Felony DWI charges can be brought against motorists who cause injuries or death while they are intoxicated.
New York, NY – Although people in New York and other cities know that drunk driving is illegal, accidents involving intoxicated motorists are still a serious problem. Those who are arrested by law enforcement after causing a collision can face a combination of criminal charges and civil lawsuit. These legal actions will proceed independently, and they may even have different outcomes.
Attorneys near me are available to assist with the process for accident victims to receive compensation through a civil lawsuit after a collision, but prosecutors hired by the government handle the criminal charges.
Laws against drunk driving in New York
The state of New York calls offenses related to driving illegally after using drugs or alcohol driving while intoxicated or DWI. Many other states call these same types of crimes driving under the influence or DUI. For the most part, these terms mean similar things but various jurisdictions use slightly different names.
Fines for a first offense DWI conviction are several hundred dollars, there is at least a three month minimum license suspension, and drivers can face up to fifteen days of incarceration. Felony DWI charges can be brought against motorists who cause injuries or death while they are intoxicated. A felony is a crime that can potentially be punished by at least one year in prison, although some people may end up spending several years incarcerated for these offenses. Those with multiple DWI convictions may also lose their driver’s license permanently.
Settlements in civil court
New York DWI accident lawyers also have the ability to take action against the drunk driver through the civil courts. While a driver will not go to jail for losing a civil lawsuit, they may owe the victim very large sums of money depending on the specific damage caused in the accident.
New York accident lawyers also play a crucial role during settlement negotiations. Most civil accident cases are decided without a trial, and the attorneys for the plaintiff and defendant need to come to an agreement regarding the specific amount of compensation that will be paid to the victims to end the litigation. This is significant because a settlement represents the absolute end of the case, and based on the terms of a settlement the plaintiff cannot take action to receive more compensation at a later time, even if they discover additional injuries or other problems.
Advice from a licensed attorney in New York
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