Increase Your Odds When Fighting Traffic Tickets

Here are several easy things to shift the odds in your favor when fighting a traffic ticket. It may seem like a tricky thing to do, but many people get out of having to pay for traffic tickets simply by taking these simple measures:

Have Courtesy Towards the Police Officer – You are just one of many people an officer interacts with within an 8-hour shift. A single officer can jot down a ticket every ten minutes with computerized ticket writing. Numerous who receive tickets are understandably upset. That’s where some make their biggest mistake. They make a mistake when they argue or, worse yet, are impolite to the officer. The key, however, is to remain calm and not offend the officer. Treat the officer respectfully and politely. You may tell the officer your version of events, but it should be done calmly and respectfully. Why? Getting the police officer’s cooperation is often crucial to getting a successful outcome for your traffic ticket. If you are mean-spirited, the officer may write this on the duplicate of the ticket forwarded to the prosecutor. If the prosecutor sees this on the ticket, or if the police officer tells the prosecutor that you were impolite, the prosecutor will often not offer you a reduction. For example, the prosecutor will refuse to offer you a reduction to a zero-point infraction.

Fight Every Ticket You Get – The Secretary of State houses a database of everyone’s driving record. If you receive a traffic ticket conviction in a court, the court will, in most cases, send a record of your conviction to the Secretary of State so they can insert it into your driving record. Since your insurance company can view the Secretary of State’s records, this can cause costly insurance rate hikes. In my opinion, it’s important to fight every ticket. This is the only way you can try to keep your driving record clean. Why? It’s important to acknowledge that prosecutors have a copy of your driving record when you go to court. If the prosecutor views acquired tickets on your record, he would be less likely to offer you a diminished ticket. It’s similar to individuals with criminal records. If it’s your first offense, you can often get a plea to a reduced charge. If you have prior offenses, it’s less likely that the prosecutor will offer you a reduced charge.

Hire an attorney proficient in Traffic Ticket Cases – The old saying “been there, done that” says it all. A traffic ticket attorney can be beneficial. A lawyer can try to negotiate a favorable plea reduction or, if necessary, argue your case to the judge.

Disclaimer: The information you obtain in this article is not, nor intended, legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. You should consult a lawyer for individual advice regarding your situation.

Some Guidance If You Have Been Involved In A Car Accident

March 7, 2019June 1, 2019

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In the unfortunate event that you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, it is necessary to protect your legal rights. The ten (10) items listed below are a few guidelines to assist you after an accident:

DO NOT LEAVE THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT

You should leave your vehicle as close as possible to the place of impact, and of course, out of the way of traffic.

NOTIFY EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND POLICE

You should contact the police first, and if there are injured persons, have the police call for an ambulance or emergency personnel.

MAKE THE SCENE SAFE

After an accident, there may be debris in the roadway, or there may be vehicles in the road which cannot be moved. You will need to protect other vehicles traveling in that area from these dangers. For example, put on your flashing or hazard lights, particularly if it is dark outside. If you have flares or reflectors in your vehicle, these should be placed so as to warn oncoming traffic of the dangers ahead. It is also a good idea to raise the hood of your vehicle, so long as there is not a concern that there may be engine-related damage (fire hazard).

IDENTIFY WITNESSES

In many accidents, there may be a question as to which party is at fault. Under these circumstances, it is very important to identify witnesses whom can later testify regarding the facts of the accident. The potential witness should be identified immediately, as they could leave the scene prior to the police arriving, and may never be found at a later date.

DO NOT ADMIT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCIDENT

Statements you make at the accident scene may later be used against you in the event that you make a claim or have your case heard before a jury. In many circumstances, an individual may feel responsible for an accident, only to later find out that the other vehicle was actually at fault, or shared some responsibility for causing the accident. It is important to be honest with the police. However, this does not require the unsolicited statements regarding liability for the accident.

MAKE NOTES OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE

You will want to make notes of the accident scene, including the time of day, weather conditions, road conditions, length of skid marks, and street lights. You may also want to make a diagram of the accident scene, including placement of crosswalks, traffic signals, stop signs and other traffic signs, etc. In addition, it is important to preserve evidence at the scene of the accident. For example, in many accidents, your vehicle’s seatbelts may not function properly. It is important to document that fact, and to have the vehicle examined by someone in seatbelt safety. If your vehicle is totaled after the accident, you will want to have such an inspection prior to salvaging the vehicle.

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION

After the accident, it is important to obtain information from the other drivers involved in the wreck. You will want to obtain the following information, at a minimum:

a. Witness- name, address, and telephone number

b. Other vehicle drivers- name, telephone number, driver’s license number, license plate number, and the name and policy number of their insurance company.

c. Owner of vehicles- if the driver of the other vehicle(s) is not actually the owner of the car, you will want the name, address, telephone number and insurance information of the owner of the vehicle.

MEDICAL CARE

If you are having any type of pain or physical problems at the scene, it is important that you seek medical care as soon as possible. If there is any concern regarding your ability to drive, or whether your vehicle can be safely driven after the accident, you may consider transport by ambulance to a local hospital. In any event, you will want to consult a doctor regarding the accident, as doctors are trained to recognize and treat injuries which sometimes are not readily apparent to you.

NO-FAULT INSURANCE

Texas is a “fault” state, meaning that insurance companies will determine fault in an accident before they will provide coverage. This is different from “no-fault” states, in which insurers will automatically provide coverage to both parties – regardless of fault.

CONSULT AN ATTORNEY

If you have questions regarding your rights after an accident, you should contact an attorney that specializes in insurance or personal injury law. Most attorneys do not charge a fee for an initial consultation, and will be able to answer the questions you will have following an accident. Even if you were issued a ticket following an accident, that does not necessarily mean that you are guilty of the traffic offense or are responsible for the accident. You should not settle your injury claim until you have consulted a physician to understand the nature and extent of your injuries. Not all accidents result in a claim being made. However, you need to protect your legal rights in the event that it becomes necessary to pursue such a claim. Our firm has concentrated its practice on assisting those injured in automobile accidents, injured by defective products, and by the carelessness of others and obtaining fair compensation for their injuries.