I accepted the charges of leaving the scene of an accident, driving without insurance, and improper use of plates.

I know it sounds crazy but knowing some one was hurt over my negligence and stupidity I couldn't bear to have on my mind, I was trying to tell myself it was just a car but knew if the location I told the cop matched up with where he knew it happened I could never live with myself had some one been seriously hurt. The victim was not seriously injured but did have a fracture.

I guess my question is what can happen from now in terms of lawsuit? I am unemployed, have no money, and am a student going to college. I live on my own but due to cost of living was planning on moving back in with my parents. Ultimately I am inquiring as to what action can be taken against me, and worse, if I move back into my mothers house does that put any of her assets at risk even though I was not residing there at the time of the incident. Secondly could a future judgement affect my ability to obtain student loans.

Thank you for any and all constructive help as I no doubt believe many are tempted to add a quick 'serves you right' in there... Believe me this is noted and I accept the responsibility for my negligence only wishing there was a way I could actually rectify the situation. I feel utterly selfish and ashamed.

 

[Proserpina]

Well, you're likely not going to remain an unemployed student forever. Civil judgments can last a long time; your state (like most others) does allow for wage garnishment and judgments can be renewed. Your tax refunds however cannot be intercepted for a private debt (outside of child support/support issues).

Criminal restitution is another matter, and honestly, the best advice I can give you at this point is to speak to an attorney and only an attorney about this whole thing.

Yes, you messed up, but it doesn't have to ruin your life forever.

 

[mightymoose]

You might be able to avoid hit and run charges if you actually did stop and investigate.
Mom's assets can't be touched, assuming you are 18 or older.
You should stop speaking with police for any reason without having a lawyer present.

 

[ut199]

Get an attorney asap!

 

[BryanP]

Attorney! Now! Until then, stop giving away details and stop speaking with the authorities unless your attorney is in the room

 

[fredrikklaw]

Bar Crawl?

I.D.I.O.T.:

Your feelings of remorse and guilt are quite admirable and also somewhat a rarity these days, but stop beating yourself up so much; just take a minute, calm yourself, then step back and look at this thing from the ringside which is where I am standing and I must tell you, it is not nowhere near as bad as you make it out to be, and I would go so far as to say that it may turn out that you were not at fault at all.

First of all, not having insurance and driving an unregistered vehicle has NOTHING to do with, and has no bearing whatsoever on what took place; absolutely nothing so do not let the police or any other person in the opposing camp try to make it an issue. Your saving grace here is that you were not pegged to had been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol when this alleged accident occurred or your goose would have been well and truly, cooked.

Also, by the sound of things, the other person, a.k.a. the victim, was not hurt in any severe way and besides, there is one major point that is being missed by everyone here and that is how much did the so called victim himself contribute to this incident, if not being entirely at fault since he was admittedly on a "bar crawl," which is the universally known euphemism for being six-sheets-to-the-wind, or legless, or drunk-as-a-skunk if you will.

So don't be quick to assume full responsibility for the accident or take on all the blame for that matter just because you were driving without registration and had no insurance. Wait until all the facts are in, at which point things will probably look a lot differently than at the present time.

But I highly agree with the general consensus here, which is not to comment, talk to, or answer any more questions without presence of counsel, which I really think will not be necessary. There is obviously not going to be any criminal charges brought against you, and I highly doubt a civil suit will be in the offing given the drunken state of the so-called victim.

fredrikklaw

 

[SoniaR]

retain an attorney now!