Henrico County DUI Damage Control
If charged with driving under the influence, there are a number of steps you may be able to take to help your case before it goes to trial. These steps include taking an alcohol education course, consulting with a Henrico County DUI lawyer, and not saying too much to insurance. To learn more or discuss the specific steps that may help your case, call and schedule a consultation today.
Alcohol Education Courses
An alcohol education course is a program that involves classes that educate individuals on substance abuse and the effects of abuse. They will also provide counseling and ideally evaluations to help individuals make steps toward being drug and alcohol-free.
There are many benefits of entering into a drug and alcohol counseling or education course even before trial. What it shows to a court and prosecutors is that the person is addressing the situation and being proactive in addressing any sort of personal issues that he may have had that led to the charge. It also shows the court that the person is taking the matter seriously so that they do not repeat the mistake. It also allows the attorney to provide mitigating evidence to the court that can sometimes help us get a punishment reduced or in some rare cases get a charge reduced.
Types of Alcohol Education Courses
There are several different types of alcohol substance abuse education and, counseling courses in Henrico County. There are in-patient courses, which can be actually very expensive. There are private counseling courses, which are what we routinely recommend. These are courses that will meet once, maybe even twice, a week. There are also courses that are run through VASAP, which is the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program. Those are the state-sponsored courses that are required should an individual be convicted of a DUI. There is also AA that goes throughout the county as well.
How to Approach Alcohol Education Courses
With alcohol education courses, our attorneys recommend an individual be extremely proactive and get involved and participate in the course. We want to be able to get a letter from their course regarding their participation in the course. Again, the benefits of these courses toward mitigation can be tremendous, so we highly recommend that. Individuals should expect to meet maybe even once or twice a week to be tested for drugs and alcohol either through breath screens or urine screens.
Speaking With Insurance Following a DUI
Depending on an individual’s driving record, a DUI can greatly increase or in some cases even cancel someones insurance. As a result, our attorneys usually recommend that an individual wait until a case is resolved before speaking to their insurance about a DUI. If a person is convicted of a DUI in Virginia and given a restricted license, that individual is going to have to obtain what is referred to as SR-22 insurance, which is high-risk insurance. This type of insurance requires additional fees and can be greatly expensive.
What If An Accident is Involved?
What we always recommend is that an individual speak with his or her lawyer first prior to speaking with the insurance company. Again, an insurance company is under no obligation to keep this conversation confidential, where a lawyer would be.
Other Things to Know
The main thing an individual should know about DUI damage control in Henrico is how much of an effect successfully completing or participation in the substance abuse class can have. An attorney’s job is not only to find defenses to the case, but also to attempt to mitigate the punishment. An individual’s participation in a counseling program can greatly benefit them in those negotiations.
