All details provided for reference purposes only, contact an experienced attorney regarding the TX DWI Laws to learn more.

This can affect your employment, as employers perform background checks on prospective employees, so you want to keep your records private. You are in luck if the employer for example checks only your driving records for the past three years, when in fact, you have been charged five years ago. Nevertheless, the DUI/DWI will still appear when the employer performs a background check on your criminal records.

DUI/DWI records can be expunged from your criminal records. It is a very expensive and time-consuming procedure, but it is possible to limit your criminal records to the public. Expungement petitions can be denied if there are conditions that are not met; for example, petitioner is in probation, sentenced to state prison, or has pending criminal charges. In addition, the initial judge’s ruling should have been successfully completed, including paying fines and penalties and serving jail time.

Normally, people who request for expungement of DUI/DWI records will need to hire a lawyer who specializes in DUI and/or expungement; a lawyer who specializes in expungement is an expert in the legal procedures for expunging the criminal records. As previously mentioned, this is not an easy process, but if executed correctly (and a lot of persistence), the DUI charges can be taken off the record.

Of course, it is best to avoid DUI arrests – avoid drunk driving. Nevertheless, if you are arrested for DUI, it is of your best interest to be aware of your rights and the options that are available to you; expungement is one of your options. There are also instances when a person arrested for DUI is not guilty. By being aware of your legal rights and the options available to you will give you a fresh start.

The information in this article is not intended nor should be considered legal advice.

In California, a staggering 863 out of every 100,000 licensed drivers were arrested for DUI in 2007, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. This adds up to almost 200,000 DUI arrests annually in the Golden State alone. Even as DUI punishments stiffen, law enforcement continues making arrests, like clockwork, one Saturday night after another.

Everyone loses when dealing with drunk drivers, not just the drivers themselves. According to a report by the Loyola University Health System, drunk drivers cost society approximately 46 billion dollars annually. The money is lost mainly through decreased productivity and medical costs. The report also indicated that 22% of all crash victims were injured in alcohol-related accidents.

From a legal standpoint, DUI is one of the more complex types of cases. This is because many states have enacted “mandatory minimums” for the crime, even for first offenders. Additionally, DUI punishments can vary depending upon prior convictions and blood alcohol content (BAC).

Depending on whether or not a drunk driver’s BAC was above or below .15, offenders can count on spending one to two days in jail in the state of Washington. This is defined as either 24 or 48 consecutive hours. If an individual were arrested with a BAC of .16 and posted bail 45 hours later, he would serve an additional 48 hours when convicted.

Aside from mandatory incarceration, people convicted of DUI will also face license suspensions, fines, ignition interlock systems, high-risk insurance and restitution. If the driver caused property damage, injury or death, he could also be charged with an array of other serious crimes, such as reckless driving, criminal negligence or vehicular manslaughter.

Unfortunately for those arrested, DUI is quite often an ironclad case for the prosecution. When police pull over a citizen and suspect he is intoxicated, they’ll attempt to administer a BAC test. Since every citizen with a driver’s license has signed an agreement to this, they are obligated to consent to the test. If they don’t, the Department of Motor Vehicles is notified and the individual’s license is suspended, usually for one year. While a BAC test is incredibly helpful for prosecutors, they don’t always need it; when the test is refused the police usually obtain a court order for a blood test.

Whether someone facing charges for drunk driving has a good case or not, he should know that an experienced attorney can greatly impact the case’s outcome. Although DUI carries mandatory minimums, there’s nothing to stop a judge from exceeding them. An attorney will stand in a defendant’s corner and fight, either to get him acquitted or to help him to obtain the lightest sentence possible.

Drunk drivers cost productivity and lives. The problem is huge, comprising hundreds of thousands of arrests each year. DUI cases are quite serious, offering fairly stiff punishments that differ from case to case. Whether innocent or guilty, accused or red-handed, anyone charged with drunk driving should hire legal representation. This will help bring about a quick resolution that’s as favorable as possible.

This article is provided as information only and not intended as legal advice in any means or manner whatsoever, provided by the Law Offices of Michael Lowe.

Of all the major types of injuries, brain injuries are certainly one of the most dangerous and can often result to lifelong debilitating defects. Traumatic brain injuries are one of the leading causes of death and injuries worldwide. It is estimated that around 5 million Americans today suffer from medical complications as a direct result of brain injuries.

Studies show that the occurrence of traumatic brain injuries are often age related. The nature and type of accident has a direct correlation with the person’s age. Teenagers are more likely to suffer from TBI’s due to car and automotive accidents while a toddler’s brain injury is mainly due to accidents at home.  

Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

 Automotive accidents

Traffic accidents make a huge chunk of all traumatic brain injuries. The combination of a fast moving vehicle and a sudden stop causes traumatic brain injuries due to the head hitting the steering column or a violent head backlash. Contrary to popular belief, traumatic brain injuries in car accidents are not due to penetrating wounds but blunt injuries. Brain concussions and internal hemorrhage are common injuries found in automotive accidents and are the leading cause of death.

Falls and Accidents

Falls are the leading cause of brain injuries among kids and the elderly. Accidents at home account for most brain injuries suffered by children. Keeping your home safe for children should always be a major priority for parents. Placing a rug inside the bathroom prevents slips which are the major cause of accidents at home. A carefully placed carpet in the staircase also prevents children from falling and banging their heads on the stairs edges.

Persons aged 65 years and older are also more prone to traumatic brain injuries. Old age weakens the bones causing them to be more susceptible to head injuries. Head trauma is more complicated in the elderly because of their slower and weaker healing process.

Sport Injuries

High contact sports such as American football, basketball and fighting sports such as boxing are also a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. Great strides have been taken in making these sports safer the physical nature of the game continuous to be a major cause of brain injuries. The introduction of safer head and sport equipments together with the availability of emergency medical services during games have improved the chance of players recovering from such injuries.

For more information visit:   Personal Injury Law Firm Wurtzel Law, serving clients in Plainview, NY.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that a very high percentage of these accidents are the result of driver expectation. While exact figures cannot be obtained, due to uneven law enforcement reporting practices, it’s a known fact that drivers just don’t expect to encounter a tractor-trailer stretched across the road in front of them.

But at night, the danger is amplified, since the lights of the disabled truck appear to be located in the oncoming lane. As the driver of the passenger vehicle approaches the truck, the truck’s lights appear even brighter, which will increasingly divert the driver’s attention. This prevents the driver of the passenger vehicle from seeing the trailer portion of the truck. Once the driver can visualize the trailer, there isn’t enough time to stop or swerve out of the way – and the passenger vehicle goes under the trailer. Just prior to impact, the passenger vehicle driver’s perception reaction time (PRT) usually goes beyond 1.5- 2.0 seconds.

In an explanation of PRT – if the oncoming vehicle is travelling at a speed of 50 mph (which is 75 feet per second) and the PRT is 2.0 seconds, the driver of the oncoming vehicle would have travelled 150 feet before being able to react (by braking, swerving, etc.). The greater the PRT, the greater the distance travelled before being able to react.

This type of accident is more prevalent on interstates, where drivers encounter larger areas of relative darkness, as opposed to toll roads that provide adequate lighting. With limited lighting, the trailer is not silhouetted and therefore cannot be identified as readily. However, even with better lighting, the truck is still represented as a dark shape against a dark background, which is hard to see.

Please note that this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

If you would like to know more about truck accidents, you can visit attorneys Todd Elias and Steven J. Gordon, at their Texas accident law firm website.

The consequences for criminal threats are very serious.  There are very few options for the person if they are found guilty of such a charge.  Possible penalties include up to three years of jail time, probation or parole, fines, and the loss of ability to own a gun.  This can make a serious mark on anyone’s life.  You could ruin your family life, lose the ability to find employment, not be able to pay bills, and so much more.  This is extremely serious and requires attorneys that have the knowledge to deal with the situation.

Raleigh criminal defense attorneys can help you make a case.  Many components must be proven.  The case must show willful intent to cause injury or death.  It needs to be shown that a threat was clearly made without other possible interpretations.  It must have caused reasonable fear in the person that it was aimed at.  A good defense attorney can help discredit a case.  This is done by presenting evidence and other factors that lead to the interaction or conversation.

This information is not legal advice. Please contact a Raleigh criminal lawyer for counsel regarding your specific situation.

The more common mistake that DUI suspects make is not getting a DUI lawyer to save money since services of lawyers are expensive.  If you enter a deal with the state, a DUI lawyer can bargain for lesser jail time and fewer fees paid to either the victims of the DUI accidents and the state. On the contrary, suspects who choose to represent themselves pay more on fines and even spend jail time.  Prosecutors may even use this to attack the suspect on matters he has on expertise on.

Keep it mind that a charge will not surely result into a conviction.  If you are able to get the right lawyer for the case, you have a great chance of acquittal.  Leave it to the experts to find ways in getting you through your DUI properly.  It’s their job to prove your innocence so let them do their job.

Truth: The law says that in order for the average person to stay under the illegal BAC level when driving they can only consume one drink per hour. Even consuming one drink per hour may cause your BAC level to exceed .08, depending on your body type and how often you consume alcohol.

Myth: If the government lowers the legal BAC level then this will lead to less people drinking and driving.

Truth: It doesn’t matter what the illegal BAC level is; there will still be people that drink and drive. It has been calculated, in most DUI arrests the person is far beyond the legal BAC anyways. There are rarely people that drink and keep their BAC level in mind.

The most important lesson to be learned from some of the myths I have featured is that do not drink if you are going to drive.  Plain and simple.  If you are going out with friends and you plan to consume an abundant amount of alcohol, you need to make certain that you get a designated driver.  Getting behind the wheel is a big responsibility that should not be taken for granted no matter what day and age.  Think of the innocent lives that we have lost because of the sheer recklessness.  Think about your own life and the hurt that your family will be put through if they lose you.  Think about your future.

The reason for this inflated number is simple. When we hear that an accident is related to drunk-driving, we automatically assume the man who caused the accident was the one drinking. No matter how much or little alcohol he had in his system and the person who caused the accident is sober, it is still seen as an alcohol-related accident. To most of us, alcohol related accidents are accidents caused directly by alcohol. If a man sitting in a parked car has had one drink and another man hits him, this is considered an alcohol-related incident. If a pedestrian who’s had a drink was run over by a car with a sober driver, this is also considered an alcohol-related incident. This should not be the case. This is just one of the many myths surrounding DUI statistics and facts. Here are some more myths and the truths behind them:

Myth: The best way to tell if someone is drunk is by conducting a blood alcohol test.
Truth: People that drink often begins to develop immunity to the strength of the alcohol and because of this their blood may not accurately measure how much alcohol they have actually consumed.