Drunk Driving Truck Accidents in Harrisonburg
No matter what type of motor vehicle you are operating, it is against Virginia state law to drive while meaningfully impaired by alcohol, controlled substances, and/or prescription medications. However, there are especially strict rules against drunk driving for people with commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), as well as a different legal standard for when a commercial driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) makes them guilty of per se driving under the influence (DUI).
Drunk driving truck accidents in Harrisonburg are something which should never happen so long as everyone in the trucking industry obeys the law—but as you may have unfortunately just learned, crashes of this nature still happen from time to time and can cause life-altering harm when they do occur. If you were recently injured due to an intoxicated semi-truck driver’s misconduct, a truck accident lawyer from Price Benowitz can help you seek financial restitution for the harm you have unjustly sustained.
When Is a Truck Driver Considered to Be Legally Intoxicated?
Under Code of Virginia § 46.2-341.24, it is unlawful for anyone to operate any kind of commercial motor vehicle, including tractor-trailers, with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent or higher. Importantly, though, VA Code § 46.2-341.31 states that anyone found to have been operating a commercial motor vehicle with any amount of alcohol in their blood whatsoever is guilty of a traffic infraction.
While traffic infractions are much less serious than misdemeanor or felony DUI charges in terms of potential penalties upon conviction, they are still violations of state law, which means they can also be violations of the “duty of care” all truck drivers owe to other drivers on public roads with them. Accordingly, a Harrisonburg truck crash victim who can prove that the trucker involved in their crash had any amount of alcohol in their system can very likely hold that driver civilly liable for the incident based on their impairment from alcohol.
Seeking Compensation Within Filing Deadlines
If a commercial truck driver causes a wreck in Harrisonburg by driving under the influence, they—and usually their employer as well—can be held financially responsible for all economic and non-economic harm they cause another person through their misconduct. This can include, but is not strictly restricted to, things like:
- Emergency medical bills and expected long-term care costs
- Physical pain and suffering
- Lost work earnings and/or long-term working capacity
- Emotional trauma and anguish
- Car repair costs and other expenses related to personal property damage
- Costs of assistive equipment, lost enjoyment of life, and other damages associated with permanent disfigurement and/or disability
It is important to take action sooner rather than later after being hurt in this way, though, since VA Code § 8.01-243 gives most personal injury victims a maximum of two years to file suit after initially sustaining harm, or else they will be “time-barred” from ever seeking civil compensation for that particular injury.
Speak With a Harrisonburg Attorney About Filing a Drunk Driving Truck Accident Lawsuit
Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs dramatically increases a truck driver’s odds of causing life-altering or even life-threatening harm through an otherwise preventable traffic collision. Money alone cannot completely erase every negative effect of an incident like this, but proactively seeking civil restitution for crash-related losses can still be key to preserving your long-term best interests in spite of the misconduct of others.
You have support available from our team at Price Benowitz to understand and enforce your rights under Virginia law. Call today to schedule a free case evaluation and discuss a possible claim over a drunk driving truck accident in Harrisonburg.
