Failed Sobriety Test? Diabetic? You Need a DUI Lawyer

Does this scenario sound familiar? You get pulled over and have to take a field sobriety test. The test is positive, yet you have not had a single drink. If you are diabetic, there are medical reasons why the sobriety test registered positive for alcohol use. To save your reputation and your record, you are going to need a DUI lawyer to represent you through the legal issues that you are facing.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body either fails to produce enough insulin or inadequately uses the insulin that is available. While treatable, there are a myriad of symptoms that many diabetic experience. Hypoglycemia is a commonly experienced by diabetics, and the symptoms of hypoglycemia can mimic those of someone who is intoxicated. Slurred speech, disorientation, and staggering are common when you are experiencing hypoglycemia. Symptoms like this can impair driving ability can they have a quick onset. So you may be driving and the symptoms come on quickly, leaving you with little time to react. If you are pulled over by an officer, he will likely assume that you have had too much to drink and will subsequently arrest you. Keep in mind that the officer is only acting within his responsibilities, and that if you are experiencing diabetic symptoms then that will be shown in due time.

Sometimes, an officer will use a breathalyzer to determine whether or not you have been drinking. The breathalyzer is a tool that measures whether or not ethanol is present in a person's breath. Often a diabetic will enter into a state of ketoacidosis when there is a shortage of insulin. Ketoacidosis can result in the breath of a diabetic to contain acetone, and this will register a positive result on the breathalyzer. Again, the officer must react to the positive test, and if you have truly not been drinking, then that can be proven by a blood test or other measures.

A DUI lawyer is knowledgeable in handling these types of cases and can make sure that your rights are upheld. Being accused of drunk driving is embarrassing and frustrating, but having the right representation who knows which tests to order and how to clear your name is a benefit that you should employ of you are in this situation. Keep in mind that you have the right to request a DUI lawyer from the outset. Even if you know you are innocent, you are not likely to be believed unless your DUI lawyer can prove that you were not drinking and that your actions and failed tests were results of your medical condition.

Having diabetes does not excuse you from driving safely and acting in good judgment. If you know you are experiencing symptoms, pull over and call for help. Keeping yourself and others safe should be priority number one when you are behind the wheel.