When you find yourself involved in a serious car crash in New York, you may not hesitate to hire an attorney to assist you with your case. When you receive a New York traffic violation, though, you may weigh the benefits and drawbacks of hiring an attorney before making the decision about whether to do so.
A traffic violation has the potential to cost you money and impact your driving record and insurance premiums. After receiving a ticket, you may decide to fight it. While you have the option of fighting a traffic ticket on your own, you also have the option of having someone help you with your case. If you decide to hire an attorney, he or she may take the following steps.
Review the efficacy of speed equipment
Typically, a law enforcement officer uses a radar gun to determine your speed before giving you a traffic ticket. Radar guns are not immune to errors, and neither are the people using these devices. An attorney may research the speed equipment used to track your speed to make sure it produced accurate readings.
Secure evidence to back up your claims
There may be evidence out there that backs up your version of the events that led to your citation. An attorney may work to gather dashcam videos, photographs or other possible forms of evidence that help make your case.
While these are some of the steps a lawyer may take while navigating a traffic ticket case, this is not an exhaustive summary of all efforts he or she may make. Whether hiring an attorney makes financial sense depends on the amount of the ticket issued and how much it might raise your insurance.