If you have a Mississippi driver’s license, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) keeps track of your driving history on your Mississippi driving record. Your driving record will include traffic tickets and accidents. Not all car accidents will automatically land a mark on your driving record in Mississippi. The impact depends on the severity of the accident.
If you commit a major traffic offense or have a history of committing a lot of minor traffic offenses, the Department of Public Safety may suspend or revoke your driver’s license. Too many traffic offenses can also lead to fines, reinstatement fees, and orders to complete a driver improvement course.
An individual who sustains serious injuries in a car accident caused by a negligent driver would have the right to seek compensation for their losses from the negligent driver and their auto insurance. To prevail in a car accident claim, the injured person would have to show the other driver was at fault and had liability for the accident. If the at-fault driver was charged and convicted of a traffic offense, that could help the personal injury accident victim build a case for compensation.
Accidents and Offenses That Can Affect Your Driving Record
The State of Mississippi does not have a driver’s license points system. Under a points system, each traffic law violation results in points on an individual’s driving record. The number of points assessed depends on the severity of the infraction. If a driver accumulates a certain number of points, their driver’s license may be suspended or revoked. The driver also will likely face higher insurance premiums.
In Mississippi, traffic tickets, such as a ticket issued after a car accident, go on the driver’s record if the penalty is $10 or more. If a driver proves to be unable to drive safely and in accordance with Mississippi law, the Commissioner or Public Safety can suspend their driver’s license.
The Commissioner of Public Safety can suspend a driver’s license without a hearing if public records or other sufficient evidence indicates that a driver:
- Caused another person’s injury or death in a collision.
- Was a habitually reckless or negligent driver.
- Had been frequently convicted of serious traffic offenses.
- Had been convicted of an offense for which revocation of your driver’s license is mandatory. This includes being convicted of:
- Driving under the influence (DUI).
- Violating the Uniform Controlled Substance Law (drug use, distribution, possession, manufacture, sale, barter, transfer, or dispensing).
- Had been convicted of driving while impaired in another state.
The Commissioner of Public Safety must suspend a driver’s license for 1 year If the individual has been convicted of:
- Manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from a car accident.
- Three reckless driving charges within a 12-month period.
- Any felony committed by using a motor vehicle.
- Failure to stop and render aid after a motor vehicle accident, as required by Mississippi law.
How Our Lawyers Help the Injured After a Car Accident
The Mississippi car accident lawyers at Haug, Farrar & Franco, PLLC, provided legal representation to victims who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents caused by negligent drivers.
If you have been seriously injured in a car crash caused by another driver, our car accident lawyers can help you file a claim against the at-fault driver’s auto liability insurance demanding compensation for your losses. A criminal conviction against the driver who caused the accident will certainly strengthen your personal injury claim.
Our legal team can investigate the accident to prove responsibility for your injuries. We will gather your medical bills and calculate your losses related to the accident. We can submit a demand letter to the insurance company seeking compensation you’re the following types of losses and expenses:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage
- Additional out-of-pocket expenses related to the accident
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish or emotional trauma
In some cases, we may demand punitive damages if the defendant’s behavior was outrageous or demonstrated reckless disregard for the safety of others. For example, punitive damages may be appropriate if the defendant was driving under the influence, speeding excessively, or otherwise driving recklessly when they caused an accident that severely injured you.
Our attorneys will seek to negotiate a fair settlement with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, providing compensation for your medical expenses and other losses.
In many cases, we can negotiate a settlement that is fair and acceptable to our client.
If the insurer refuses to agree to a reasonable settlement, our personal injury attorneys will be prepared to take a personal injury lawsuit to trial and present a strong case or you in court.
Get Legal Help From Experienced Car Accident Lawyers in Mississippi
If you’ve suffered injuries in a car accident that was not your fault, it’s important to contact an experienced Mississippi car accident attorney to review your legal options. The police may prosecute the reckless driver who caused the crash. But you will need to take separate legal action to pursue compensation for your medical bills and other losses. You may have a right to seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. A car accident lawyer with Haug, Farrar & Franco, PLLC, can help you file a civil claim and seek full compensation for what you have unjustly endured. Our lawyers have extensive experience representing injured after accidents. Let us help you like we’ve helped so many other clients in communities such as Ocean Springs, Biloxi, and Gulfport.
Call us at (228) 872-8752 or complete our online form for a free initial consultation about your car accident claim. If we represent you in a personal injury case, we will represent you on a contingency basis. We will handle the upfront costs of pursuing legal action on your behalf and will not charge any attorney’s fee unless our skilled attorneys are successful in obtaining a settlement or court award for you. You will not owe any attorneys’ fees unless we recover compensation for you. Get in touch with an experienced and dedicated Mississippi car accident lawyer now!