DUI under the influence of Valium

robert

9 years ago

DUI under the influence of Valium

In Orange County DUI drug (DUID) cases, especially involving a DUI under the influence of Valium, the Orange County Crime Lab calls experts at trial to testify on doses, levels, effects, and impairment.

Expert witnesses in a DUI case are used on either side whenever someone is accused of driving under the influence of Valium. The prosecutor’s experts usually take the position that there is no level of Valium that is safe to drive under. If it’s in your blood, they consider that illegal and unsafe, no matter what levels are detected.

Valium is used to treat anxiety, acute alcohol withdrawal, and seizures. It is also used to relieve muscle spasms and to provide sedation before medical procedures. This medication belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines which act on the brain and nerves (central nervous system) to produce a calming effect. It works by enhancing the effects of a certain natural chemical in the body (GABA).

Nordiazepam is a metabolite of Valium (the generic is Diazepam). Anyone taking diazepam will have both diazepam and nordiazepam in their blood – not two separate drugs.

Both diazepam and nordiazepam are very long acting. The half-life of diazepam is between 40-100 hours. It can be detected up to a week later after a single dose. After chronic usage for months or years, it can be detected for months. A DUI under the influence of Valium can be the result of medications long ago in time.

Sometimes, clients of our law firm don’t even remember taking the valium, because it was so long ago. Our Orange County DUI Lawyer usually asks the following if a test is positive for Valium or its metabolites:

*Did you have any medical or surgical procedures for which you received sedation of any type?” (e.g. colonoscopy, dental work, pain management procedure, MRI/CT scan – these are all procedures where a physician might administer diazepam as a sedative or in combination with anesthesia). If yes, we find out from the client’s medical records what medications he or she was administered.
Aside from the medications that the patient listed, we also ask about any medications client had taken within 4-6 weeks of his or her arrest.

In most cases, if our client had been taking diazepam and stopped a month before his or her arrest, they probably wouldn’t even think to tell us about it.

Questions about a DUI under the influence of Valium? Call our Orange County DUI Attorney or contact the firm anytime. We are happy to help you in any way that we can.