Assessing Therapeutic Levels of Prescription Drugs in Georgia DUI Cases
By Ben Sessions on December 8th, 2014 in Car / Auto Accident, DUI / DWI
At the bare minimum, any lawyer representing a client charged with a DUI in Georgia based upon the consumption of prescription drugs must understand the accepted therapeutic levels of the drugs in question and then discern the client’s blood levels are within therapeutic ranges. That is the first step in assessment for a DUI case involving prescription drugs.
Converting the stated values in the GBI crime lab report to the stated values in the attached paper can tricky. Remember: 1 microgram per milliliter = .001 (1 microgram per liter); or 1 microgram per liter = .001 microgram per milliliter.
A helpful resource when considering blood-level data for drugs and even chemicals is an article published in the Forensic Science International 122, (2001) 107-123. This piece, authored by Charles L. Winek, Wagdy W. Wahba, Charles L. Winek, Jr. and Tracey Winek Balzer, presents a comprehensive compilation of data revealing blood levels affected by drugs, chemicals, and/or toxins. It is a good resource to have on hand for cases such as these.
Even if your client’s values are found to be outside of the acceptable therapeutic range, it does not mean that the particular case is over, or even that the outcome of your client’s case may be an unsavory one. If the medications found in analysis were legally prescribed and can be lawfully taken in the dosage that is ultimately discovered in your client’s test results, your situation remains hopeful. What the state must do is state to show impairment as a result of the medication. That means that the Georgia DUI drugs less safe standard must be met by the state’s evidence.
Georgia DUI lawyer Ben Sessions has an exceptional track record defending people charged with DUI based upon alleged impairment by prescription drugs. If you face a prescription drugs DUI charge, contact Ben today at (678) 314-9443.
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