Medical Attention After a Hampton Roads DUI

Driving under the influence is not only a criminal offense, it is also extremely dangerous. That is why it is important for injured individuals to seek medical attention after a Hampton Roads DUI. However, it is also important to weigh the risks and benefits of seeking medical assistance following an arrest. An experienced DUI attorney could advise you on whether to refuse medical attention or not and could also that information when building your defense. Speak with a local DUI lawyer today and know that you are in capable hands.

When Would Someone Need Medical Aid?

A police officer determines whether a person needs medical attention by assessing the scene and observing the person to see if there are obvious physical injuries or whether they complain of injuries or pain. The officers use their common sense judgment. After a person is arrested for DUI, they can decline medical attention after a Hampton Roads DUI if no one was injured or there is no pressing emergency. They also have the option of accepting medical attention, but they must also keep in mind that information collected during their treatment, could be used against them in court.

Refusing Medical Attention

Any person can refuse medical attention at any time. It is an individual’s personal right to decide whether to get that attention. A defense lawyer might recommend that someone refuse medical attention after a Hampton Roads DUI if the injuries are non-life threatening. If the injuries are serious, a person is better off receiving attention even if they end up performing poorly on a sobriety test. In those cases, they should not put their life at risk just to avoid a DUI charge.

Receiving medical attention could hurt a person’s defense if they were not guilty of the DUI charge and a field sobriety test or breathalyzer would clear them. On the other hand, it could help them because receiving medical attention would delay the tests. As time elapses before the tests, their sobriety condition could improve.

Role of Medical Attention in a Person’s Defense

It is important for a Hampton Roads DUI lawyer to know if a person does not receive medical attention when they should have because that can affect their ability to answer questions and perform field sobriety tests. They should be aware of that because it could affect their defense against the results of tests that are presented.

An attorney might use the fact that a person did not receive medical attention as a defense by arguing that the failure to receive medical attention meant they could not have performed the field sobriety test adequately. The argument may be that they were in some sort of physical distress because they needed medical attention, and they were put in a situation in which they were unlikely to succeed.

Value of a Hampton Roads DUI Attorney

It is important for a person charged with DUI who has received medical attention to contact a local DUI lawyer. A local DUI attorney may be familiar with the intricacies involved in such a charge. An experienced lawyer may recognize whether some information in the case can be used as a defense, such as the medical attention after a Hampton Roads DUI a person did or did not receive when they should have.