When taking a blood sample for analysis, the state needs to approach this testing method in a manner that will not compromise its scientific accuracy and validity. This test and its results may be one of the most significant pieces of evidence in a case against a DUI suspect. As a result, the testing needs to follow proper procedure. In some instances, the lack of adherence to procedure can cause a blood test to be considered inadmissible or might destroy the credibility of the results.

If you have submitted to a blood test in the course of a DUI arrest and booking, it is important that you seek legal counsel from a dedicated and tenacious attorney who can help you to defend your case. Contact the Seattle DUI lawyers of Cowan Kirk by calling 866-822-1230 today.

Procedures and Goals

When attempting to determine whether a person is intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle, law enforcement officers must adequately prove intoxication. This is why a single breathalyzer read-out can often be challenged, as the machine may not have been properly calibrated or may have read the wrong compounds during the test. Blood tests need to include the following procedures to better identify intoxication in the suspect:

• A test that works as a control
• A blank test
• Duplicate tests of the blood sample, which should read within 0.01% of each other

Failing to provide any one of these measures may throw off the sample analysis. In particular, tests without control samples do not establish how the blood sample's data should be analyzed. Additionally, the lack of a duplicate test may betray a possible testing mistake without a second sample to reinforce the data.

Contact Us

If you have been charged with DUI, the penalties associated with a conviction can disrupt virtually all aspects of your life. To learn more about your options as a defendant, contact the Seattle DUI attorneys of Cowan Kirk today at 866-822-1230.