Enhancement for Great Bodily Harm, Riverside County California

Looking for a Great Bodily Harm Defense Lawyer or Defense Attorney with your best interest in mind?

At the Law Office of Stephen R. Brodsky, our Riverside violent crimes attorneys realize that most individuals have no idea what an enhancement for great bodily injury means. Simply put, this is a sentencing enhancement that means that should prosecutors convict you of a criminal offense and find in the process of committing the crime you inflicted great bodily harm on another person, a lengthier prison sentence may be imposed on you by the judge.

An enhancement for great bodily injury can be imposed on those convicted of various criminal offenses including sexual assault, elder abuse, DUI accidents, domestic violence offenses, battery, assault with a deadly weapon or even a dog bite. The rules for great bodily injury or harm are not clearly defined, and what may constitute great bodily harm is determined in each individual case. A jury may find that an injury qualifies as great bodily injury in one case, and under different circumstances the same injury may not qualify as GBI.

Some examples of great bodily injuries that may lead to sentence enhancement include:

  • Broken bones
  • Gunshot wounds
  • Severe discoloration, swelling, and contusions remaining visible 24 hours after a victim has been beaten with an object
  • Second degree burns such as would result if a victim were burned by hot grease that was purposefully thrown on him/her
  • Bruising or blackness and swelling, such as a black eye with visible injuries months later

Great bodily injury is defined as a substantial or significant physical injury. Juries are instructed that this type of injury is one that is greater than minor or moderate harm. An example of an enhancement for great bodily injury in Riverside that may be inflicted is in the case of domestic violence. Typically, those convicted of felony domestic violence are punished by up to 4 years in state prison; however, if the sentence is enhanced for great bodily injury, the individual convicted may serve an additional and consecutive term of 3, 4 or 5 years in prison. Clearly, the sentencing is harsh when GBI enhancement is involved.

While enhancement for great bodily injury was meant to be used only in cases of substantial or significant injury, our Riverside violent crimes attorneys know that overzealous prosecutors tend to charge offenders with this enhancement on a regular basis, or anytime an individual is injured regardless of the severity of the injury. A skilled lawyer knows the tactics that prosecutors often use, and understand GBI and its definition, which means that he/she can convey to the jury and judge that the accused in fact did not inflict great bodily injury, offering an effective defense for his client.

Stephen R. Brodsky is a skilled and experienced Riverside violent crimes lawyer who works vigorously on behalf of his clients. Contact our office today for a free consultation, and put your freedom and future in capable hands. Contact us online today for your free phone consultation...it’s 100 percent confidential.

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