A Guide to Understanding Financial Responsibility in the Event of Traffic Violations
Careless driving in Pennsylvania is a summary offense. So is operating a vehicle without financial responsibility. What happens if you get pulled over for both?
Reckless or careless driving can lead to accidents, which can comprise a host of consequences, from financial issues to physical injuries. The occurrence of a traffic violation can play an important role in determining responsibility. So, how are car claims affected by traffic violations?
Let’s dive into this blog to understand the charges of financial responsibility and how a Pittsburgh criminal lawyer can help.
How Can Traffic Violations Impact Financial Responsibility?
Speeding, failing to stop at a red light, DUI, speeding, and more are examples of traffic violations. Depending on the circumstances, they will be categorized as reckless or careless driving. This is done because certain violations can be more dangerous than others.
If an accident is caused by a traffic violation like reckless driving, it usually becomes a key factor in deciding fault. The one who commits the violation is generally considered partially responsible. This can affect their ability to obtain compensation. It can also increase the compensation amount that the injured party expects. The compensation can include property damage, lost wages due to missing work, and medical bills.
To illustrate this point, we provide you with an example. If someone is speeding during the event, the violation is considered evidence of their reckless driving. The speeding driver in this case might not be at fault for the accident. Their insurance company might need to pay for the damages. Likewise, if the driver causes an accident by running a red light, this violation may be considered evidence of the crash.
Therefore, it’s apparent that if you don’t have insurance, the settling of responsibility becomes a murky business. The prosecution will have you pay out of your pocket if the violation is proven. Therefore, you need a strong and wise Pittsburgh criminal lawyer on your side to convince the judge that you didn’t commit the violation.
Proving Fault
If a traffic violation and a car accident are involved, your Pittsburgh criminal lawyer knows it can become powerful fault evidence. However, a traffic violation ticket isn’t enough to prove fault in a car accident. It must be demonstrated that the driver’s actions caused the accidents and the subsequent damages directly. This is often proven through diverse evidence, such as witness statements, accident reconstruction, and police reports.
If you don’t have insurance, it becomes imperative to fight the traffic violation ticket in court. Once the traffic violation is no longer part of the evidence, it weakens the careless or reckless driving claim. After all, there might be outlying issues, such as weather issues or road hazards, that caused the reckless driving. On top of that, many careless driving cases also happen among older people who may have eye diseases.
The combination of traffic violations and financial responsibility leading to accidents can be a challenge. To navigate such hazardous waters, you need the right legal team by your side. At Logue Law Group, our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers are experts at traffic law and violations. We know just how to ensure you don’t get penalized with a permanent stain on your driving record. This isn’t the end of the tunnel, not quite yet. To know more and receive beneficial consultation from a Pittsburgh criminal lawyer, don’t forget to get in touch with us at sean@seanloguelaw.com.