Hit-and-run accidents can be heart-wrenching. In response to the challenges of tracking down hit-and-run drivers, Florida lawmakers are considering a new bill known as the "Lilly Glaubach Act." This legislation, if passed, would involve body shops in aiding law enforcement by requiring them to obtain crash reports before repairing damaged vehicles. This is both beneficial for ensuring criminal convictions as well as recovering compensation in personal injury claims.
The Lilly Glaubach Act
The Lilly Glaubach Act is named in memory of Lilly Glaubach, a 13-year-old girl killed a hit-and-run accident. Lilly was struck and killed while riding her bicycle on August 16, 2022. At the time, she was crossing the road after leaving her school in Osprey, Florida.
The driver, a 66-year-old man, attempted to evade responsibility by fleeing the scene and even went so far as to lie about the incident. Chang eventually took his damaged vehicle to a body shop in Tampa, where he claimed a tree had fallen through his windshield.
However, the workers at the body shop became suspicious and contacted the authorities. As a result, David Chang was apprehended and brought to justice. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in the hit-and-run crash.
How the Lilly Glaubach Act would work
The Act has been filed for the 2024 Florida legislative session. If it becomes law, it will require repair shops to request written crash reports from customers before providing work estimates for repairing damaged vehicles. In cases where crash reports are unavailable, the bill mandates repair shops to fill out forms containing relevant information about the customer and the repair work. These forms would then be submitted to law enforcement agencies.
The Act would help police track down hit-and-run drivers, which is a criminal offense. In turn, victims can file a claim against the driver for their personal injuries to recover compensation.
If you’ve been injured in a hit-and-run accident, call the experienced Sarasota, FL accident attorneys at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh for assistance.