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Death by Careless Driving Solicitors

Causing death by careless driving is a serious offence which carries a potential prison sentence and the loss of your driving licence. If you, or someone you know, has been arrested for, charged with, or convicted for death by careless driving, you will need urgent legal advice to reduce the impact on your life.

At Nelson Guest & Partners, we can offer you:

A welcoming, understanding service from a team of criminal defence specialists
Expert legal advice at the police station, during investigations and at court
Appeals advice if you have already been convicted
Clear information about our driving offence fees, so you can always be on top of the costs involved

Conviction for causing death by careless driving can result in a criminal record, and various problems in your life, such as the loss of your job, difficulty finding work, trouble with car insurance, or travel limitations. Not only this, but conviction can also have a detrimental impact on your family, friends and professional reputation.

Since so much is at stake, it is vital to seek the support and guidance of a solicitor specialising in death by careless driving.

Talk to our death by careless driving solicitors in London

At Nelson Guest & Partners, we have an excellent track record of securing the best possible results for our clients, whether that means having criminal legal action dropped altogether, to reduced sentences, to absolute acquittals (‘not guilty’ verdicts).

Having one of our expert death by careless driving solicitors on your side can make the difference between keeping or losing your license, or even preventing prison sentences.

If you have already been convicted, there may be grounds where you can appeal your sentence, either to have it reduced or removed altogether. If you have been sentenced for causing death by careless driving, or any other driving offence, within the past 21 days and you feel that the sentence you received was unfair, contact us immediately to discuss your case and the chances of being able to lodge an appeal.

If you need help with your case from a London death by careless driving lawyer, call the experts on 020 8309 5010 or use our contact form.

How our drink death by careless driving solicitors can help you

Our expert solicitors can provide expert advice and representation if you are facing a death by careless driving charge, providing robust representation at the police station, during criminal investigations and at court.

We can also provide advice on other related driving offences, including causing death by dangerous driving.

Police station representation

If you are arrested or are invited to the police station for a voluntary interview under caution, it is vital that you call us at Nelson Guest as soon as possible.

Receiving legal advice as early on as possible is crucial as what happens at the police station is likely to be the most critical part of a criminal case, including those relating to death by careless driving.

Depending on the circumstances of your death by careless driving case, the police may ask certain question in an attempt to gather enough evidence to charge you or refer your case the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision.

Your criminal defence solicitor can make sure that your legal rights are respected while you are in the police station and advise you on how best to answer the police’s questions to reduce the seriousness of the situation as much as possible.

Criminal investigations advice

If you have been released under investigation, or on bail, while the police are still carrying out an investigation, contact us for advice.

We understand that this stage of the process can be incredibly stressful, as there is likely to be a lot of uncertainty about whether you are going to be charged. The terms of your release may also force you to return to the police station at a certain date if the police took blood or urine samples when you were detained.

You do not need to simply wait for the police to finish their investigation during this time. Our specialist death by careless driving solicitors can support you during this time, providing clear advice about the process and ensure the investigation is swiftly moved along. We can also help you prepare for court hearings.

Court defence

If you are due to attend a court hearing or need urgent representation in court, our team will be able to travel to your side to assist you.

Among our team are highly experienced court advocates who can defend you at all levels, including the Magistrates’ Court, Crown Court, Youth Court, and appeal courts. We also work closely with specialist criminal defence barristers, whom we can instruct to defend you on your behalf.

Criminal appeals

If you have been convicted of a drink driving offence within the past 21 days, get in touch with us as soon as possible for practical guidance related to lodging an appeal.

We know how daunting and frustrating it is if you have been wrongly or unfairly convicted for a driving offence, no matter what the circumstances of your situation might be.

That is why you can trust us to be honest and upfront about the chances of making a successful appeal against your conviction or sentence and help you to build the strongest possible appeal. We have developed a strong reputation on succeeding even where other law firms might have failed.

What are the penalties for causing death by careless driving?

There are a number of different potential sentences for causing death by careless driving. The most serious cases, where someone’s driving only falls marginally below dangerous driving, carry a potential custodial sentence of between 36 weeks and 3 years, whereas less serious cases may only extend to two years imprisonment.

Where there is careless or inconsiderate driving from momentary inattention, high or low-rate community sentences may be applied, depending on the circumstances.

See a range of driving offence penalties here.

What is the difference between careless and dangerous driving?

There is sometimes confusion regarding the difference between ‘careless’ and ‘dangerous’ driving, the latter considered a more serious crime and usually carrying stiffer sentencing. The CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) says:

“The clear difference between this offence and an offence of causing death by dangerous driving is the standard of driving. For causing death by dangerous driving, the standard of driving must fall far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver; whereas for this offence the standard of driving must merely fall below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver.”

There are sometimes cases that fall in between these guidelines with prosecutors and defence arguing for greater or lesser charges.

Clearly, any incident which results in death is tragic and rightly taken extremely seriously by the courts, but as a defendant, you still have the right to a fair hearing and a just outcome. Causing death by careless driving, like so many areas of UK motoring law, has so many variables and guidelines open to interpretation that it is vital you have experienced and specialist legal representation.

NGP have extensive experience in these cases and defending clients on other serious charges, so we know how to secure the best possible outcome for your given circumstances. We have an excellent record of acquittals and reduced sentences in serious cases and we are extremely well-versed in court procedures and protocols.

Our motoring offences fees

We are able to take on death by careless driving cases on a fixed fee basis. This covers work during all stages of the process, including police station advice and representation, during investigations and at court.

Fixed fees give you a clear idea where you stand in terms of costs and means you do not need to worry about any unexpected legal fees that could catch you out.

If you would like more information about our fees, and the work they cover, visit our Road Traffic Offences Fees page.

If you have any questions about fees or would like a quote, please get in touch for a confidential, no-obligation discussion.

Get in touch with our death by careless driving solicitors in London

If you need help with your case from a death by careless driving lawyer, call us on 020 8309 5010 or use our contact form.