When Medical Conditions Are Mistaken for DUI Impairment in CT

 Posted on October 24, 2025 in Driving Under the Influence

Not every driver who appears impaired is actually intoxicated. Since Connecticut’s DUI statute (Section 14-227a) focuses on "operation while under the influence," rather than only a numerical BAC reading, mistaken arrests can occur when medical conditions mimic intoxication. Many medical conditions can produce symptoms that mimic drunkenness, including slurred speech, confusion, unsteady movements, and unusual behavior.

When police officers mistake these signs for intoxication, a wrongful DUI arrest can occur. A Fairfield County, CT DUI lawyer can help sort out whether a health condition influenced field sobriety results, breath tests, and officer perception. Since a DUI can potentially alter your future for a significant amount of time, early intervention and an experienced criminal defense lawyer are essential.

Common Health Conditions That Can Mimic Impairment

There are many different health conditions that can imitate DUI impairment, including:

• Diabetes and hypoglycemia can result in slurred speech, confusion, or the smell of acetone, which can be mistaken for alcohol.  
• Dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Lewy body dementia can cause changes in behavior, memory, and thought processes, which can be mistaken for impairment.
• Epilepsy can cause temporary changes in mood, disorientation, and thought processes that can be misinterpreted as drunkenness.
• Parkinson’s and neuropathy can cause an unsteady gait, vertigo, and balance failure on a field sobriety test.
• A traumatic brain injury or even a relatively simple concussion can lead to cognitive issues that can look like alcohol impairment.
• Certain heart and lung disorders can impair the brain’s oxygen supply, leading to confusion and other cognitive symptoms.
• Fatigue and sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can result in poor coordination and delayed responses.
• Bloodshot eyes – something many police officers assume indicates impairment – can be the result of fatigue or allergies.

How Health Issues Can Cause Problems with Field Sobriety Tests and Breathalyzer Tests

Since health issues can affect a person’s balance, coordination, vision, and cognitive abilities, these symptoms can be mistaken for intoxication. Arthritis, inner ear problems, vertigo, and neurological disorders can make it difficult, if not impossible, to perform the walk-and-turn field sobriety test or the one-leg stand.

Diabetes, or extreme fatigue, can cause a shaky appearance, confusion, and slurred speech that an officer immediately assumes is related to alcohol. Reduced visual acuity, cataracts, or nystagmus, which causes involuntary eye movements, can interfere with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test. Anxiety disorders can make it difficult for an individual to follow instructions. Police officers are not trained to distinguish between symptoms caused by a health condition or prescription drug and alcohol intoxication.

Medical Evidence Used in DUI Defense

An experienced DUI lawyer will gather all hospital and EMS reports, as well as medical history records, to show that a medical condition exists. Expert testimony from neurologists, endocrinologists, and other medical professionals can help create reasonable doubt regarding impairment. Subpoenaed body-cam footage may be used to show that the confusion was medical rather than alcohol-related. Prosecutors must prove impairment "to an appreciable degree," rather than relying solely on the officer’s opinion regarding intoxication.

Contact a Stamford, CT DUI Lawyer

If you were arrested for DUI, but you believe the officer mistook your medical condition for alcohol impairment, you need a strong legal advocate in your corner. When you choose a  Fairfield County, CT criminal DUI defense attorney from Law Offices of Daniel P. Weiner, you have taken an essential first step.

Attorney Weiner will zealously defend against your DUI charges and fight for your future. He can challenge unreliable testing methods, cross-examine the arresting officer, and introduce medical evidence to prove you were not impaired. Call 203-348-5846 to schedule your free consultation and discuss your DUI arrest with a compassionate legal professional.