DUI accidents are quite common and can be some of the most serious situations that anyone can face in his or her lifetime. You might have had a few drinks before deciding to drive your car, and this had eventually led to the accident. If someone has been hit by your car and you are still sitting behind the wheels, then there are certain things that you must do to avoid further danger.
• In case you have accidentally hit a person with your car, never just leave the crime scene as it can lead to a felony charge of hit and run.
• Try to see if anyone is serious injured and immediately arrange for emergency medical help, should that be necessary. In case anyone is hurt, you should also report about such injuries to the best of your ability.
• You must call the police to report the accident. Certain states require that every accident that involves major physical injuries or property damages must be reported immediately to the police. It is always a great idea to call the police and let them know of the accident.
• Do not make any written or oral statements to police officers or other people. Never say “I’m sorry” as this can mean in many court of laws as admission of guilt. If you are suspected of DUI, then it is necessary that you immediately get in touch with a Colorado DUI lawyer before you make any statement to the police regarding your involvement with the accident.
• If you are asked to take the different field sobriety tests, then you have the right to refuse them. You are not entitled to take such tests if you do not want and no legal punishment can be issued against you. However, you will then be ticketed for being noncompliant and you will be further subjected to different kinds of criminal and administrative penalties for not taking a breath or chemical test.
• Do not make any oral or written statements to victims or witnesses under any circumstances. Avoid making statements like “I’m sorry to them as they can take it as a sign of confession for your wrongdoing.
• Try to get the names, phone numbers and addresses of all potential witnesses. If you think you are not at fault in relation to this accident, you will need the support of these witnesses to prove your innocence in the court of law. The witnesses can provide with their own accounts of testimonials that are not present in the accounts of the police reports.
• Do not forget to take pictures of the accident scene in general and the vehicles that have been involved with the accident. You can use your mobile camera or any other kind of camera to do this.
• Write down all the details of the accident from your own individual perspective. Make sure that you accurately note all the date and time of the accident as well as the time when you are actually writing the account. You can also mail the copies of such statements to any legal practitioner who is involved with the accident in a major way. Do not forget to write “Confidential - Attorney-Client Privileged,” on top of the statement. Also, do not show this document to anyone else except your attorney, in case you decide you have one for this case.
• If you have accidentally hit or damaged any property, try to find out about the owners of such property. The property can be anything such as an unattended bike or vehicle, a shop or some other kind of property.
You are also advised to learn all that you can about the legal parameters associated with DUI accidents and hit and run cases in the state of Colorado. This will help you to understand what can be in store for you once you are involved in such a case. A criminal defense attorney who has sufficient experience in handling DUI cases under the state of Colorado and offer you substantial guidance in the court of law regarding cases such as these. It would be impossible for a layman like you to know everything about DUI rules and regulations in the state of Colorado. That is why it is always advisable that you get in touch with a good lawyer who can represent you in the court of law. You can look through the various online resources to find a lawyer who can offer you reliable services. The online resources can also let you know about how Colorado law works for DUI accident cases. A lawyer who is skilled at handling cases like these can also offer you sound advice in every step of the way to steer clear of unwanted legal troubles.
Here is a list of things that you must do if you are involved in a DUI accident.
• In case you have accidentally hit a person with your car, never just leave the crime scene as it can lead to a felony charge of hit and run.
• Try to see if anyone is serious injured and immediately arrange for emergency medical help, should that be necessary. In case anyone is hurt, you should also report about such injuries to the best of your ability.
• You must call the police to report the accident. Certain states require that every accident that involves major physical injuries or property damages must be reported immediately to the police. It is always a great idea to call the police and let them know of the accident.
• Do not make any written or oral statements to police officers or other people. Never say “I’m sorry” as this can mean in many court of laws as admission of guilt. If you are suspected of DUI, then it is necessary that you immediately get in touch with a Colorado DUI lawyer before you make any statement to the police regarding your involvement with the accident.
• If you are asked to take the different field sobriety tests, then you have the right to refuse them. You are not entitled to take such tests if you do not want and no legal punishment can be issued against you. However, you will then be ticketed for being noncompliant and you will be further subjected to different kinds of criminal and administrative penalties for not taking a breath or chemical test.
• Do not make any oral or written statements to victims or witnesses under any circumstances. Avoid making statements like “I’m sorry to them as they can take it as a sign of confession for your wrongdoing.
• Try to get the names, phone numbers and addresses of all potential witnesses. If you think you are not at fault in relation to this accident, you will need the support of these witnesses to prove your innocence in the court of law. The witnesses can provide with their own accounts of testimonials that are not present in the accounts of the police reports.
• Do not forget to take pictures of the accident scene in general and the vehicles that have been involved with the accident. You can use your mobile camera or any other kind of camera to do this.
• Write down all the details of the accident from your own individual perspective. Make sure that you accurately note all the date and time of the accident as well as the time when you are actually writing the account. You can also mail the copies of such statements to any legal practitioner who is involved with the accident in a major way. Do not forget to write “Confidential - Attorney-Client Privileged,” on top of the statement. Also, do not show this document to anyone else except your attorney, in case you decide you have one for this case.
• If you have accidentally hit or damaged any property, try to find out about the owners of such property. The property can be anything such as an unattended bike or vehicle, a shop or some other kind of property.
You are also advised to learn all that you can about the legal parameters associated with DUI accidents and hit and run cases in the state of Colorado. This will help you to understand what can be in store for you once you are involved in such a case. A criminal defense attorney who has sufficient experience in handling DUI cases under the state of Colorado and offer you substantial guidance in the court of law regarding cases such as these. It would be impossible for a layman like you to know everything about DUI rules and regulations in the state of Colorado. That is why it is always advisable that you get in touch with a good lawyer who can represent you in the court of law. You can look through the various online resources to find a lawyer who can offer you reliable services. The online resources can also let you know about how Colorado law works for DUI accident cases. A lawyer who is skilled at handling cases like these can also offer you sound advice in every step of the way to steer clear of unwanted legal troubles.