Let’s say you are driving home from work in San Francisco. You are being careful just as you normally are. You approach an intersection and continue into it because you have a green light.
Then suddenly someone runs the light and slams into your vehicle. You are seriously injured and a million things are running through your mind – how will I pay for health care, who will take care of my family, when will I be able to return to work.
And, to add insult to injury – the other driver is able to convince the police officer who worked the accident scene that it was actually you who ran the red light. So, you get the ticket and any case that you might have had against the other driver is history right – not necessarily.
A police officers findings at the scene of an accident can be very important but they are not dispositive. Police officers are normal folks just like everyone and they make mistakes. I have represented personal injury victims over the course of my career who unjustly received a ticket in an accident for a variety of reasons. And when the true facts were made known the the officers involved often these tickets were dismissed or their findings were supplemented.
The most important thing is that you don’t simply assume that you do not have a case, or that a San Francisco injury attorney can’t help you, because you received a ticket in the accident. Contact a personal injury attorney and discuss your rights and options.
