Tickets are commonly issued in traffic accidents. In some cases, both drivers receive tickets. Receiving a ticket, or not receiving one, is not an indication of what to expect in your auto accident lawsuit. When officers arrive on the scene, they typically do a very cursory investigation and issue tickets based on their opinion with little information to go on. It is rare for the officer to have actually witnessed the crash. So, merely receiving a ticket does not determine who was at fault, but you need to tread carefully. How you handle your ticket could make a big difference in your case. Talk to an experienced Oregon auto accident attorney right away to learn how to protect yourself and your claim.
Is it Admissible?
If you do not plead guilty, your ticket will not be admissible in court as evidence of fault for your accident. But, understand that when you pay a ticket without going to court, that counts as a guilty plea. It is often tempting to just pay it and get it out of the way conveniently, but it can cost you the ability to recover the full compensation that you need.
You do not want to ignore your ticket, of course. You can fight it or your can plead no contest which is not an admission of guilt, but saying you will go along with paying.
What About the Other Driver’s Ticket?
If the other driver was ticketed, it works the same way. Never assume that you will win our case simply because the other driver got a ticket, no matter how bad the traffic violation was. Never assume that you have a slam dunk case and can go it alone for any reason. You need the help of an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney, not only to prove fault, but to prove the extent of your injuries and what they will cost over the course of your lifetime.
Don’t shortchange yourself based on factors such as tickets, which may turn out to be entirely irrelevant to your case. Talk to any experienced attorney to find out if you have a case and how to protect its value so that you can receive the full compensation that you deserve.
To learn more about traffic tickets and how they may affect your car Oregon accident claim, call the Law Office of J. Clay McCaslin at 503-239-1910 or contact us online right away.