The Consequences of Being "At Fault" in a Traffic Accident
Posted on: 18 June 2015
Traffic accidents happen. Sometimes they are completely an accident you could not avoid, and sometimes your behavior, drugs, or alcohol are the cause. When you know you were at fault, such as when you rear-ended the car in front of you because you did not realize they were slowing down or stopping, you may feel it is best to pay the ticket and let your insurance company deal with the damages. Here are some of the reasons you should always hire a traffic accident attorney no matter the circumstances.
Complete Accident But You Were Cited
If you rear-end someone, pull over into their lane because you didn't see them, or are cited for causing the accident, the whole situation can get out of hand fast. Your insurance company may try to claim that you are not covered for that situation. In addition to paying the fine, you will have to pay the deductible on your insurance, and possibly more if they fail to pay everything, in addition to having your insurance premium increased. A lawyer will work to ensure the insurance company sticks to the policy and does not try to put any excess expense on you. He or she will also attempt to have the charges reduced and provide evidence that you were not the only one at fault. This often means there will be no points on your driving record and therefore any insurance rate increase will not be as severe.
Civil Charges Brought by the Other Driver
Being cited in a car accident means that you are at fault. The other driver has the right to file a civil complaint against you. Even though your insurance company paid for the damages to the vehicle and for any medical bills, they may sue you for other, non-financial things such as pain and suffering. If your attorney can get the charges reduced, it will be harder for the opposing lawyer to prove that more than 50 percent of the plaintiff's claims are true so you are found guilty. Of course, your lawyer will also work to dismiss evidence that could be damaging to your case.
Criminal Charge Brought by the State
If the accident was caused due to your negligence or recklessness, such as you were driving while impaired or speeding excessively, the state may choose to bring criminal charges against you. This usually happens if someone is seriously injured or dies. In this situation, the lawyer will try to have the charges reduced, possibly from DUI to reckless driving, or from reckless driving to a lower speeding ticket. If the original charges stick, you will need a lawyer to keep you from doing any time in prison by either getting a plea bargain or settling with the other party before taking it to trial.
It is important to note, that if criminal charges are filed, even if you are acquitted at a trial, the other party can still pursue a civil case. To stay out of prison, and keep any monetary loss to a minimum, hire an experienced traffic lawyer like Bare Law Firm any time you have been the cause of an accident.
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