Auburn DUI With Injury Lawyer

Auburn DUI With Injury Attorney

DUI with injury cases can leave victims with significant or even life-threatening injuries. If you’ve been arrested for a DUI that has caused personal injury to another driver, passenger, or pedestrian, you need to mount an effective defense. You need a skilled Auburn DUI with injury lawyer who can help.

Trust Peters Associates, LLC

Peters Associates, LLC, focuses on defending people facing DUI charges, including those who have caused injuries during drunk driving accidents. Our firm has years of experience working with clients in similar positions and mounting successful defenses in court. We’ll fight aggressively for your rights and take every legal step possible to get your charges dismissed or reduced.

Hire a DUI With Injury Lawyer

DUI injuries are often quite serious or even fatal. The year 2022 saw the highest number of DUI fatalities in WA since the 1990s, clocking in at 745 deaths in that one year. In 2024, that number was reduced to 731 deaths, but 48% of all traffic deaths were tied to impaired driving.

All DUIs are serious, but DUIs with injuries can carry even harsher penalties. If you’ve been accused of causing an accident while drunk, you need to hire a DUI lawyer in Auburn as soon as possible. Your Auburn DUI with injury attorney can help you evaluate the evidence against you and try to find ways to get it thrown out so that your case can be dismissed.

Even if it’s not possible to get your case dismissed, we can help you fight to have your charges reduced, avoiding the worst consequences of a DUI with injury conviction.

Immediate Consequences for DUI With Injury

In Washington State, a first or second DUI conviction within seven years is generally punished as a gross misdemeanor. However, that’s only the case if no aggravating factors were present, and those include the presence of accidents or injuries. If one or more people were injured because of someone’s impaired driving, the charges they face can be elevated to felony DUI.

The potential consequences for a felony DUI in Washington include a mandatory 90 days of jail time, with the possibility of up to one year of time served. When you get out of jail, you will have to spend six months under 24/7 sobriety monitoring and 120 days under electronic home monitoring. These penalties are also accompanied by a $1,000 to $5,000 fine.

In addition to facing criminal charges, you could also be subjected to civil charges. Drunk drivers may be responsible for covering damages in addition to paying restitution to the victims.

Long-Term Consequences for DUI With Injury

The immediate legal consequences of a DUI with injury are already quite serious, as it’s often charged as a felony offense. They’re not the only ones you need to worry about, though. You could also face long-term consequences for a DUI with injury conviction.

When you get a DUI, it stays on your record indefinitely. The record can’t be expunged. If you are convicted of subsequent DUIs, the punishments will be more significant, and your charges will show up on background checks performed by landlords and employers, potentially impacting your ability to find work and housing.

Potential Defenses Against DUI With Injury

The potential defenses against DUI with injury charges are the same as those that tend to come up for any DUI. They include:

• Faulty field sobriety tests: Your Auburn DUI with injury lawyer may be able to prove that the field sobriety tests were not administered properly.
• Failure to advise of rights: If the police didn’t advise you of your Miranda rights before requesting a blood or breath test, the results could be thrown out.
• Rising BAC defense: This defense involves arguing in King County District Court that your BAC was still under the legal limit while you were driving and only transcended it during testing.
• Mouth alcohol interference: Substances like mouthwash can elevate BAC readings.

FAQs About Auburn, WA DUI With Injury Law

Do I Have to Go to Court for a DUI if I Have a Lawyer?

You may have to go to court for a DUI if you have a lawyer. Your lawyer may be able to negotiate a plea deal, but you’ll still need to show up to crucial events such as the final disposition and the trial, if applicable. Your lawyer can, however, make appearances on your behalf during preliminary matters such as arraignment.

Is It Worth Fighting a DUI Case?

It is typically worth fighting a DUI case. The consequences of being convicted of a DUI can include fines, jail time, increased insurance premiums, and more. Even if your lawyer can’t get the charges dropped, you may be able to have them reduced so that you do less jail time and keep your driving privileges.

What Are the Chances of Winning a DUI Case?

The chances of winning a DUI case vary based on the evidence presented by both sides and the skill of the attorneys. Hiring a knowledgeable attorney who is intimately familiar with DUI with injury laws can help you increase your chances of winning your case, especially if there is any evidence of official misconduct.

What Is the Optimal Defense Against a DUI?

The optimal defense against a DUI typically involves challenging the legality of the traffic stop or the accuracy of chemical and field sobriety tests. If the police conducted an illegal stop or an improper search and seizure, you may be able to get the case thrown out. Challenging the results of any tests performed may also help you get the case dismissed.

Contact an Auburn, WA DUI With Injury Lawyer

If you’ve been arrested for a DUI that involved physical harm to another person, you need an Auburn DUI with injury lawyer who can help. Our knowledgeable team has years of experience defending drivers facing DUIs of all kinds. Peters Associates, LLC, has successfully represented countless clients over the course of our years in practice. Let us help you, too. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.