What To Do If Arrested in Richmond Virginia for DUI

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Driving under the influence, more commonly simply referred to as a DUI, is one of the most serious criminal charges in the state of Virginia. Virginia has a zero tolerance policy for drunk drivers and seeks to enact switch consequences on those who are found guilty of a DUI charge.

Some of the penalties you can expect a DUI conviction in Virginia to carry include the following:

  • Fine of at least $250
  • One-year license suspension
  • Mandatory 5-day incarceration
  • One-year administrative license suspension
  • Ignition interlock device requirement upon reinstatement

The severity of your penalties will depend upon the unique circumstances surrounding your conviction.

Misdemeanors Versus Felonies

There are two types of DUI convictions in Virginia: misdemeanors and felonies. If this is your first DUI and no one else was involved and there was no car crash, then you might only be charged with a misdemeanor. However, if your blood alcohol content (BAC) level was over a certain limit and this isn’t your first time being arrested for a DUI in Richmond, VA, then you could be facing a felony charge.

Administrative Consequences Versus Judicial Ones

Part of what makes DUIs so life-altering and so complicated is that you are usually facing repercussions from more than one agency. Not only will you possibly have to deal with a judicial sentence imposed upon you by the court, but you’ll usually have to deal with some administrative penalties too imposed by the Virginia DMV. For instance, even if the court doesn’t specifically order you to complete a DUI education program in order for you to have your VA license reinstated, you will have to do so under Virginia’s administrative requirements in order to get your license back. Likewise, just because the court didn’t order you to have an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle doesn’t mean that the DMV won’t require you to have it for six months or longer upon getting your driver’s license reinstated.

What To Do When You’re Arrested

When you’ve been arrested for a DUI in Richmond, VA, the first thing you should do is contact an attorney. Don’t speak to police officers or anyone else without speaking to an attorney first. An attorney will evaluate everything pertaining to your case to first see if the arrest was lawful. If it wasn’t, your case could potentially be dropped. If it was, your attorney will work to secure you the most favorable outcome possible.

If you’ve been arrested for a DUI, don’t panic. Contact David A.C. Long, a Chesterfield DUI attorney who can assist you.

Resources: https://dui.drivinglaws.org/resources/virginia-first-offense-dui.htm

Understanding Social Security Disability

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Social security disability is a program developed by the Social Security Administration, (SSA), a federal agency that was developed in 1934. However, the disability program itself was not established until 1954. This government program aims to provide monthly payments to those who become disabled and are no longer able to work.

Who is Eligible?

As previously mentioned, those who have become disabled and are unable to work due to said disability are eligible. It is still important to keep in mind that certain stipulations must be met. Social security disability is awarded to those that meet minimum requirements with some exceptions for dependents. These requirements include but are not limited to the inability to work as a result of a disability that will result in death or one calendar year or longer. Disability payments are impacted by what is commonly referred to as work credits. These credits are awarded based on the length of time that the individual has been employed.

How to Apply?

There are a few ways to apply for disability benefits. Those who wish to apply may do so online, over-the-phone or by visiting their local SSA office. The applicant will need to supply information which will be used to help determine and establish identity, disability, and Social Security eligibility. This will include the social security number, address and contact details. Applicants will also provide information regarding their physician and diagnosis, household composition, work history, and income sources.

Additional Information

These are just some of the basic criteria and requirements for the eligibility and application process of social security disability. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis and assistance is available to those who may not understand or need help with the process. The SSA has a list of documents that will be required to consider your claim. More information on the program, eligibility and application process can be found by directly visiting the official SSA website at https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/.

 

Crash Vs Accident: What is The Difference?

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Automobiles collide all too often on the U.S. highway system. They occur in a wide variety of scenarios and involve several different aspects in most cases. The term “accident” implies that the collision could not be averted when the drivers were not aware of each other, or someone made a bad driving decision. They can also occur at varying rates of speed, with the more serious collisions typically happening at a higher rate. That does not mean that injury does not occur in a low-speed “fender bender” collision, as whiplash and back injuries can easily be suffered by passengers even at slower speeds. The significant difference tends to be the amount of physical damage done to the vehicles along with severe or fatal injuries. However, there are a few aspects of a collision that can establish a distinct difference between the two.

Level of Intent

The mere term that a highway mishap is an accident infers that the collision could not be averted and no one purposely intended to cause the collision. These types of incidents do occur and are the most common problems. Collisions where no one is injured and the vehicles can be driven away from the scene with only the exchange of names, and insurance information are relatively frequent. These types of collisions should still be reported to local jurisdiction police stations within four days according to Washington state law so an official accident report can be generated. Drivers who are involved in a crash scene that causes personal injury or impedes the highway cannot leave the scene, and those who are mobile should contact emergency services immediately. Police will conduct an investigation concerning what transpired and potential fault for the accident, including if the act was intentional.

Circumstances of the Collision

All accidents are unique in detail, such as specific injury and driver actions while traveling, but certain types of collisions are crashes instead of accidents for the most part. A crash can often involve multiple cars in congested traffic, and the rate of speed is also typically increased as well. These collisions can result in intentional damage, gross negligence by particular drivers, and other issues such as road rage. The circumstances can also impact the availability of compensation for injuries and property damage as well even in pure comparative negligence state like Washington. Drivers who intentionally cause a crash are barred from receiving any financial compensation while other drivers will be discounted by their comparative negligence percentage if a case goes to court.

Number of Vehicles

While most accidents generally involve two vehicles, collisions that include three or more vehicles are usually classified as crashes. This is especially true if the incident involves commercial trucks or larger vehicles such as a motor home. There may be no presence of intentional action by a driver, but the increased speed alone or the gross carelessness of a driver can result in a very serious situation for all passengers. There is often a fine line between a crash and an accident, but certain entanglements while in highway transit can always be considered a crash.

It is important to remember the details of all collisions have a major impact on how personal injuries are compensated, and it is always vital to have an experienced personal injury attorney representing the case for those who are seriously injured and need maximum financial compensation.