What should you know about pedestrian accidents in Virginia?
Arlington, Alexandria, Richmond and Norfolk have busy walkable areas near fast arterial roads, and Northern Virginia's suburbs include wide roads like Route 1 and Route 7 with long gaps between crosswalks..
Virginia tip: Do not accept a denial based on contributory negligence without asking an attorney about exceptions.
Who may be responsible for a pedestrian accident in Virginia?
The driver is usually the main responsible party, but property owners and agencies can share responsibility. In Virginia, that can include the driver, the driver's employer, a property owner — depending on who caused the crash.
Under Virginia's contributory negligence rule, an insurer may try to deny a pedestrian accident claim by pointing to even a small mistake on your part. Read Virginia car accident laws for the full rule.
How long do you have to file a pedestrian accident claim in Virginia?
Generally two years for a lawsuit, counted from the date of the pedestrian accident. Claims involving Virginia cities, counties or transit agencies can require written notice much sooner.