South Florida Injury Attorneys Blog
Are you worried about how a traffic ticket might impact your injury claim? You’re not alone. It’s a common concern among accident victims, and for good reason. Traffic violations can have far-reaching consequences that could potentially affect the outcome of your case. The question is whether your Port St. Lucie car accident lawyer can still get you damages.
Here, we’ll discuss whether traffic tickets actually make a difference in car accident injury claims? If you still have questions about your own case, feel free to reach out to an accident attorney in Port St. Lucie today.
Your Port St. Lucie Car Accident Lawyer Understands That Traffic Tickets Can Impact Your Car Accident Lawsuit
In Port St. Lucie, Florida, traffic tickets are generally issued for two different types of offenses: moving violations and non-moving violations. A moving violation occurs when you’re actually driving your car or SUV.
Port St. Lucie car accident lawyers often have to overcome clients’ being cited for things like speeding, running a red light, or making an illegal turn.
Non-moving violations are those that take place when you are parked. For example, you may have received a ticket for parking in a handicap spot or expired meter.
Both moving and non-moving violation tickets can affect your ability to receive compensation if you’re involved in a car accident lawsuit. This is because insurance companies often use traffic tickets as evidence of negligence on the part of the driver.
For example, if you were involved in an accident and received a ticket for speeding, the other driver’s insurance company may argue that your speeding was the cause of the accident and thus you should be held responsible for any damages.
How Can Your Accident Attorney in Port St. Lucie Overcome the Stigma of a Traffic Ticket?
There are a few ways you can challenge the defendant’s claim that your receiving a ticket makes you liable for the crash.
First, your accident attorney in Port St. Lucie can try to negotiate with the prosecutor to have the ticket dismissed or reduced. This is often possible if it’s your first offense or the violation wasn’t serious.
Second, you can hire a Port St. Lucie car accident lawyer who can help you challenge the evidence against you. They’ll work toward building a strong case for why you shouldn’t be held liable for the accident.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident and received a traffic ticket, don’t despair. There may be ways to reduce or eliminate its impact on your case.
What Is the Relationship between Traffic Tickets and Injury Claims?
Traffic tickets can both help and hurt your case. On the one hand, getting a traffic ticket may lead to an increased chance of being in an accident, which could lead to an injury claim.
On the other hand, if you are in an accident and you were not at fault, having a clean driving record may help your case. Your Port St. Lucie car accident lawyer can argue that you’re a safe driver and, therefore, not liable for the collision.
Keep in mind, when it comes to traffic tickets, there’s no way to know for sure how it will impact your case. Every situation is different. If you or the defendant were issued a ticket at the accident scene, it’s something your accident attorney in Port St. Lucie will have to address.
The Insurance Company Will Use Your Traffic Ticket Against You
Insurance companies often look to see who is at fault before they determine which party will pay for damages. If you have been involved in a car accident, and the other driver was issued a traffic ticket, this may help your case.
Unfortunately, not all insurance adjusters will accept a traffic ticket as evidence of fault. Of course, it will motivate them to investigate the accident further before determining whether to pay your claim.
Common Examples of How a Traffic Ticket Could Impact Your Case
There are a few ways that traffic tickets can impact your car accident lawsuit. First, if you were given a ticket for causing the accident, it will be difficult to prove that the other driver was actually at fault.
Second, even if you weren’t given a ticket, the insurance company may still try to reduce their payout. If you have a history of traffic violations, the jury may be less likely to believe your testimony about what happened in the current accident.
Your Port St. Lucie Car Accident Lawyer Can Still Prove the Defendant Was at Fault
It makes sense that it will be harder to prove your case if you received a ticket at the accident scene. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
This is when it’s to your benefit to have an experienced Port St. Lucie car accident lawyer in your corner. An experienced accident attorney in Port St. Lucie knows how to investigate the accident. They’ll gather the necessary evidence to prove that the other driver was at fault.
Your attorney will also negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf to get you the best possible settlement for your injuries.
Can Your Port St. Lucie Car Accident Lawyer Prove Negligence?
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, one of the first things you’ll need to do is prove that the other driver was at fault. This can be difficult to do, especially if the other driver denies responsibility or claims that the accident was your fault.
One way to prove negligence is to show that the other driver violated a traffic law. For example, if they were speeding or ran a red light, this would be considered negligence.
What Measures Should I Take to Avoid Having a Traffic Ticket Affect My Injury Claim?
It will be a lot easier to prevail in your claim if you didn’t receive a ticket after the accident. There are steps you can take to decrease the chances of this happening.
First, make sure you obey all traffic laws. This may seem like common sense, but many people forget to do this when they are in a hurry or distracted.
Second, if you are involved in an accident, call the police and let them investigate the crash. They’ll put their findings into a final report. This will document what happened and may help your case later on.
Finally, make sure you cooperate with the police and insurance companies during their investigation. If you do not, it could jeopardize your claim. The last thing you want to do is make your Port St. Lucie car accident lawyer’s job harder than it already is.
Can You Collect Damages if You Were Partially at Fault for the Crash?
If you are partially at fault for a car crash, you may still be able to collect damages from the other driver. According to Florida Statute §768.81, plaintiffs can still collect damages if they were partially at fault.
The way it works is that your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault. Imagine that you sued the other driver for $100,000. The jury finds that you were 30% at fault for the crash.
Instead of collecting the full $100,000. You’ll only receive $70,000. This is because your damages will be reduced by 30%, or $30,000.
Your Port St. Lucie Car Accident Lawyer Will Try to Negotiate a Fair Settlement
Regardless of what tickets were issued at the crash scene, your Port St. Lucie car accident lawyer will try to negotiate a fair settlement with the other driver’s insurance company.
The settlement negotiations will take into account any tickets that were issued. If your accident attorney in Port St. Lucie can prove that the ticket you were issued had no bearing on the crash, you may settle for a significant amount.
Reach Out to a Seasoned Accident Attorney in Port St. Lucie Immediately After Your Car Crash
If you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident, there’s a good chance you’ll be entitled to compensation. Unfortunately, if you were issued a traffic ticket at the scene, it could hurt your case. The best way to know for sure is to call an experienced car accident lawyer serving Port St. Lucie.
Call our office at (561) 800-8000 today so you can schedule your free, initial consultation.