Unchallenged commercial DUI charges threaten you with more than fines and jail time. These accusations can leave you without a professional license, upending your career. Don’t let California law enforcement put your job at risk. Our team can connect you with a commercial DUI lawyer in Norwalk today.
The Norwalk DUI lawyers in our professional network have stood up for thousands of people accused of violating California’s DUI laws.
That support has helped professionals retain their commercial drivers’ licenses and preserve their reputations, ensuring that they can continue to pay their bills while working in their chosen industries.
Reach out to Los Angeles DUI Lawyer today to start meeting with attorneys who can represent you.
Commercial Drivers Are Held to a Higher Standard Than Private Motorists
Today’s commercial drivers assume considerable responsibility not only for their vehicles but also for any cargo they’re transporting from one location to another.
The weight of these vehicles puts commercial drivers at an increased risk for accidents. As such, they are held to a higher standard of care when operating these vehicles on the road.
That higher standard of care is reflected in the way California’s DUI laws change when addressing commercial drivers. Commercial drivers in California may not have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above 0.04% if they want to legally operate their vehicles on the road.
Driving with a BAC above that limit puts a driver at risk for criminal charges and the loss of their license. The fines and other consequences that come with unchallenged commercial DUI charges will also be more severe than those faced by private motorists accused of driving under the influence.
Consequences for Driving Under the Influence as a Commercial Driver
If you’re accused of driving under the influence while operating a commercial vehicle in Norwalk, you risk:
- Criminal consequences, including jail time and significant fines
- Mandatory participation in alcohol education courses
- The immediate suspension of your commercial driver’s license, meaning the immediate loss of the ability to maintain your current job
- The risk of losing your commercial driver’s license in the long term, possibly permanently
- Employment consequences, including difficulty returning to commercial work after you face criminal consequences for your alleged misconduct
- Increased private and commercial insurance premiums, as applicable
- The required usage of an ignition interlock device
California’s criminal courts should outline what consequences you’re at risk of facing during your arraignment. We encourage you to connect with a commercial DUI lawyer in Norwalk prior to your arraignment so you can discuss the charges leveled against you, your possible consequences, and what steps you can take to defend yourself against them.
How to Protect Yourself When You’re Facing DUI Charges
Working with an experienced Norwalk commercial DUI attorney can help you not only protect yourself from the fines and jail time that come with DUI accusations, but it also gives you the opportunity to challenge the DMV’s attempts to revoke your license.
The professionals in our network can stand with you in criminal court as well as an administrative hearing with the DMV. You can expect your attorney to specifically:
- Kickstart your administrative hearing with the DMV, ensuring you don’t miss the deadline to file for a hearing and accidentally waive your right to protect your CDL.
- Represent you in conversations with criminal court representatives and law enforcement, ensuring you don’t accidentally provide these parties with incriminating information or otherwise compromise your right to defend yourself against wrongful accusations.
- Prepare you to undergo the criminal process so you’re not taken by surprise as proceedings begin.
- Reduce your risk of facing a prolonged CDL license suspension or job loss, specifically by arguing to have the charges brought against you reduced or dropped.
You can discuss what role you want a Norwalk criminal defense attorney to play when first discussing representation after your arrest.
An Attorney Can Fight to Protect Your Career
The defense that the commercial DUI lawyers in our professional network use to challenge the prosecution involved in your case will vary based on the conditions that led to your arrest.
For example, your attorney may have the means to question whether or not the chemical testing used against you accurately determined your blood alcohol content, or if those readings may have been impacted by user error or your medical conditions, diet, and medication use.
Your defense attorney may also have the right to:
- Question whether or not police officers had the right to pull you over at the time of your arrest.
- Investigate whether or not police officers read you your rights and then upheld those rights in the eyes of the law.
- Identify any instances of bias that led you to face wrongful accusations of a commercial DUI.
An attorney can not only argue to have the charges brought against you reduced or dropped. If the need arises, you can work with a criminal defense attorney to negotiate a plea deal with the prosecution.
However, the attorneys in our network will never agree to a plea deal without consulting you first, as your defense is their first priority.
It’s Time to Discuss Your Defense
Commercial drivers throughout California are held to a higher standard of operational safety than private motorists. Commercial drivers facing accusations of criminal conduct, like a DUI, face the risk of losing their licenses. In other words, letting accusations of driving under the influence go unquestioned can put your career at risk.
Fortunately, Los Angeles DUI Lawyer can put you in touch with a Norwalk, CA, commercial DUI attorney who can represent you throughout your criminal proceedings.
The support of the legal professionals in our network can prevent the state from wrongfully fining you, imprisoning you, and revoking your commercial driver’s license.
It’s time to fight back against wrongful DUI charges. Reach out to Los Angeles DUI Lawyer today to connect with a criminal defense lawyer who can represent your best interests.
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