Medical Hearings and Evaluations

It is possible that the DMV is considering an action upon your license based upon the occurrence of a medical event. There are many reasons why the DMV may choose to reexamine your driving ability.

Under state law, in some cases your doctor has supplied information to the DMV indicating that you have suffered an illness or lapse of consciousness. There are also conditions including Alzheimer's disease, seizure disorders, and diabetes that could give rise to the DMV contacting you about your driver's license. Finally there are physical medical conditions that can affect your ability to drive a vehicle.

All medical conditions have required course of conduct that can and will be employed by me to achieve your best possible presentation to the DMV. As a former attorney at the DMV, I am very familiar with the actions of the DMV and have the best skills to solve the problem.

The DMV's goal is not to prevent you from driving, but rather to determine if you possess the minimum qualifications to continue driving or to have your driver's license reinstated if it has been revoked. It is my job to assist you in presenting the strongest argument that you should get your license reinstated. Ultimately you will have to pass both the written test, and the Driving Performance Evaluation which is a driving test with a little more strict evaluation.

Over many years, and having reviewed many drivers and their specific medical condition, the DMV has come up with a set of guidelines that they use to determine the suitability for you to have a driver's license. Most of the decisions of the DMV are based upon laws of average across a broad range of drivers with the same or similar condition. However, all cases are unique and must be determined upon your unique set of circumstances and conditions. No two medical conditions are the same and as such the outcome can vary greatly.

It is my job to present your situation to DMV in the most favorable light.

With medical suspensions and hearings, these basic steps must generally be followed:

• The DMV is not a doctor and they are not going consult a doctor to refute what your doctor says. So the first thing we are going to do is consult with your doctor. It is my job to obtain a favorable recommendation from your doctor. It is also my job to obtain your doctors to help. It is always helpful for your doctor to write a brief letter stating they believe that you are presently qualified to drive a motor vehicle. The doctor, with my help, may want to recommend any restrictions that might be placed upon your driving privilege.
• We will ask your physician to fill out the DMV's Driver Medical Evaluation form or DMV's Report of Vision Examination form. Click this link to see the DMV form for medical evaluations.
• In some medical reexamination cases, I will evaluate your case and consult with your doctor. Thereafter, I may decide that the best course of action is to appear at the DMV and explain the situation and ask for an "instruction Permit." This is a permit that allows you to drive while in the car with a state-licensed driving instructor.

The "instruction permit" will have limits but will have a duration that is long enough to allow you to receive the instruction that you need. The object is to practice proper driving skills under the trained eye of a professional driving instructor. In many cases, the driving instructor will help you to relearn old skills while reminding you to eliminate bad habits. The driving instructor will also tell you things that DMV will be looking during your drive test.

When the instruction period has ended, I will schedule your reexamination at the DMV.

This training will make it you much more confident and competent when you to take your driving test.