Vehicular Manslaughter in Virginia

Penalties for Vehicular Manslaughter in Virginia

When a person has been involved in a fatal car accident where the driver is believed to have been driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, there can be felony DUI charges of vehicular manslaughter filed against the accused driver. DUI manslaughter or vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated are the charges that can be filed against a driver who is believed to be driving drunk when a person dies in an accident. If convicted, the driver can face as much as four to ten years in prison depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident and subsequent fatality.

Virginia Vehicular Manslaughter Attorney: Defending Criminal Accusations

It is vital to be aware that there are specific issues which must be covered by the prosecuting attorney to bring about a conviction for vehicular manslaughter. It is inadequate to just state that the driver was drunk and was involved in an accident and so should be held responsible for the other person's death. There are three key elements that the government must prove: that the driver was intoxicated, that he violated a traffic law or acted negligently and that the reason for the other person's death was the act of negligence or violation of law. A Virginia DUI lawyer at the Law Offices of Michael A. Pignone may be in able to successfully challenge this serious criminal accusation.

If you are convicted of this felony offense, the repercussions will follow you for the rest of your life. Not only will you be facing the future as a convicted felon, the points will remain on your license for 11 years, and the likelihood of having the legal right to drive restored to you is very low. Every aspect of charges of involuntary manslaughter/alcohol is important. Your case absolutely must be reviewed by the firm before it progresses any further. Until the attorney reviews the situation, the evidence, accident report, witness statements and police reports, it is impossible to know precisely how the defense case will be crafted. The attorney is able to strategize a defense case, and has access to the most respected accident investigators in the area to call upon to get supporting evidence for your defense if this will be beneficial.

Act immediately and contact the firm, as there may be actions which can be taken to get the charges of DUI manslaughter dismissed. Contact a professional who can provide you a straightforward, honest assessment of your situation. There are cases in which an independent accident investigator can prove that another party was partially or fully responsible for the accident. There may also be issues concerning blood or breath testing evidence that could be successfully challenged, based on the details of the case.

Contact a Virginia vehicular manslaughter lawyer from the firm immediately if you are accused of this felony offense.