The High Cost Of Getting A DUI

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Anyone who is convicted of a DUI is going to deal with a lot of fines and penalties, and the cost can often be overwhelming. For example, the basic fine in Pennsylvania for a first time DUI is only $300, but this does not factor in the cost of legal representation and time lost from work, and believe me there is a constant need for a DUI attorney in Pennsylvania. Experts estimate that the true cost of a DUI is anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on which state you live in, and this can cause financial ruin for a lot of people.

The Cost of Losing Your Job

If you are lucky, you will only have to take some time off of work to attend your trial. Unfortunately, though, a lot of people who are convicted of a DUI will lose their job. For example, if you are a truck driver, you will no longer be eligible to work for most companies. There are also several employers who stipulate that you must have a valid driver’s license to work for them, and one of the most common penalties associated with a DUI is a suspended license. Even if you are in Oklahoma and your license is only going to be suspended for 30 days, your employer might still choose to enforce their policy. If this happens, you will not only be facing large fines and legal fees, but you will also be doing so without the benefit of a job to help you pay for everything. Because most Americans live paycheck to paycheck, this can place an insurmountable financial burden on the average person.

The Cost of Damaging Your Reputation

Although DUIs are common, this does not mean that gossip will not start flying through your town as soon as you are arrested. Unfortunately, DUI arrests are public record and they often end up in the news. Because of this, you will most likely have to deal with the social stigma that is placed on drunk driving, and it might cause you to lose some of your friends. The same issue can also damage your relationship with your partner, children and other family members. Even though everyone makes mistakes, a DUI is a difficult mistake for other people to forgive. After all, approximately 15,000 people are killed by a drunk driver every year, and no one wants to have their name associated with a scandal. Even if you did not harm anyone while you were drunk, people will still probably start looking at you differently after they find out.

The Cost of Multiple DUIs

If you are convicted of more than one DUI, your fines and legal fees will skyrocket, and you will also face tougher penalties. For example, your license could be permanently revoked or you could serve jail time. Keep in mind that even the best attorney in the world will have a difficult time getting you an acquittal if you blatantly break the DUI law multiple times.

Most insurance companies have a clause in their policies that allows them to drop any policyholder who is convicted of a DUI. If this happens, it will be very difficult and expensive to find a new provider. Because of this and all of the other reasons listed above, you should avoid drinking and driving at all costs. If you are arrested for a DUI, though, make sure that you hire a skilled attorney to help you during your trial. After all, if you are able to get an acquittal, you can avoid most of the issues that are associated with a DUI conviction.

Anthony Joseph writes about various legal subjects, and contributes this article towards the better understanding of the negative effects that a DUI can have on an individual. As a well-known DUI attorney in Pennsylvania, Steven E. Kellis has the knowledge and experience to aggressively defend victims of DUI. He has 20 years of trial jury experience, and is nationally certified in Field Sobriety Testing.