Greensboro Lawyer Blog

So, this is your fourth DWI in the past five years. But really, this one wasn’t your fault. Well, maybe a little. Realistically, what are your options? That question is best answered by a qualified, experienced Winston Salem DWI attorney before you consider throwing in the towel.

Winston Salem, and the entire state of North Carolina, is extremely tough on DUI and DWI offenders, and it’s no wonder: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported in 2003 that “alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 30 minutes and non-fatally injure someone every two minutes.” Those are staggering statistics, and law enforcement has little tolerance for this type of offense when it could so easily be avoided.

Repeat offenders have an exceedingly difficult time ahead when facing a repeat DWI. While the punishment for a first DWI is steep, it’s mild in comparison to the fourth conviction which, if all four DWI convictions occur within a seven-year timeframe, becomes a felony and results in mandatory permanent driver’s license revocation, one to three years in jail, and a fine.

While no responsible citizen condones driving while intoxicated, Winston Salem DWI attorneys do have an interest in ensuring that all who are accused of a crime, including those charged with DWI, receive due process of law and fair treatment by the legal system. Because the odds are already stacked against you with a record of repeat offenses, your case will demand thorough and aggressive management to ensure that you’re treated fairly. The old admonition that warns “don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time” is, of course, wise advice. But being treated fairly in court applies to all citizens of the United States of America, where you are innocent until proven guilty. Having a Winston Salem DWI attorney in your corner is a necessity for protecting this constitutional right.

The diligence of an experienced Winston Salem DWI attorney provides the level of service necessary to secure a significant settlement. The Law Firm of Schlosser & Pritchett staffs Winston Salem DWI attorneys who will provide the personal attention that you, and your case, merit. For more information, or to schedule a consultation, please call (336) 292-4076 or visit http://www.greensborolawyer.net/

Traffic cases and DUIs seem to be pretty cut and dried. You run a red light, law enforcement gives you a ticket. You’re speeding and you know it, and you dutifully pay your fine. You’ve had a few too many, and you fail not only the field sobriety test, but also the breathalyzer. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, but even then, a skilled Greensboro traffic attorney may be able to have your charges reduced or your case dismissed altogether. There are many loopholes. But let’s say that you are driving along innocently, and next thing you know, you’re in handcuffs and on your way to jail for DUI. Actually, let’s add a key detail this story: Let’s say this happens to your grandma.

Well, everyone who knows grandma knows she is a tee-totaler. In fact, no one even drinks in her house or a twenty-mile radius of where she is. So why is she calling you for help getting out of jail for a DUI?

As it turns out, grandma has had a lot of trouble sleeping since grandpa passed away. Not only that, her blood pressure has been climbing. She’s kept it to herself, as she’s an independent lady who doesn’t share her troubles with the world. But she’s been visiting her doctor for help. The doctor has been adjusting her blood pressure medication, trying to get a handle on the situation. After maxing out the dosage on one medication, he decides to switch to another medication. He also suggests that a light dose of Xanax may calm her nerves.

Grandma has her prescription filled and starts her new medication. The next day, she goes to play bridge with her friends, and as soon as the game is over, she decides to make a beeline home since she’s feeling a little lightheaded. She didn’t have much of an appetite for breakfast, and it doesn’t occur to her that she may be impaired by her new medications, especially since the pharmacy who filled her prescriptions neglected to warn her that she shouldn’t operate a car until she knows just how she’s going to react to the new meds. These are two brand-new meds for grandma, and she’s never heard of either of them.

On her way home, she weaves a bit, then bounces off the curb. A police officer takes notice, and she is pulled over. The officer notes that grandma looks to be intoxicated; her eyes are glassy, her speech is a bit slurred, and she is unsteady on her feet. He asks her to step out of the car, and while she agrees to a breathalyzer, which is, of course, negative, she is unable to manage the field sobriety tests. To make matters worse, the Xanax is a controlled substance, and though she has been prescribed the medication, this wouldn’t be the first granny that the officer has seen who pops Xanax and other narcotics as daily maintenance. He isn’t a particularly sympathetic guy with such cases.

Grandma doesn’t deserve a DUI. Grandma needs a traffic attorney. Though she could possibly go to court and plead her case to the judge, without the expertise of a traffic attorney, she may fail to provide the proper documents and evidence to support what actually happened. If representing herself were to fail, as it often does even with innocent people, then she will face heavy fines, loss of her driver’s license, potential probation, mandatory substance abuse counseling at her own expense, as well as other punishments that are meted out when people are charged with DUI. We hate to mention jail and grandma in the same sentence, but it’s a real possibility.

Anyone who has been charged with DUI should consult with a Greensboro traffic attorney to ensure that they are treated fairly and that the facts are accurately represented to the judge before a judgment is rendered. Trying to represent yourself, even in a traffic case, could result in much more grief than the relatively small amount of money required to hire a professional Greensboro traffic attorney to begin with. Consider it another form of “life” insurance.

The diligence of an experienced Greensboro traffic attorney provides the level of service necessary to secure a fair outcome. The Law Firm of Schlosser & Pritchett will provide the personal attention that you, and your case, merit. For more information, or to schedule a consultation, please call (336) 292-4076 or visit http://www.greensborolawyer.net/

With personal injury cases, it’s practically a given that there is more to the situation than meets the eye. What really happened? Who is at fault? Those are the baseline questions, but rarely, if ever, are the answers so simple. Let’s consider a scenario that a Greensboro personal injury attorney may face in the course of legal practice.

Suppose you have an 80-year-old gentleman who no longer has use of his legs, but he is otherwise well, mentally sharp, and has become quite handy with his new electric scooter prescribed by his physician. In fact, not only does he navigate well around the house and yard, he takes it for a spin to visit friends who live down the street and around the corner. All is going well with this man and his regained independence, until one day, he’s rounding the corner and his scooter hits a pothole and overturns, leaving him sitting in the street. He’s not severely injured, just a little bit scraped up, but he can’t get up because, remember, he has no use of his legs. He scoots to the curb and sits, waiting for someone to find him.

A police officer drives by, and they wave at each other, but the officer doesn’t stop, perhaps assuming that the man is just taking a break. But the next vehicle is going a bit too fast, and doesn’t see the man in time to stop before hitting him. The man is severely injured, and after several days at the local hospital, he passes away.

At first blush, it looks as though the speeding motorist is clearly to blame. Upon deeper investigation, however, several other factors could have contributed. So who’s to blame? The scooter manufacturer that guaranteed a tip-proof product? The city’s failure to repair potholes? The police officer who failed to stop and render aid? The motorist who was going too fast? Perhaps the hospital was responsible for his death due to the MRSA exposure and infection that ultimately killed him. Or maybe, before the gentleman even left his house that day, his home health nurse neglected to ensure that he did not leave alone, given the fact that his physician recently prescribed a new medication with potential side effects and a warning not to drive or operate machinery clearly marked on the prescription bottle. Had the nurse accompanied him or reminded him not to “drive” that day, perhaps the entire incident would have been avoided. At any rate, it certainly seems that there could be plenty of blame to go around.

So not only are there a number of parties involved, after all, but now this personal injury case has become a wrongful death case. Ideally, a personal injury attorney was contacted right away in order to review and secure details and evidence before they have a chance to degrade or be covered up. And a personal injury attorney is needed, as well, to unravel the numerous threads that were interwoven in this gentleman’s demise. The good news is that this is a fictional scenario. The bad news is that, all too often, when people suffer personal injury due to what appears to be an accident, they will often suffer needlessly without compensation rather than allow a qualified Greensboro personal injury attorney the opportunity to review their case (most often, free of charge), and determine whether there may be more than meets the eye.

The diligence of an experienced Greensboro personal injury attorney provides the level of service necessary to build a powerful case and secure a significant settlement. The Law Firm of Schlosser & Pritchett will provide the personal attention that you, and your case, merit. For more information, or to schedule a consultation, please call (336) 292-4076 or visit http://www.greensborolawyer.net/