You May Benefit from Hiring a Wheaton, MD DUI Lawyer
If you or someone you love has been injured by an accident in Maryland involving a drunk driver, or if someone close to you has tragically died as a result of this, you may be in need of a Wheaton, MD DUI lawyer to defend the victim’s and their family’s rights.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2016 there was an alcohol-impaired traffic fatality every 50 minutes. 10,497 people died that year.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that over 1 million drivers were arrested in 2016 for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or narcotics.
What Does DUI Mean?
All states in the U.S. have laws to prevent people from driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) but unfortunately, as the statistics above indicate, this has not made our roads and highways safe from drunk drivers. While specific laws and penalties for driving under the influence differ from state to state, they all define impairment as driving with a blood alcohol concentration at or above 0.08 percent. They also have zero tolerance laws to prevent drivers under the age of 21 from driving if they have had any amount of alcohol before getting behind the wheel.
Even with these laws in place to protect people from negligent and reckless drivers, there continues to be the need in Wheaton and throughout MD for a DUI lawyer that victims of accidents involving drunk drivers and their families can rely on.
Some states distinguish a difference between a DUI and DWI charge whereas other states use these terms interchangeably (even though typically, states that do not differentiate between the two will issue one or the other in the event that someone is charged with driving while under the influence).
In addition to alcohol and narcotics, people can be given a DUI for driving while under the influence of prescription or over the counter medications. Even if a person has taken these medications according to their doctor’s prescription and/or according to the manufacturer’s directions, if they impair the person’s ability, the person can be charged with a DUI.
Responsibility After a DUI Accident
When someone is injured in the United States because of another party’s negligence, malice or reckless behavior, the negligent party may be liable for the victim’s injuries. If a person dies as the result of a driver who was driving under the influence, the person’s surviving family members may be entitled to compensation for their loss. A good way to hold a negligent or reckless DUI driver accountable for their irresponsible actions is by enlisting the help of a Wheaton, MD DUI lawyer, or a lawyer who is licensed to practice in the state where the accident occured.
It is a good idea to hold negligent drivers accountable for the damages they have caused to innocent people. As well, it is important to do this to try to prevent them from negligent and/or reckless driving again.
For a highly rated Wheaton, MD DUI lawyer with experience in successfully defending the rights of DUI victims and their families, contact Cohen & Cohen for a free case evaluation today.
