Chicago DUI Causing Personal Injury Lawyer

DUI Causing Death Charges Attorney in Cook County

Drunk driving is a serious criminal offense. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding a DUI arrest, a conviction can have devastating consequences for the accused. If someone was allegedly injured or killed as a result of another person's intoxicated driving, the driver may face aggravated DUI charges, as well as other related offenses, such as reckless homicide. In these situations, a person will need to make sure they are represented by an experienced criminal defense attorney in all legal proceedings related to their case.

The team at the Law Offices of James F. DiQuattro has extensive experience representing clients in Cook County's criminal courts, and we understand how to protect your rights and interests in these situations. Our experienced lawyer has helped numerous clients defend against DUI charges and other types of criminal offenses, and we can put our knowledge and skills to work for you. We will advise you on the potential penalties involved with each charge you are facing, work with you to determine the ideal defense strategies, and advocate on your behalf to ensure that justice is served.

Felony Charges in DUI Cases Involving Injuries or Death

Alcohol intoxication can impair a person's physical and mental faculties, making it difficult or impossible to drive safely and avoid a car accident. Marijuana and other drugs can have similar effects, and a person may even experience impairment following the use of legal prescription drugs or non-prescription medications. When substances cause a person to be intoxicated, they may experience delayed reaction times, have difficulty seeing the road and other vehicles, and struggle to maintain control over their bodily movements. All of these issues may lead a driver to become involved in collisions with other vehicles or with pedestrians, bicyclists, or objects near the road.

Depending on the circumstances surrounding an accident, such as the speed of the vehicles, the parts of a car that struck another car or truck, the number of passengers in each vehicle, and the conditions on the road, the vehicles involved may suffer extensive damage. Modern vehicles have a variety of safety systems that are meant to protect drivers and passengers, but injuries can still occur. While a rear-end accident that took place at a low speed will most likely not result in serious injuries, other types of dangerous accidents, such as head-on collisions or T-bone collisions, will be more likely to cause bodily harm to drivers or passengers.

In many car accident cases, the question of fault is a significant concern, and one or more drivers may be determined to be responsible for a collision. However, if a driver was intoxicated at the time of an accident, they will often be presumed to be at fault. While it may be possible to challenge this presumption by showing that other factors were involved, a driver who was found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs and the time of the collision will most likely face criminal charges for DUI or aggravated DUI.

Aggravated DUI charges involving injuries or death may include:

• DUI resulting in great bodily harm - If an accident caused one or more people to suffer severe injuries, disfigurement, or permanent disability, a person may be charged with a Class 4 felony, and if they are convicted, they may be sentenced to between one and three years in prison.
• DUI resulting in injury to a child passenger - If a person was carrying a child who was 15 years old or younger in their vehicle, and the child suffered any form of bodily harm in a car accident, the driver may be charged with a Class 2 felony. A conviction may result in a sentence of between three and seven years in jail.
• DUI resulting in injury to a child in a school zone - If an accident took place in a zone around a school while the speed limit was restricted, and the collision resulted in bodily harm, a driver who was intoxicated may be charged with a Class 4 felony.
• DUI resulting in death - If a driver's operation of a vehicle while under the influence led to one or more people being killed, they may be charged with a Class 2 felony.

Contact Our Chicago DUI Injury Attorney

If you have been accused of causing someone's injury or death through intoxicated driving, it is important to remember that you have legal rights. At the Law Offices of James F. DiQuattro, our DUI defense lawyer can explain the laws involved in your case and help you determine how to defend against a conviction. Contact us and set up a free consultation by calling 312-627-9482 if you need assistance fighting an aggravated DUI charge in Cook County.