A DUI, OWI or DWI charge can cost you more than your pride or your job- it can cost you upwards of $10,000. MSN Money reports that the costs associated with bail, fines, fees and increased insurance rates are large. This figure is calculated based on a non-accident OWI ticket. If you get into an accident while drinking and driving, you can expect your costs to skyrocket.

A DUI will set you back financially in the following ways:

• Bail: $150 - $2500
• Towing: $100 - $1200
• Insurance Costs: At least $4500
• Legal Fees: $2,000 - $25,000
• Fines: $300: $1200
• Alcohol Evaluation: About $150
• Alcohol Education and Treatment: $150 - $2000
• License Reinstatement Fees: $95 - $250
• Additional Fees: At least $325

In addition to the fees and legal ramifications of an OWI, there are other ways that the charge will affect your earning capacity. These include:

• Life Insurance Premium Increase
• Lost Time from Work = Less Income
• Lose the License? Lose the Job
• Being Fired (jobs such as airline pilot, doctor, stockbroker, lawyer or nurse require a license that may be revoked due to a DWI conviction)
• A DUI will Appear on any Criminal Background Check (costing you a potential job)

Of course the monetary cost of a DUI is large, but not as large as the burden placed on those whose loved ones are killed in a drunk driving accident. In 2007, the NHTSA found that in Illinois alone 362 people were killed during accidents with drunk drivers. The numbers are similar for Wisconsin, where 34% of the states deadly auto accidents involved alcohol.

If you have been involved in an accident with a drunk driver, you have the right to file a personal injury or wrongful death law suit. Please contact your aggressive, experienced attorney at Hupy & Abraham today for your free consultation. With offices in Madison and Milwaukee, WI we are here for you where you need us, when you need us.

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