Costs of a New York DWI and How Much a Lawyer Will Cost

Clearly the penalties for a New York DWI (driving while intoxicated) are designed to accidents, to keep New York state residents safer. According to the state of New York website, one third of all fatalities are the direct result of an intoxicated driver. It’s high in other states too, and other states have severe penalties for drinking and driving or using drugs and driving. However, this article will focus on the DWI penalties for New York.

The Problem
We went over the problem, that DWI charges are so strict because of the thousands of deaths every year. But why does this happen? Studies have proven that the the higher your BAC (blood alcohol content) goes, the higher your risk of being in an accident. For example, one study pointed out your danger of getting into an accident after drinking to the limit,.08% in all states, is four times higher. Need we say more about the problem?

New York DWI Penalties
Your penalties for driving while intoxicated only get worse the more violations you get. Even a first offense can be quite strict.

For your first offense, you can expect to be fined by New York courts for $500 to $1,000, spend up to one year in jail, and to have your license suspended for a minimum of 6 months. For a second offense within 10 years of your first, your fines are much higher, $1,000 to $5,000, several years jail time, and a license suspension of one year or more. For a third offense within 10 years, your fines skyrocket even more, from $2,000 to $10,000; you face up to seven years jail time, and the same license suspension minimum of one year but likely much longer.

For your second and third offense in the state of New York, you can expect felony charges to be made. These are much more serious and you’ll definitely need a lawyer.

Again, these are the New York laws, but other states are quite similar. In all states, the legal limit is.08% for alcohol, unless you’re a minor, where just about any level of alcohol can lead to a charge.

If you get even more charges, your penalties just get worse and you risk extended jail time and loss of driving privileges.

The Cost of a New York DWI Lawyer
Even for your first offense, you need an experienced DWI lawyer. Be mindful that a good lawyer who can really help is not cheap. And that does not mean you hire the cheapest one you can find. You want one with DWI experience, experience in New York courts, with the time to handle your case, and the understanding to be friendly to your during this difficult process. In some cases charges are even dropped, but at the least you can avoid felony charges and extended jail time. Typically, a DWI lawyer charges from $10,000 to $20,000. You have many options in New York, and you can sometimes negotiate payment plans or fees with talented lawyers. It’s more than worth the investment if you can lessen the charges. personal injury lawyer near me