An DUI arrest may seem like the worst thing that could happen to you. However, if you are a medical professional, an arrest may just be the beginning of your consequences.
Tennessee DUI consequences
If you are convicted of DUI in Tennessee, you must spend at least 48 hours in jail, but you could be sentenced to up to 11 months and 29 days in jail. For anyone with a blood alcohol content .20 or higher, you must spend at least a week in jail. You also owe fines ranging from $350 to $1,500, and you could lose your driver’s license for up to a year. You are also required to attend an alcohol and drug treatment program.
The licensing board may decide you’re a public risk
You are required to report a DUI conviction to the medical licensing board. The board may decide that your conviction makes you a risk to the public. This could result in sanctions, fines or even a loss of your medical license.
An attorney may uncover new evidence
The best way to prevent these consequences is to reach out an experienced criminal defense attorney. An attorney can investigate the DUI case against you and determine if the arresting officer made errors. The office may have administered a breathalyzer incorrectly, conducted improper field sobriety tests or perhaps the officer had insufficient reason to pull you over.
A conviction does not have to mean you lose your license
A DUI conviction does not guarantee your medical career is over. An attorney can represent you before the medical licensing board and prove that you deserve to keep your license. Your attorney may advise you to participate in an alcohol recovery program, or he or she may recommend other ways for you to demonstrate you are not a risk to the public. The important thing to remember is you do not have to fight alone, and you have options.