Virginia legal term
Serious bodily injury in Virginia Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Virginia legislative session
In Virginia criminal law, “Serious bodily injury” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Virginia criminal code.
What does “Serious bodily injury” mean in Virginia criminal law?
"Serious bodily injury" means bodily injury that involves substantial risk of death, extreme physical pain, protracted and obvious disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ or mental faculty. (Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-251)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
- Abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults
- False emergency communication to emergency personnel
- Reckless handling of firearms
- Animal attack resulting from owner's disregard for human life
- Injuring another or causing the death of another while engaging in a race or exhibition driving
- Maiming, etc., of another resulting from driving while intoxicated
- Maiming, etc., of another resulting from operating a watercraft while intoxicated
- Possession of infectious biological substances or radiological agents
- Threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family
- Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.