Legal Question in Personal Injury in Virginia

Re: seriousness of a crime

A conviction for a Class 1 misdemeanor in the Commonwealth carries a possible penalty of up to 12 months in the local jail and a fine of up to $2500, either or both.

However, if you're a first time offender, you should be able to escape this encounter with the criminal justice system with probation and no jail time, and, perhaps, a modest fine plus payment of court costs.