U-Haul Driver Charged with DUI After Wreck on I-81 in VA | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A 57-year-old driver has been charged with DUI after he crashed a U-Haul rental truck into two vehicles on I-81 in Augusta County, Virginia.  The accident occurred last Saturday around 2:30 p.m. in the northbound lanes of I-81 near mile marker 230. The U-Haul first hit a Toyota Camry. Then it hit a pick-up truck, which flipped over and landed on its roof, trapping a woman inside.

The 57-year-old driver of the U-Haul and the woman in the truck were transported to University of Virginia Medical Center with serious injuries. The woman’s husband was also in the truck at the time of the crash and was treated at the hospital for minor injuries and released. The crash is still under investigation and additional charges are pending.

After a car accident, an injured victim faces medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and sometimes permanent disability. Their hopes and ambitions have to be put on hold or permanently readjusted. The female victim in this accident was seriously hurt because this driver decided to drink and climb behind the wheel of a truck. This victim should consider talking to an experienced personal injury attorney about pursuing a claim for compensation, and if circumstances warrant, punitive damages.

The legal limit for DUI/DWI is a BAC of .08 in every state. In some states, including Virginia, a person can be charged with a traditional DUI without having a specific BAC when they are impaired by any drug, including prescription drugs. If a driver has a very high BAH, or his actions were “willful or wanton”, a victim can pursue punitive damages.  Drivers who are convicted of drunk driving offenses cannot discharge personal injury claims – including punitive damage awards or judgments – through bankruptcy.

Virginia takes drunk driving seriously, and so do we. Our law firm doesn’t defend drunk drivers – we sue them. Although every case presents unique circumstances, our firm works to secure the best settlement possible for each of our clients.

AM