Is it Possible to Sue a City or County in Virginia for Personal Injury?
In most cases, cities and counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia owe the same duty of care that private parties owe to individuals, namely, a duty to refrain from acting in any way that causes property loss or injury to another person. If the city or county’s breach of that duty is the proximate cause of injuries and losses, and the injured party can sue the city and county for personal injury.
The personal injury lawyers at Rutter Mills represent accident victims in lawsuits against negligent parties, including cities and counties throughout Virginia. Our attorneys have extensive experience with the stricter rules that an accident victim must follow to sue those cities or counties.
What special requirements apply to lawsuits against a city or county in Virginia?
In addition to regular pleading rules and deadlines that apply to personal injury lawsuits, under Virginia law an injured party must file a written statement with the city or county that is the target of the lawsuit that describes the nature of the accident victim’s claim and the time and place where the injury occurred. An injured party’s failure to file this written statement within the prescribed time, or the filing of a statement that does not include all of the required information, could be a reason for dismissal of an injured party’s lawsuit against a city or county.
Do the same notice provisions apply to personal injury lawsuits against the State?
Personal injury lawsuits against the State or any of the nine transportation districts in the State require an injured party to file a written statement within one year after an accident.
Call Rutter Mills for legal representation
In some cases, an accident victim might have a cause of action against a city or county in addition to a claim against a private party. A personal injury attorney at Rutter Mills can advise you as to your legal obligations and help ensure that all necessary documents are filed before time limits expire. We have built our reputation on fighting on behalf of our clients for full damages from all liable parties. We represent accident victims in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, and elsewhere in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
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– Brother Rutter