Can My Car Accident Injury Lawyer Get My Traffic Ticket Thrown Out?

Dealing with the aftermath of an injury-causing car accident becomes more challenging when faced with a traffic citation. You might be wondering if a car accident attorney can help dismiss or reduce a traffic ticket while helping you claim compensation for a crash. 

After a car accident in Louisiana, the injured party can file for damages against the driver they believe is at fault. When a police officer arrives at the scene of a car accident, they may write a ticket for traffic violations, such as speeding or running a stop sign. This ticket can indicate fault and be used as evidence to prove liability in an insurance claim.

However, if you are ticketed unfairly, it could impact your ability to receive a settlement for your injuries. Learn how a personal injury lawyer can help challenge a traffic citation to ensure your claim is fair.

Relationship Between Traffic Tickets and Car Accidents

When there’s a car accident, the responding officer might give traffic tickets to those involved. Here’s how traffic tickets can influence personal injury claims, your insurance rates, and your driving history:

Indication of Liability

In Louisiana, while a traffic ticket may not be admissible in a personal injury lawsuit, it may be used by a claims adjuster in determining fault or liability in a car wreck. This ticket, handed out by a police officer, spells out the exact violation.

But remember, just because you got a ticket doesn’t automatically mean you’re guilty. You can challenge the ticket in court, and until there’s a verdict or you pay the ticket without challenge, you’re considered innocent under the law.

Police Discretion

Law enforcement officers issue traffic tickets based on their assessment of the scene and the evidence they gather. However, this assessment may not encompass the entirety of the accident, potentially resulting in a distorted perception of blame.

Impact on Driving Record

A ticket can negatively impact your driving record, resulting in fines, fees, and court appearances. For serious violations like a DUI or reckless operation of a vehicle, it could result in suspension or revocation of your license.

Impact on Insurance

Traffic citations can influence your insurance rates. Receiving a ticket may raise your premiums or affect your eligibility for coverage.

When Might a Car Accident Attorney Intervene?

Car accidents can lead to unexpected complications, especially when traffic tickets are involved. Your car accident attorney at Dudley DeBosier can help in the following situations if you’ve been injured in a crash for which you also received a ticket:

Challenging a Ticket’s Validity

If you think the traffic ticket you received after the accident doesn’t seem right or fair, we’ll look into the specifics of the crash, collect supporting evidence, and identify the best ways to contest the ticket.

For instance, if you were ticketed due to actions you took because of unclear signage, we can challenge the citation.

Negotiating With Prosecutors

If you’re looking to challenge a traffic ticket after an accident, we can help. We’ll investigate what happened, talk with prosecutors, and try to get the ticket reduced or even thrown out.

Our experienced lawyers can show the prosecutor that maybe the ticket wasn’t deserved, which could lead to fewer legal penalties. If the prosecutor dismisses your ticket, we can use it to show the insurance company that you are not at fault for the accident. This could help us negotiate for higher compensation for your injuries. 

Pursuing Legal Defenses

In Louisiana, comparative fault means that both parties involved can share responsibility, and your percentage of fault may reduce the financial compensation you receive.

Our attorneys recognize that not every ticket tells the whole story of what happened.

With our understanding of local traffic laws, we can challenge the accuracy of police reports or dispute the traffic signal’s functionality. We can also use our legal skills to question the credibility of opposing witnesses to strengthen your case. This could potentially lower any percentage of fault indicated by your ticket.

Protect Your Legal Rights After a Car Accident

Receiving a ticket after a car accident in Louisiana can impact your ability to receive compensation for your injuries. At Dudley DeBosier, our New Orleans car accident attorneys understand the seriousness of receiving a traffic ticket.

Paying a ticket without contesting the citation is equivalent to a guilty plea. If you received a ticket after being injured in an accident, contact us to schedule a free case review before taking other action. We can investigate why the ticket was issued and use the results in a personal injury claim to help you recover compensation.  

Disclaimer: This content has been reviewed by Chad Lederman, Director of Legal Operations at our New Orleans office.

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