Who is liable in an intersection accident in Virginia?

In Virginia, liability for an intersection accident is based on negligence and the state’s pure contributory negligence rule, meaning a driver who is even slightly at fault may be barred from recovering damages.

Fault is typically assigned based on right-of-way laws—for example, drivers who run red lights, fail to yield while turning, or enter an intersection unsafely are often found responsible. In some cases, both drivers may share contributing actions, but even a minimal fault from one party can affect the outcome.

Insurance companies and investigators rely on evidence such as police reports, witness statements, and traffic camera footage to determine who had the right of way and how the crash occurred