A. A parent or legal custodian may bring an action for damages incurred because of his child’s unlawful use of a controlled substance while under the age of eighteen against a natural person age eighteen years or older who sold, administered, furnished or knowingly participated in the unlawful distribution of a controlled substance to the child.

Terms Used In Virginia Code 8.01-227.5

  • Controlled substance: means a controlled substance as defined in Article 1 (§ 18. See Virginia Code 8.01-227.4
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Person: shall include individuals, a trust, an estate, a partnership, an association, an order, a corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity;

    6. See Virginia Code 8.01-2

B. A parent or legal custodian entitled to bring an action under this article may recover damages limited to physical and emotional pain and suffering, the cost of treatment and rehabilitation and medical expenses, proximately caused to the parent or legal custodian by the child’s unlawful use of a controlled substance.

2002, c. 863.