Whether a bad driving record helps or hurts your claim depends on whose record is filled with blemishes and how the accident occurred.
If you are the one with a dozen speeding tickets or other traffic violations, the insurance company is likely to use it against you. They may say this is evidence of a pattern of negligent driving behavior and helps show you are at least partially at fault for the crash. They may have a point if your speeding played a role in the crash.
However, if the other driver was speeding and this was the main cause of the accident, it may be much more difficult for insurers to use your old speeding tickets against you.
On the other hand, the at-fault driver’s record may paint him or her in a bad light if there is a history of reckless driving or multiple accidents for which he or she was found at fault. If your attorney can build a case against the other driver for negligent driving, evidence about this driver’s pattern of negligent driving may help to strengthen your case.