Losing Your License After a DWI

Answer:

A common question that we get when a person picks up a DUI or DWI charge is what’s going to happen to their license. A lot of people don’t realize prior to getting arrested that actually, when you get arrested, they suspend your license in Virginia right away for a period of time, depending on how many priors you have. If it’s your first offense, they’ll suspend your license for seven days right away before your case is even heard. If it’s a second offense, they’ll suspend it for 60 days before your case is even heard. If it’s a third or more offense, they’ll suspend it indefinitely. If you’re found guilty, there are additional license suspensions that can be imposed. Up to a year for a first offense, up to three years for a second offense, and indefinitely for a third or subsequent offense. If you want to have your best chance at keeping your license in your pocket, then you’re going to want to make sure that you contact an experienced DUI or DWI lawyer as soon as possible to help you navigate through the whole process.

Sometimes clients call and tell us they were injured in an accident due to somebody else’s fault; either they forgot, they were in a hurry, or some people are just opposed to it still. What we tell those clients is you are able to receive compensation for injuries sustained in that car accident as long as the seat belt would not have prevented them. For example, if you’re struck from the side and you break your arm against the door, you have a valid claim for that injury. If, however, by wearing a seat belt you would not have struck your head on the steering wheel, for example, then you are not protected. It’s called the seat belt defense. What would happen is, although we would claim all of the injuries that were caused by the accident, the defendants are allowed to assert as a defense that because you weren’t wearing a seat belt those injuries should be either precluded or diminished because of your failure to wear that device.