Can Citations Help Prove Fault in Car Accidents?
Auto accidents can be serious. Even seemingly minor accidents can have a long-lasting impact on a victim's health and financial stability.
It is often possible for injured parties to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. Proving fault can dramatically help increase compensation damages and hold liable parties responsible for their negligence.
There are different types of evidence that can be used to prove fault. Today, the attorneys of Zucker & Regev, P.C. would like to focus on how proving fault in car accidents with citations can help our clients in Brooklyn, NY.
Proving Fault Helps Recover Compensation
In order to receive the maximum compensation for injuries and property damage from insurance companies, or through a lawsuit, it is often necessary to prove fault in a car accident.
One effective way to prove fault is gathering as much evidence and relevant information as is available regarding the car accident. One type of evidence that can prove useful in demonstrating fault are traffic citations, or traffic tickets.
Citations Show Traffic Laws Were Violated
A citation, commonly called a ticket, is a document written by a police officer to notify someone that he or she has violated the laws of traffic. Although citations are not always given after a car accident, police officers will give a citation if he or she sees evidence that one or more traffic laws were violated.
When citations are written at the scene of an accident, they can be useful in proving that the cited driver was at fault because they show that the driver was not obeying traffic laws.
Citations Help Show Negligence
Not only do citations help show that a person was not obeying traffic laws, they can provide insight into how a person was driving negligently.
Citations provide details about a person's actions, or inaction, when driving because officers will state which traffic law was violated. Sometimes, the traffic violation is the direct cause of an accident and can help prove to insurance companies that a driver was negligent and at fault.
Citations can be written for any traffic violation a police officer sees evidence of occurring. Some of the most common traffic violations in car accidents include:
- Running a stop sign or red light
- Failure to yield right-of-way to other drivers
- Failure to yield right-of-way to pedestrians
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Ignoring traffic signs
- Not signaling for lane changes or turns
How Can You Find Out if Citations Were Written?
If you are in a car accident, it may not be clear if citations were written against the other driver. However, it is possible to find out by obtaining a copy of the police report taken at the scene of the accident.
A police report can be obtained by contacting the police department that was at the scene of the accident. Sometimes, officers will provide those involved in the accident a reference number after an accident so they may easily request a copy of the correct police report.
By obtaining and reviewing a copy of the police report, it's possible to see if any citations were issued. In addition to providing information about citations for traffic violations, police reports also include information about the accident, such as location, approximate time, and weather or road conditions. Sometimes, officers will include an opinion of the accident, including who they believe was at fault.
Schedule Your Personal Consultation
If you have been injured in a car accident and need help proving fault, the attorneys of Zucker & Regev, P.C. can help. To schedule your personal consultation, please call the law firm of Zucker & Regev, P.C. at (718) 624-1211.
