When you're badly injured, the last thing you want to think about is filling out paperwork, searching for an attorney, or trying to gather evidence. Yet, these steps are necessary if you want to collect the compensation you deserve due to someone else's negligence. The more you know about personal injury cases and hiring an attorney, the less stressful this time will be.
We've created this website to offer basic personal injury law advice for anyone who has been injured or who may become injured in the future. Keep in mind that if you've been injured in a car accident, due to medical neglect, or even by slipping in someone else's parking lot, your case qualifies a personal injury case — and thus you'll find our collection of articles relevant.
Drinking and driving can lead to a lot of problems, both for you and for other people. The best thing you can do is to avoid drinking completely if you know that there is a chance that you may end up needing to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. The information offered below will give you some insight into the possible repercussions of getting behind the wheel after you have been drinking, as well as offer you other information on the subject.
Defining drinking and driving
It's important to understand that different jurisdictions have different laws and possible punishments regarding drinking and driving. This means you can't assume that just because you can drink one drink in one state and be under the legal limit doesn't mean this is the same somewhere else. Therefore, your best bet is to just not drink when you know you'll be driving, or at least find out what the laws are for where you are.
Another thing you wan to be aware of is there can be some very specific lines drawn with regards to what defines drinking and driving. If you don't fully understand what those lines are, then you can find yourself arrested for drinking and driving in situations where you truly feel you are innocent. For example, in some jurisdictions, simply sitting in the car with the keys in the ignition can be considered drinking and driving. This means while you may be trying to sober up while you run the heater in the car, you may actually be committing the crime of drinking and driving. In fact, this would be a perfect example of a time when a drunk driving attorney can really help you to get out of the charges by defending your position.
Being caught drinking and driving
If you do find yourself being pulled over for drinking and driving, you are going to want to be respectful and do the field sobriety test the officer asks of you. If you don't, a court order will be obtained and they will be able to draw your blood, so fighting the field test will not help you get out of trouble. Also, in some jurisdictions your license can be immediately suspended if you don't agree to the field sobriety test.
Acting in your own best interest
If you are arrested for drinking and driving, you don't want to talk without a lawyer. So, while you do want to do what is asked of you physically, such as putting your hands behind your back and things of this nature, you don't want to answer any questions You want to respectfully request a lawyer and not talk until you have spoken with one who advises you on how to proceed from that point.