DUI WITH ACCIDENT
When a drunken driver causes an accident which results in bodily injury to a third party, the driver can be charged with felony DUI. The consequences for such a DUI conviction may include incarceration in a state prison for up to six years or more. In addition, the driver may also have to make restitution for any property damage and the injuries sustained by third parties. The person injured in the accident may be a passenger, a pedestrian, or someone in another vehicle.
When it comes to DUI with accident cases, time is of the essence. It is crucial that drunk-drivers involved in accidents immediately consult with an expert Orange County DUI attorney as soon as possible. It is critical to the DUI case to have the accident scene and all vehicles involved in the accident fully examined as quickly as possible in order to preserve evidence. Most Orange County DUI attorneys will utilize the services of an independent accident reconstruction specialist who can reconstruct the events that led up to the accident. These specialists often can determine who was “at fault” and how fast the vehicle(s) was/were traveling, and testify to these things, which often can mean the difference between a conviction or a win. In any DUI with accident case, the District Attorney’s office must prove that the driver was in fact intoxicated at the time of the accident and that because of such impairment, the driver was at fault for the accident. If successful, then sentencing enhancements may be imposed in addition to regular penalties that the courts will impose in DUI cases.
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