A Guide to Getting DUS and Expired Insurance Charges Dismissed
Quiz time. Which state in the U.S is a little sensitive about vehicle liability insurance?
Yes, it’s Pennsylvania. For car owners residing in this state, vehicle liability insurance isn’t a mere piece of paper, but more of a lifeline! According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
“All motor vehicles subject to registration, such as cars, vans, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, trucks, and buses, must have liability insurance. You are in compliance with the law if you have liability insurance in the following amounts:
- $15,000 for injury or death of one person in an accident
- $30,000 for injury or death of more than one person in an accident
- $5,000 for damage to property of another person”
So, if you ever are caught with expired insurance or have been charged with a DUS, it may carry significant penalties, which might have a far-reaching impact on your driving privileges and finances.
But don’t worry! With the right legal strategy and guidance from an experienced Pittsburgh criminal lawyer, these charges can be dismissed! Let’s explore the blog to learn more!
What Happens when your Vehicle Liability Insurance Expires, or Lapses?
First of all, in Pennsylvania, continuous liability insurance coverage is a legal mandate. If your insurance lapses, even if it’s for a single day, you could be in some trouble!
What happens is, your insurance company needs to notify PennDOT when your policy is canceled. And this notification can trigger a procedure that might lead to severe consequences.
Often, PennDOT issues a three-month suspension of your vehicle registration privileges. And this remains applicable unless your insurance lapse happened less than 31 days ago. You might also face a three-month suspension of your driver’s license.
Also, PennDOT expects you to surrender your registration plate and card to serve this suspension. There are restoration fees involved to get your registration and driving privileges back. Only a practicing Pittsburgh criminal lawyer is well aware of the motor vehicle laws and, therefore, can help you navigate such charges effectively.
What are the Charges for DUS and Expired Insurance?
If you continue to drive with expired insurance, it might get you in trouble.
But you know what’s worse? Facing a DUS charge! It means you were driving with a suspended or revoked license, and this can get pretty serious. Penalties for a DUS include
- Hefty fines, ranging from $200 to $2500.
- Extended license suspensions.
- Imprisonment (based on your prior record).
Added to that, if your license was suspended due to a DUI [1543(b)], the penalties can get even more severe.
On top of that, the fines and suspensions can add up quickly. Apart from that, there lies the inherent inconvenience of not being able to drive for months! It can literally impact your job, family responsibilities, and your overall daily life.
A skilled Pittsburgh criminal lawyer understands the weight of these charges. They can readily identify technical defenses or procedural errors in such a case and come up with proper defense strategies for you.
For instance, sometimes proper notice of suspension isn’t given, or there’s valid proof of insurance lapse not being communicated effectively to PennDOT. Only a knowledgeable Pittsburgh criminal lawyer possesses the know-how to challenge the evidence and argue to secure the best possible outcome.
How Can Sean Logue Law Help?
At Sean Logue Law Group, our expert legal team has years of experience in handling the complex motor vehicle laws in Pennsylvania. Besides that, we also ensure clear communication with our clients. Hence, you’ll get to know what’s happening with your case at every step!
Also, our dedicated Pittsburgh criminal lawyers can fight relentlessly for you and aim to minimize penalties. And if you’re lucky, we can also get your charges dismissed!So, if you’re convicted of DUS or expired insurance charges, don’t wait up. Drop a mail at sean@seanloguelaw.com and let us put our experience to work for you.