If you have been accused of a crime, Shaheen & Gordon, P.A. is here to fight for your legal rights. Contact us to schedule an appointment with a New Hampshire Criminal Defense lawyer. Initial consultations are completely free and confidential.
New Hampshire Negligent Homicide Lawyer
DWI Involving Death
Negligent Homicide cases surface when a driver causes the death of another as a consequence of being under the influence of intoxicating liquor, a controlled drug or any combination of intoxicating liquor and a controlled drug. It is a Class A Felony, which results in a maximum prison sentence of 7 ½ to 15 years, as much as a 7-year license loss and a 5-year ignition interlock obligation.
Obtaining Evidence for Negligent Homicide Cases
For DWI cases involving the death of another individual, blood evidence is sought. In New Hampshire, law enforcement has the authority to demand blood samples even when they do not have a search warrant. If the officer has probable cause that a driver caused the accident, they may also ask for that driver’s blood sample. Our firm believes there is a problem with this statute, and we have challenged its constitutionality before.
In cases where there is a death supposedly caused by driving while intoxicated, the state of New Hampshire requires that there is reasonable proof that the driver caused the accident. Our firm knows and understands that alcohol and intoxication alone is not always enough to cause an accident. There are likely other contributing factors that can be discovered by way of an accident reconstruction. Shaheen & Gordon, P.A. utilizes the knowledge of accident reconstruction experts to determine more accurately what the cause of the accident was.
Our team also recognizes the importance of investigating the vehicles involved in the accident. A vehicle’s history can reveal much about the cause of the accident that isn’t always immediately apparent. Equipment failures regularly result in tragic accidents, but these issues are often overlooked by State investigators. Our attorneys regularly demand that the State preserve evidence, including the vehicles involved for inspection by competent experts in order to assess whether any equipment failures may explain an accident.
New Hampshire DWI Attorney for Your Defense
Often, head light and brake light failure as well as breaking and steering issues help explain how a tragic accident took place. Sometimes, a vehicle history is critical to our investigative efforts by collecting vehicle maintenance records to understand whether a history of mechanical problems may explain a tragic accident.
