New Jersey law enforcement takes driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol as a serious offense. After a traffic stop, they may arrest you on suspicion of being intoxicated, and then you may have to defend yourself before a criminal judge. What might make matters worse is if you injure someone while you were allegedly drunk driving. Well, if this is your current predicament, please read on to discover the consequences associated with drunk driving and how a seasoned Morris County DUI lawyer at Macri Law Firm can help minimize the effects of your mistake.
What are the criminal consequences of drunk driving?
If the prosecution stacks enough evidence against you, the New Jersey criminal court may convict you of a DUI offense. The consequences you are up against may depend on whether you are a first-time or repeat offender. They read as follows:
- First-offense DUI:
- A $250 to $400 fine.
- Jail time of up to 30 days.
- Driver’s license forfeiture until an ignition interlock device (IID) installation.
- An IID installation for up to three months.
- Participation at the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC) for up to 48 hours.
- Second-offense DUI:
- A $500 to $1,000 fine.
- Jail time of up to 90 days.
- Driver’s license forfeiture for up to two years.
- An IID installation for up to four years.
- Participation at the IDRC for up to 48 hours.
- Community service for up to 30 days.
- Third-offense DUI:
- A $1,000 fine.
- Jail time of up to 180 days.
- Driver’s license forfeiture for up to eight years.
- An IID installation for up to four years.
- Participation at the IDRC.
- Community service hours
What are the civil penalties associated with drunk driving?
Besides being penalized in a criminal court case, you may face additional legal troubles if you caused an accident and injury due to your drunk driving. That is, your accident victim may pursue an insurance claim, or worse, a personal injury claim, against you to recover their financial losses.
In their legal argument, the plaintiff may establish that your negligent drunk driving is what caused you to collide with their vehicle. Then, upon the impact of the collision, they incurred bodily injuries. And now, they wish to be compensated for the following economic and non-economic damages:
- Recoverable economic damages in a drunk driving accident claim:
- The cost of their current and future medical bills.
- The cost of their current lost wages and future lost earning capacity.
- The cost of repairing or replacing a damaged vehicle or other personal property.
- Recoverable non-economic damages in a drunk driving accident claim:
- The cost of their physical discomfort and emotional distress.
- The loss of enjoyment of life due to their bodily injuries.
- The diminished quality of life due to their bodily injuries.
If this blog has deeply resonated with your personal situation and concerns thus far, please reach out to a skilled Parsippany, New Jersey personal injury lawyer for more information. The team at Macri Law Firm will be glad to represent you in your upcoming legal case.