Getting arrested for impaired driving can result in a whole host of consequences. People lose their driver’s licenses, and up in jail and have career setbacks after being convicted of a driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge. It is surprisingly common for people to just plead guilty to a DWI, possibly in the hopes of lenient sentencing.
However, having a lifetime criminal record will mean ongoing limitations for someone’s professional ambitions and even their housing options. There are numerous ways to fight a DWI charge depending on the circumstances. Breath tests and field sobriety tests are often crucial evidence in a DWI case, so questioning that evidence can potentially help someone fight their charges. For some people, there may be a physical explanation for why they failed a breath test or performed poorly on field sobriety tests, for example. Can medical records help with a DWI defense?
Yes, medical evidence can potentially raise questions about someone’s intoxication
There are many conditions that might lead to someone failing field sobriety tests or breath tests. Musculoskeletal disorders could affect someone’s balance to the point where they perform poorly on field sobriety tests. Even extreme anxiety might make someone nervous enough to make mistakes during simple tasks, like walking and turning under the instruction of a police officer.
There are also health issues that can cause someone to fail a breath test. Unmanaged diabetes and auto-brewery syndrome are among the many medical conditions that can lead to a false positive on a chemical breath test. In fact, doctors have even been able to use an alcohol breath test to help diagnose someone with diabetes.
Those who have a prior diagnosis at the time of their arrest may already know when they go into state custody exactly how they can defend against the charges they face. Those who do not understand why they failed a breath test may benefit from talking with a physician, as their breath test issues might lead to medical tests that affirm that they have diabetes or another condition that may have affected the accuracy of the test results.
Someone accused of impairment at the wheel could very well have a reasonable medical explanation for why they failed a test. Learning more about common DWI defense strategies may help those facing charges determine the best response to their current situation.