If you’ve been arrested for impaired driving, you’re probably worried and asking yourself, “Will a DUI ruin my life?” The truth is that a DUI does not have to ruin your life. If you get a lawyer, fight your case, and negotiate a good deal, you may be able to go on with your life with relatively little change.
If your lawyer can get the charges dropped, you won’t even have a DUI on your record. But if you let yourself go to trial without proper legal defense, there’s a good chance your life will change for the worse. Fortunately, a Los Angeles DUI lawyer can provide the resources you need to avoid a life-changing conviction.
How a DUI Can Ruin Your Life if You Don’t Have a Lawyer
There are several ways that a DUI can ruin your life. Fortunately, an experienced attorney can work tirelessly to ensure your freedom, livelihood, and finances are impacted as little as possible. Without an attorney, a DUI can result in license suspension, imprisonment, fines, and even career-related obstacles.
Let’s take a closer look at the life-changing consequences associated with DUIs and how a skilled legal representative can protect you from the worst outcomes.
A DUI License Suspension Can Make Your Life Difficult
One consequence of a DUI is losing your license. You will have your license suspended even if you aren’t convicted, unless you take quick legal action. If you are convicted, you will face a minimum four months of license suspension. For many DUI cases, the actual suspension can last years.
Being unable to drive is one way a DUI can rule your life, especially since you won’t be able to drive to work, to the doctor, or to run errands. Fortunately, there are steps you and your attorney can take to avoid this outcome, such as the following:
- Request a DMV hearing in time within 10 days of your arrest
- Argue that you should be able to keep your license at your hearing
- Fight to get your DUI charges dropped completely
- Convince prosecutors to downgrade your DUI to a lesser charge, allowing you to keep your license
- Request a restricted license
- Negotiate to get your license suspension shortened
If an attorney is able to take the above-listed steps on your behalf, there’s a good chance that your DUI won’t ruin your life. That said, you’ll want to seek legal assistance soon to give yourself the best chance possible at avoiding serious consequences.
A DUI Can Result in Jail Time
One of the most significant ways that a DUI can ruin your life is jail time. Depending on your situation, you could spend time in county jail or even state prison.
How long you spend in jail or prison depends on the number of prior offenses you have, the details of your case, and how good your lawyer is. That said, all DUI’s carry some amount of jail or prison time. Here are two examples that show how jail time can vary between cases:
- First offense: The minimum jail time for a DUI offense is usually around 48 hours. This is easy to serve, but, depending on your case, the judge could hand out up to six months. That alone is a good enough reason to hire a DUI lawyer from the beginning.
- Fourth offense: Your fourth DUI offense sentence will result in six months in a county jail. County jails are relatively safe and comfortable, and are located near your family. But a judge could give you 16 months in state prison instead. You’ll want to work with an experienced attorney to avoid this outcome.
As you can see, jail time from a DUI can ruin your life. Instead of putting your future and freedom in jeopardy, you’ll want to hire a skilled lawyer. A Los Angeles DUI lawyer can help you avoid lengthy prison sentences and other unwanted penalties.
A DUI Can Seriously Impact Your Career
Even after you’ve served your time, your DUI will stay on your criminal record. That means that if you apply for a job, you will have to provide information about your DUI record, which many employers will verify with a background check. Drunk driving can be seen as a risk for the employer and their company. Thus, it will affect how “hirable” you are.
Having a lawyer fight to get the charge dropped can safeguard your career and protect you from reputational damage. That way, your DUI won’t ruin your life or impact your chances of finding employment in the future.
A DUI Can Be Expensive
If a DUI doesn’t ruin your life by causing license suspension or career challenges, it can by costing you a fortune in fines, license reinstatement costs, and more. Here are some of the costs you could end up paying after being convicted with a DUI:
- Fines: First-time DUI conviction fines can run up to $1,000. If you’ve been convicted of an impaired driving offense in the past, your fine will only increase.
- Penalty assessments: Penalty assessments are court costs and state expenses. For a first time DUI they range between $1,000 and $2,600. That said, they can be higher depending on the circumstances surrounding your case.
- Educational programs: If you are ordered to take some form of DUI school course or substance abuse program, you will pay for it out of pocket. These courses usually last from three to 30 months and cost $500 to several thousand dollars.
- Car costs: If you are arrested for a DUI, your car may be impounded, and you will incur costs for the time it is impounded. If you are required to install an ignition interlock device (IID), you will have to pay for this too.
- License costs: Reinstating your driver’s license also comes with fees.
- Insurance: Having a DUI on your record will raise your car insurance rates, and you will need to pay for a special Form SR-22.
Unfortunately, even the least serious DUI conviction can cost a lot of money. In fact, many DUI’s cost more than a brand new car. Ironically, people often refuse to hire a lawyer because they’re worried about the cost, but just a few hours of a lawyer’s time could save you thousands of dollars and stop a DUI from ruining your life.
Steps a Lawyer Can Take to Prevent a DUI From Ruining Your Life
Now that you’re aware of all the ways that a DUI can ruin your life, you’re probably ready to hire an attorney to represent you. A lawyer can take a number of actions to prevent a DUI from impacting your career, finances, and other aspects of your life.
Here’s what an attorney can do to help with your case:
- Investigate your DUI arrest and gather evidence
- Analyze blood alcohol content (BAC) tests, police reports, footage, witness statements, and other forms of evidence
- Develop a compelling DUI defense strategy
- Represent you during hearings and court cases
- Negotiate with prosecutors to obtain a plea bargain
- Fight to get your charges dropped or reduced
- Answer any questions you have about your case
Take Action to Protect Yourself From DUI Penalties
If you’re convicted, a DUI will ruin your life, but you don’t have to accept that fate. Instead, you can hire an experienced lawyer and fight the charges you’re facing. An attorney can investigate your case, push for a reduced charge, and even fight to get your charges dropped in court.
Contact a Los Angeles DUI lawyer today to learn more about your legal options following a DUI arrest. We’ll provide the information and resources you need to understand the DUI legal process and protect yourself from a life-changing conviction.
