Toxicology Litigation Support

Alcohol, DWI, DUI, DramShop

Dr. Parent has participated in DWI cases from all perspectives. He has provided testimony on the incapacitating effects of alcohol from the plaintiff’s viewpoint, and from the perspective of the defense he has provided alternative explanations for faulty breathalyzer and blood alcohol determinations. Dr. Parent’s background in chemistry and, in particular with GC/MS analyses, provides him with a unique perspective relating to the analytical aspects of breath and blood analyses. He is a Certified Breathalyzer Technician, and on many occasions he has discovered flaws in the analytical methodologies used in both breath and blood alcohol determinations. Where appropriate, he provides retrograde calculations which can shed insight into blood alcohol levels at critical times. In some previous cases he has found alternative causes of elevated blood alcohol such as diabetes as well as alternative causes of accidents other than blood alcohol content. He has given testimony in several DramShop cases and has provided defense testimony for many driver’s accused of being intoxicated. Selected references are provided below.

Selected References

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Bendtsen, P., Hultberg, J., Carlsson, M., Jones, A. W., Monitoring ethanol exposure in a clinical setting by analysis of blood, breath, saliva, and urine. Alcoholism-Clinical and Experimental Research, 23(9), 1446-1451 (1999).

Berlin, I., Cournot, A., Zimmer, R., Pedarriosse, A. M., Manfredi, R., Molinier, P. and Puech, A. J. Evaluation and comparison of the interaction between alcohol and moclobemide or clomipramine in healthy subjects. Psychopharmacology, 100(1), 40-45 (1990).

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Brewer, N. AND Sandow, B., Alcohol effects on driver performance under conditions of divided attention. Ergonomics, 23(3), 185-190 (1980).

Brooks, C. and Zaal, D., Effects of a reduced alcohol limit for driving. In:  Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety. Utzelman, H. D., Berghaus, G. and Kroj, G. (eds). TUV Rheinland, Cologne, 1277-1232 (1993).

Caplan, Y. H. and Levine, B., The analysis of ethanol in serum, blood, and urine: a comparison of the TDx REA ethanol assay with gas chromatography. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 10(2), 49-52 (1986).

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Charlebois, R. C., Corbett, M. R. and Wigmore, J. G., Comparison of ethanol concentrations in blood, serum, and blood cells for forensic application. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 20(3), 171-178 (1996).

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Jones, A. W., Interindividual variations in the disposition and metabolism of ethanol in healthy men. Alcohol, 1, 385-391 (1984).

Jones, A. W., Hahn, R. G. and Stalberg, H. P., Pharmacokinetics of ethanol in plasma and whole blood estimation of total body water by the dilution principle. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 42, 445-448 (1992).

Jones, A. W., Disappearance rate of ethanol from the blood of human subjects: implications in forensic toxicology. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 38(1), 104-118 (1993).

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Jones, A. W., Hahn, R. G. and Stalberg, H. P., Distribution of ethanol and water between plasma and whole blood; inter- and intra-individual variations after administration of ethanol by intravenous infusion. Scandanavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, 50(7), 775-770 (1990).

Jones, A. W., Jorfeldt, L., Hjertberg, H. and Jonsson, K. A., Physiological variations in blood ethanol measurements during the post-absorptive state. Journal of the Forensic Science Society, 30(5), 273-283 (1990).

Jones, A. W. and Andersson, L., Variability of the blood/breath alcohol ratio in drinking drivers. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 41(6), 916-921 (1996).

Kurt, T. L., Serum alcohol is not the same as blood alcohol concentration. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 25(3), 430-431 (1995).

Laberg, J. C. and Loberg, T., Expectancy and tolerance: a study of acute alcohol intoxication using the balanced placebo design. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 50(5), 448-455 (1989).

Lacey, J. H., Jones, R. K. and Wiliszowski, C. H., Zero tolerance for youth:  Four sates’ experience. US Department of Transportation (US DOT), HS-809-053, NHTSA, Washington, DC (2000).

Lester, D., The concentration of apparent endogenous ethanol. Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 23, 17-25 (1962).

Linnoila, M., Seppala, T. and Mattila, M. J., Acute effect of antipyretic analgesics, alone or in combination with alcohol, on human psychomotor skills related to driving. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 1, 477-484 (1974).

Lutze, J. and Schacher, E., Zur reaktionszeit bei niedrigen blutalkoholwerten. Blutalkohol, 16, 49-58 (1979).

Markel, E., Nyakas, C., Tal, E. and Endroczi, E., Changes in avoidance behaviour following ethanol treatment in rats of different ages. Acta Physiologica Hungarica, 68(2), 175-181 (1986).

Martens, C. H., Ross, L. E. and Mundt, J. C., Young drivers' evaluation of driving impairment due to alcohol. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 23(1), 67-76 (1991).

Martin, C. S. and Moss, H. B., Measurement of acute tolerance to alcohol in human subjects. Alcoholism-Clinical and Experimental Research, 17(2), 211-216 (1993).

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Mirsky, I. A., Piker, P., Rosenbaum, M. and Lederer, H., Adaptation of the central nervous system to varying concentrations of alcohol in the blood. Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 2, 35-45 (1941).

Mongrain, S. and Standing, L., Impairment of cognition, risk-taking, and self-perception by alcohol. Perception and Motor Skills, 69, 199-210 (1989).

Moskowitz, H., Burns, M. M. and Williams, A. F., Skills performance at low blood alcohol levels. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 46, 482-485 (1985).

Nagoshi, C. T. and Wilson, J. R., Long-term repeatability of human alcohol metabolism, sensitivity and acute tolerance. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 50(2), 162-169 (1989).

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O'Malley, P. M., Johnston, L. D. and Bachman, J. G., Alcohol use among adolescents. Alcohol Health and Research World, 22(2), 85-93 (1998).

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Spear, L. P., The adolescent brain and the college drinker: biological basis of propensity to use and misuse alcohol. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 63(2), 71-81 (2002).

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Vingilis, E., Wasylyk, N., Blefgen, H. and Shamai, S., The Ontario 12-hour administrative licence suspension law against drinking-drivers; the Ontario provincial police assessment of offence and driver’s characteristics. Journal of Traffic Medicine, 21, 59-64 (1993).

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Warrington, S. J., Ankier, S. I. and Turner, P., An evaluation of possible interactions between ethanol and trazodone or amitriptyline. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 18(4), 549-557 (1984).

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Wurst, F. M., Alexson, S., Wolfersdorf, M., Bechtel, G., Forster, S., Alling, C., Aradttir, S., Jachau, K., Huber, P., Allen, J. P., Auwrter, V. and Pragst, F., Concentration of fatty acid ethyl esters in hair of alcoholics: comparison to other biological state markers and self reported-ethanol intake. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 39(1), 33-38 (2004).  [CTX-039930]

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