Greenbelt DUI Lawyer

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

If you have been charged with a DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated) you may find it helpful to discuss your situation with an experienced DUI lawyer Greenbelt MD residents can rely on.

Any time you are pulled over while driving can be unnerving, even when you are confident that you were not doing anything wrong. When you know that you have done something wrong, or are unsure of whether or not you did, it can cause a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty. When you know that you have been driving after drinking too much alcohol or just know that you have been drinking alcohol but are not sure how much, all of the aforementioned feelings can turn into genuine fear.

People who drive under the influence of recreational drugs and other substances can also be charged with a DWI. Even though a doctor may have prescribed it, a person under the influence of a prescription medication may be accused and charged of driving while intoxicated.

Regardless of what specifically you have been charged with, being accused of a DUI or DWI is not something to take lightly. It is important to understand your legal options and to take steps to mitigate the possible damage associated with DUI/DWI charges and convictions. One way to help you do this is by contacting a reputable DUI lawyer Greenbelt MD DUI victims and their family’s can turn to in situations like the one you are in now. The sooner you contact a lawyer who is licensed to practice in your jurisdiction, the sooner he or she may be able to start to defend you by protecting your rights and making sure that they are upheld.

From the moment a person is pulled over on the suspicion of driving under the influence, a DUI suspect will be confronted with a number of decisions that may impact their rights and their defense. In many states, even a first-time offense can result in jail time and can continue to negatively impact the accused’s life, long after the suspect has served their punishment and paid for their mistakes. Having a knowledgeable lawyer on your side after a DUI charge or conviction, may help to uphold your rights and to delimit the negative consequences of your mistakes.

In many states, driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, and/or other substances that may impair a person’s driving ability, are criminal charges that are punishable with fines, jail time, probation, suspension of driving privileges, and other penalties that may restrict the accused’s freedom. As well, a DUI or DWI can be very costly regardless of whether or not a person enlists the help of a lawyer. Being accused or charged with a DUI very often carries a negative stigma with it. This can have negative effects on a person’s employment and on their overall reputation amongst their friends, family and community.

Greenbelt Accidents and Alcohol

It is illegal to drive while under the influence, largely because the senses of people who are under the influence become impaired and they become more so with higher levels of alcohol or other substances in their system. This means that things such as motor skills and reflexes, vision, and cognitive abilities can be impared. When one or more of a person’s senses are impared and they are operating a large piece of machinery such as an automobile, there is a greater likelihood that they will crash and cause damage to property as well as injure people (including themselves).

If you are one of the many unfortunate people who get injured in accidents every year caused by drivers who are under the influence, you may be entitled to compensation. A lawyer who is licensed to protect DUI accident injury victims in Greenbelt and throughout M.D. may be able to help you determine whether or not you have a personal injury claim that is worth pursuing. 

Why do people even drive drunk? Doesn’t everyone understand the risks?

According to an experienced DUI lawyer from Greenbelt, MD, sadly not all drivers truly understand just how tragic things can end if an accident were to happen due to being intoxicated. Those who are under the influence can have substantial function impairments which can greatly hinder their ability to drive properly. A person who is drunk can have a loss of fine motor coordination, inability to perform complex tasks, and a lowered sense of caution. With a lowered sense of caution, a driver may act in a more risky manner when on the road. A driver under the influence may not think they are doing anything wrong when tailgating, speeding, or cutting another driver off when changing lanes.

What are signs that a driver next to me is intoxicated?

An experienced DUI lawyer from Greenbelt, MD will tell you that if a driver near you is not operating his or her vehicle in a responsible way, calling the police may be the best choice regardless of if they end up being drunk or not. But, a driver that is under the influence may exhibit the following specific behaviors:

• Gently swerving between lanes while on a multi-lane road or highway
• Driving very quickly and sporadically, or slow and unwieldy
• Braking and accelerating in an unpredictable way, even when unwarranted
• Slowly heading towards oncoming traffic, but jerking back last second

What if I was hit by a drunk driver, and now cannot pay my medical bills?

When an innocent driver has been struck by a drunk driver, their injuries can be very serious and potentially life-threatening. Medical bills for an ambulance ride, emergency care, hospitalization, diagnostics and medications can add up quickly. If this applies to you, you may want to meet with a DUI lawyer in Greenbelt, MD as soon as possible about what your options are for justice. Depending on the circumstances of what happened that day, you may be able to file a lawsuit in order to pay off your medical bills.

What should I bring with me to my consultation with an attorney?

After scheduling an appointment with an attorney, many people may then wonder what they should bring along to the consultation. Here is a list of paperwork and information you may want to have ready during your meeting:

1. Copies of medical bills
2. Receipts for out-of-pocket expenses
3. Doctor’s exams and diagnosis
4. Details about any surgeries or procedures
5. Pictures of the scene and/or your injuries
6. Witness contacts who saw the crash happen
7. Driver’s information and insurance company name

If you feel you may need a DUI lawyer Greenbelt, MD residents rely on, do not hesitate to reach out to Cohen & Cohen to set you up your free consultation.

Maryland DUI and Personal Injury Claims

Even though both involve potential time in court, a Greenbelt DUI is a completely separate thing compared to a M.D. personal injury claim that involves a driver that is under the influence, and one that the victim often needs the help of lawyers to get the compensation they are entitled to. 

Maryland, like all U.S. states and the District of Columbia, has laws that prohibit people from driving with above a certain amount of alcohol in their system. Driving while impaired (DWI) and driving under the influence (DUI) are both legal terms that refer to the citations law enforcement officers often give people when they find they have been driving after drinking alcohol or taking other sensory altering substances.

While both are serious crimes, in Maryland, a DWI is a slightly less serious offense compared to a DUI. Some states use these terms similarly to M.D., some use them interchangeably, and some use only one or the other.

A personal injury claim is filed in a civil court and if it goes to trial it is tried in a civil court where the plaintiff is the injured person and the defendant(s) is the person or entity that caused their injury. It does not matter whether or not a driver that caused you injury has been charged and/or convicted of a DUI or DWI- you may still try to get compensation from them for expenses related to your injury as well as for other damages.

For highly-rated Greenbelt, M.D. DUI lawyers that have helped many DUI accident victims seek justice, contact Cohen & Cohen for a free case consultation and evaluation. If you are facing the scary situation of having been pulled over for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, contact the dedicated team at Cohen & Cohen to talk to a DUI lawyer Greenbelt MD is fortunate to have in its midst.