One thing every attorney has noticed while practicing here in North Carolina on criminal and traffic cases is that just paying off a ticket can really hurt a defendant down the line. It is especially frustrating for attorneys to get a case and see a 15mph over charge on a defendant’s record, knowing they did not get that reduced. In traffic cases it can be equally as important to hire an attorney as it would be for a regular criminal charge. The reason it can be frustrating is because a 15mph ticket can usually be plead down to 10mph over or sometimes even down to an improper equipment. The difference between this distinction seems small but it can change someone’s insurance rates drastically. Looking at it, its only a 5mph difference, but legally there is a significant difference.
This seems to be the common mistake among people and traffic violations. The assumption that I do not get a lot of tickets so I do not need to consult an attorney can be a costly mistake. The mistake I just mentioned could cost you a 25% rate hike with your insurance provider. A simple call or email and a small fee could save you this worry and the headache of going to court. Attorneys handling traffic violations usually charge nominal fees and can end up saving a client hundreds of dollars from insurance hikes. It is a common problem that exists, because people underestimate the severity of even the most basic tickets. Have someone there for you that knows the law and can help save you time and money. A client needs someone there who not only knows the law but the ramifications of the law on insurance rates. In North Carolina, the two are intertwined and it is something every traffic attorney should be able to help a client with. From an attorney’s perspective it is frustrating to see a record and the ramifications of that record, knowing that if they were retained in that matter they could have saved a client a lot of money and stress.
January 27th, 2011
