District Attorneys and Raleigh Car Accident Personal Injury Claims

The district attorney (DA) may be involved in a personal injury claim if a criminal action, such as drunk driving, resulted in your Raleigh car accident. People who don’t seek the help of a personal injury attorney when sorting out the aftermath of an accident may neglect important steps related to the DA’s role. Car accidents with personal injuries often involve the investigating officer giving a ticket for driving under the influence or negligent, distracted driving to the driver who caused the wreck. It’s critical to get the officer’s contact information, find out if they issued a ticket and contact the district attorney. Here are 4 reasons why:

1. The defendant’s insurance company will send a letter to the DA to get the ticket dismissed.
2. Issuing a ticket CANNOT be discussed at trial; only convictions or guilty pleas can be shown to the jury.
3. The defendant’s insurance company will tell the DA they are “negotiating” your case as soon as they get you a rental and look at your property damage. Many DAs have not been told this means nothing, and is not binding on the insurance company.
4. If the DA dismisses the ticket, the insurance company may use that as a reason to deny your claim, even if they already said they were going to pay you.

A district attorney isn’t directly tied to your personal injury claim, but they are responsible for handling the criminal prosecution of the faulty driver, which can influence your civil case. It’s important for victims of car accidents to cooperate when contacted by the DA’s office, the investigating officer, or someone called a “Victim Witness Coordinator.” You or your personal injury attorney must advise these parties that you don’t want the ticket for the Raleigh car accident dismissed.

The personal injury attorneys at Miller Law Group send letters to the DA and work with officers to get all parties the necessary information. Insurance adjusters have tactics to confuse you and convince you to accept a low offer. If you haven’t spoken to the DA, charges could be reduced or dropped, further hurting your chances for a full recovery.

If you need help pushing back on a property damage claim or speaking to the DA about your case, seek out an experienced personal injury attorney near you. If you’ve been hurt in a car accident, don’t be bullied by the insurance company or let the DA’s decision hurt your chances for compensation. Contact us for a free consultation.