Wednesday, March 9, 2016

How DUI Accident Penalties are Assessed

How Tough can the Punishments and Penalties Be

(Fresno, California) – March 9th, 2016 – Alcohol-impairment is one of the leading causes of road accidents.  This is why law enforcement authorities do not take pity on individuals who decide to jeopardize the lives of others by choosing to operate a vehicle in an intoxicated state. A DUI is therefore considered a serious violation and even more serious when it results in an accident.

How do states deal with DUI case?

For the most part, the loss of life causes a huge financial stress and sadness to Americans who have to endure the loss of a loved one due to drunk driving and Fresno, CA drunk driving accident lawyers have seen this all too often. Movies and shows have had characters go through this pain, the pain is real and has affected many families and loved ones throughout the years.


 Therefore, there is always been a call for harsher penalties for drunk driving offenders. States have a legal BAC limit of .08% BAC. This means that if you drive with a BAC above .08% you are likely to face several criminal and administrative penalties following a DUI charge. It goes without saying that habitual offenders who are caught driving with a BAC above the legal limit face jail-time along with fines, license suspension, and community service.

If you have been in a drunk driving accident regardless on what side of the law you are on, go right here: Drunk-Driving-Accident.USAttorneys. Do not despair, legal help is right around the virtual corner.

How DUI penalties assessed?

According to Fresno, CA drunk driving accident lawyers first time drunk driving offenders face a misdemeanor charge if the police pulls them over and finds them intoxicated. Though if you are foolish Det. McNulty from The Wire you get away with it since the crash only involved you and a freeway cement column.

Misdemeanor charges usually do not carry harsher penalties. You probably have to pay a fine or if you are lucky you will be let off with a warning. However, if you have caused an accident in which people have sustained injuries then you are most likely to face a felony charge.

Drunk driving accident attorneys in central California warn that these charges attract harsher penalties that includes jail time, higher fines, and probation. The severity of your punishment will depend on the extent of injuries your victim has suffered or in the case of death you can be charged with vehicular manslaughter. This is a first degree felony offense for which you will remain incarcerated for a long time. You can however reduce your prison term if a law and prison review board permits it for good behavior. But if you are Ronald Bartel (Donald Sutherland) in Backdraft you are not going anywhere. 

Other Penalties and Punishments

License suspension is a form of administrative punishment meted out to drivers who violate drunk driving laws. Instances are not rare where drivers have lost their driving privileges forever because they have injured someone badly or have killed an innocent individual following a DUI accident.

Licenses can be reinstated after a few months or a few years but judges can often impose several other conditions before an individual is allowed to take control of a vehicle again. In most cases, the court will order the installation of an ignition interlock at the driver’s cost. In addition, drunk driving offenders are made to bear all the expenses such as fines and court fees, and may be asked to attend drug and alcohol treatment programs and drunk driving accident lawyers in Fresno, CA have seen all of this and more.

In addition, you are likely to face a civil lawsuit filed by the victims who will claim compensation for injuries sustained in the drunk driving accident.

If you have been arrested and charged following a DUI accident, it would be in your best interest to contact a central California drunk driving accident lawyer immediately. A sagacious legal counselor will spot loopholes in the prosecution’s case by going through the police reports and other evidences. The faster you contact a lawyer the better it is for your defense. This will allow your legal representative to have ample time to prepare a defense that is noteworthy and is the best that can be compiled.

Contact us if you have any questions. 

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