Experts That Can Be Helpful in a Charlotte DWI Case
Expert witnesses are not required in every DWI case and the ones that could help you will depend on the facts surrounding your arrest. Here are common types of experts used in DWI cases:
- Police officer. A law enforcement official will understand how a DWI investigation should be properly conducted and how tests to determine if a person is intoxicated should be administered. He can identify errors made in your case which may impact on the validity of evidence against you, such as whether the police had probable cause to stop you or whether they properly administered field sobriety and breathalyzer tests.
- Forensic toxicologist. A forensic toxicologist can speak about scientific matters in your case. This can include testifying how a certain level of alcohol can affect your body and whether you really were impaired. He can also challenge the blood alcohol content (BAC) results in your case. A forensic toxicologist can do this by showing that the breathalyzer machine was not properly calibrated, that the machine was not used properly, or that the testing procedure is not reliable.
- Field sobriety expert. A police officer must follow detailed procedures when administering field sobriety tests. Failure to do so can result in incorrect test results and affect whether the officer was justified in arresting you. A field sobriety expert can issue an opinion as to errors in how your test was administered, if other conditions may have impacted your performance, and other factors that make the test results unreliable. This could result in the test results being ruled inadmissible and may weaken the prosecutor’s case in other ways.
- Accident reconstruction expert. If you were involved in a car accident when you were arrested for DWI, you may need to hire an accident reconstruction expert who can create a reenactment of how the crash occurred. He can also testify about the speed of the vehicles, whether the brakes were applied, whether your reaction time was affected by your alcohol consumption, and other factors.
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