Virginia DUI Drug Lawyer
Drug DUI’s are often charged in cases where people are driving after having taken drugs, legal or illegal, that can potentially impair their ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. People may take Ambien or another drug that has been legally prescribed to them. While the drug has been legally prescribed to them, it could potentially impact their ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Under those conditions, a person can be charged with a DUI for drug-related impairment.
A drug DUI charge can have serious consequences, which is why it is vital that you get in contact with a Virginia DUI drug lawyer. An experienced DUI attorney can work tirelessly, to build you a solid case.
Differences Between Drug and Alcohol DUI Penalties
Drug and alcohol DUI charges do not differ in most ways. The law in Virginia prohibits operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol and is all under one statute. So whether there is alcohol involved, drugs, or a combination thereof, a person who is charged with driving under the influence will be charged under that same statute, and for that reason, the penalties for a drug DUI will be identical to those of an alcohol-based DUI.
A person can be charged with drug-related impairment even if it is a legally prescribed drug that impaired that individual’s ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. If the government can prove through the use of a blood test and expert testimony from the forensic expert, that the particular drug that a person is prescribed does impact the person’s ability to operate safely, then an individual can still be charged with a drug DUI.
Involuntary Intoxication
Involuntary intoxication is not a defense for a drug DUI. Individuals are charged with the responsibility of checking in with themselves to make sure that they are fit to drive. Even if they have accidentally ingested something containing alcohol or drugs, they still need to be self-aware enough to recognize whether the should be driving a vehicle or not. Because that burden rests on the driver, involuntary intoxication does not count as a valid defense against a drug DUI charge, as any knowledgeable Virginia DUI drug lawyer will attest to.
Drug DUI Testing
The way that law enforcement tests blood is a process called gas chromatography which is a complicated scientific process that often lends itself to inaccuracy. An attorney who understands how gas chromatography works can look at the actual data from the test itself and not just the number that is generated on the certificate of analysis to determine whether or not the process that was used in the gas chromatography process was correct. Often the government will take short cuts in analyzing blood, and only an experienced Virginia drug DUI lawyer who knows how to handle blood cases will able to look at that data and recognize whether or not the evidence bears out.
Getting in Touch With an Attorney
Working with an experienced Virginia DUI drug lawyer is important because there are a lot of gray areas involved in these cases that provide fertile grounds to argue on your behalf. In addition, there is lots of science involved in these cases. If you have been charged with a drug DUI, speak to a competent DUI attorney who can fight for you.