When it comes to DUI charges in PA, sentencing enhancements are one of the main concerns and main reasons that you need an experienced attorney like those at the McShane Firm. Sentencing enhancements occur when the district attorney increases your potential punishment in your DUI case. Several sentencing enhancements can affect your DUI charges in PA including increased fines, increased jail time, and increased license suspension periods. Make sure you protect yourself and your rights under criminal and civil law when you are charged with a DUI in PA by contacting The McShane Firm and obtaining proper representation.

Sentencing Enhancements for DUI Accident Cases

One sentencing enhancement that the district attorney might try to pin on you is aggravated assault while under the influence. This form of sentencing enhancement is an extremely serious charge that is considered a second-degree felony according to DUI laws in PA. These sentencing enhancements can carry severe punishments including a maximum of 10 years in jail and up to $25,000 in fines.

According to DUI laws in PA, the district attorney must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the person’s injury was a direct cause of your alleged drunk driving and DUI charges in PA. In order to charge you with the aggravated assault while under the influence sentencing enhancement, “serious, permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ,” must be present in someone other than the alleged drunk driver.

If the previously stated circumstances are not present, the district attorney could charge you with lesser charges and sentencing enhancements that also carry harsh consequences, so make sure you are protected with a PA DUI attorney like those from The McShane Firm. The McShane Firm’s educated and experienced attorneys are well versed in DUI charges in PA and can help to protect your rights while minimizing consequences and repercussions that could be charged against you.

Penalties for DUI Accidents and DUI Charges in PA

DUI charges in PA are serious offenses in the eyes of Pennsylvania law. Because the main goal of PA drunk driving laws is to keep the roadways safe—and driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol impede on that safety—many DUI cases in Pennsylvania are charged to the fullest extent of the law. Oftentimes, the drunk driver is responsible for both criminal and civil liabilities connected with the accident including when someone is injured or killed, and additional liabilities.

Drunk driving laws in PA specify that a drunk driving accident that injures or kills another person places liability on the impaired driving for a number of criminal charges beyond the normal range of DUI charges in PA including but not limited to assault, manslaughter, reckless endangerment and vehicular homicide. DUI accident cases in Pennsylvania are serious criminal charges that can accrue serious felony offense consequences including years in prison, immense fines, license revocation, permanent criminal records and even civil liabilities.

Civil liabilities connected with DUI accident cases in Pennsylvania can be debilitating as well. According to PA drunk driving laws, an intoxicated driver can be tried twice—once under criminal law, and once under civil law. Injured victims or family members of deceased victims usually file civil court cases to collect settlements for damages including emotional damage, lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering and property damage. Do not let your DUI charges in PA leave you with unnecessary consequences and increased charges. Let The McShane Firm represent you, protect your rights, and understand civil and criminal liabilities connected to PA drunk driving laws.

The McShane Firm strives to protect your freedom and livelihood from sentencing enhancements, increased jail time, the revocation of your license, increased fines and other penalties. Contact us today and let us set up a consultation to review your DUI accident case in PA.

This article is for informational purposes only. It neither constitutes nor implies an official legal opinion on behalf of The McShane Firm, LLC, nor any attorney-client relationship of any kind. The McShane Firm strongly urges seeking professional counsel before acting upon any information contained herein.

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Testimonials

This was not my first marriage that ended up in a bitter divorce. However, I can say that Shawn handled this case much better than my previous case. The important things to me were getting this over with and protecting my assets. Shawn made sure that I was protected and treated fairly. When we first met we drew up a plan of how we wanted this to all work out. I can say that everything went according to our plans. I highly recommend Shawn. He’s the one you want in your corner.

- phunter.424

December 9, 2008 Dear Justin: I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I enjoyed seeing you last week at our DUI seminar in Atlanta, and to thank you for always being so unselfish with your time and knowledge of DUI defense when we get a chance to visit. It has been a real pleasure getting to know you over the past few years. Ever since meeting you at one of our National College of DUI Defense seminars, I have come to find that although we are privileged to be part of such a small, prestigious group of truly accomplished and nationally known DUI attorneys, you are one of the more innovative and respected among their peers inside this very select group. Thank you for sharing your defense strategies and your overall knowledge on how to beat these very difficult cases. As one very well known DUI attorney said, “If it were easy, everybody would be doing it.” But we know that the vast majority of attorneys simply are not capable of winning these cases. Well, now I know why you do win so many. I learned more from you last week in Atlanta from our discussions on our private list-serve on how to beat a DUI than I have while spending over $15,000.00 a year traveling to these high priced expert seminars. I always enjoy seeing you, and I rest easy knowing that if nothing else, as long as I get some time to visit with you, I will always leave our seminars a much smarter attorney than when I came. Great seeing you! Thanks again for your fine company and your expertise on how to beat these seemingly unbeatable cases! Sincerely, Christopher H. Cessna

- Attorney Christopher Cessna, Owner/Attorney, Cessna Law Office, LLC.

Tim and I met recently at a California seminar I was coordinating. He demonstrated his commitment to handling criminal defense cases by virtue of his remarkable attentiveness to the difficult curriculum of this course, taught primarily by toxicologists, doctors, chemists and pharmacologists. No path for trial attorneys is easy, and prior preparation is of critical importance. Tim has made that commitment, and has shown that he will be prepared when he accepts a case for a citizen charged with a crime. By mastering this course, he has shown that he is ready for the challenges of any client’s case.

- Attorney William Head, Atlanta GA

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Your DUI Attorney Choice By the Numbers

Number of attorneys in the world
1,600,000
Of those, the number of attorneys in the US
1,250,000
Of those, the number of attorneys in Pennsylvania
43,000
Of those, members of the National Association Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
204
Of those, members of the Pennsylvania Association Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL)
101
Of those, members of National College for DUI Defense
13
(of which we are 4)
Of those, who received training as Instructors in Standard Field Sobriety Testing as recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
5
(of which we are 4)
Of those, who are a Certified Breath Alcohol Test Technician as recognized by the Department of Transportation
5
(of which we are 4)
Of those, who received training in Drugs that Impair Driving (Drug Recognition Expert training) as recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
5
(of which we are 4)
Of those, who is certified as a Phlebotomist (drawing and analysis of blood samples)
2
(of which Attorney McShane is one)
Of those, who is a 2-time graduate and case presenter at the National Forensic Blood and Urine Seminar?
1 – Attorney McShane

Your choice is clear: The McShane Firm, LLC