Free DUI Lawyer In California

Reader’s Question:

I have not been involved in a car accident yet, and have no plans of being involved in the future, but I want to be prepared and know how to properly file a claim to my insurance company here in Berkeley, California. Any tips?

Dan Paulo

Berkeley, CA

It’s a good idea to be proactive and know how to properly file a car insurance claim if, and when, you get involved in a car accident. Car accidents may come as a shock to most that they forget to do some necessary process, or gather important information about the accident and the parties involved. Some may even find their car insurance provider unhelpful if they weren’t able to take all necessary information such as license plates, names, etc., during the accident, making filing a claim a bigger hassle than it should be. Here’s a list of the actions you need to take if you get involved in a car accident:

Get all the necessary information.
If a car accident involves others, make sure you note down names, vehicle information such as license plates, contact numbers and addresses. This will assist your insurance company in contacting all the people involved to process the necessary insurances or claims to be made.

File a Police Report.
Get in touch with the police department there in Berkeley, California and file the necessary report as soon as possible. Your insurance company will be looking for this when you file your claim.

Call your car insurance agent.
Ask what are the steps you need to do and documents you need to give or fill out to file for a claim. Also consult your policy to see what kind of coverages and bring this policy with you when you meet up with your insurance agent.

Reader’s Question:

My cousin from Nevada was charged with DUI here in Berkeley, California and his out-of-state license was confiscated by the police officer. Is there a different DUI case process for out-of-state drivers? How can he get his home state license and will Nevada know if he will be convicted for DUI?

Valentin

Berkeley, CA

For people or drivers who are out of state visiting the state of California, DUI laws remain the same. If an out of state driver is arrested for DUI, that person will go through a similar criminal DUI process just like an in-state driver does. The process began when your cousin was arrested and the police officer confiscated his driver’s license. Since his license was confiscated, he was issued a temporary license that is valid for 30 days. He must schedule an Administrative hearing with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days of his arrest. If he fails to schedule a meeting with the DMV, it could result to automatic suspension of his California driving privileges.

If your cousin will be convicted for his DUI charge in Berkeley, California, the state of Nevada will know about this. There is an Interstate Driver’s License Compact (IDLC) which is an agreement between 45 states to communicate about driving-related crimes which include DUI crimes. The states of California and Nevada are part of this agreement so California will notify your cousin’s home state of his non-residential DUI conviction.