What to Do After a Car Accident in Virginia Beach

A car accident in Virginia Beach can be disorienting, frightening, and overwhelming. Whether you have just experienced a crash on Interstate 64, along Virginia Beach Boulevard, or at any of the busy intersections that connect Hampton Roads’ cities, the steps you take immediately following the collision can have a significant and lasting impact on both your health and your legal rights.

What to Do at the Scene

The first priority after any crash is safety. If you are able to do so, move yourself and others away from active traffic and call 911. Virginia law requires that any driver involved in a crash resulting in injury, death, or property damage stop at the scene, remain until law enforcement arrives, and provide identifying information to the other parties involved. Leaving the scene of such a crash — even temporarily — is a criminal offense under Virginia Code § 46.2-894.

While you wait for emergency responders, do not admit fault or apologize, even informally. Statements made at the scene can be used against you later in an insurance claim or lawsuit. Instead, focus on gathering information: the other driver’s name, address, insurance company and policy number, vehicle make, model, and license plate, and the names and contact information of any witnesses. If you are physically able, photograph the damage to all vehicles involved, the positions of the vehicles, any visible injuries, road conditions, skid marks, and any traffic signals or signs in the area.

Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Even if you feel uninjured or only mildly sore after a crash, seek a medical evaluation as soon as possible — ideally the same day. Many serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and internal bleeding, do not produce obvious symptoms immediately after impact. Adrenaline can mask pain, and injuries that feel minor at the scene can become significantly worse within hours or days. Delaying medical care not only puts your health at risk, it can also be used by insurance adjusters to argue that your injuries were not caused by the crash. A timely medical record establishes a direct connection between the collision and your injuries.

Report the Crash

Depending on the circumstances, Virginia law may require a crash to be reported. Even when law enforcement responds to the scene, obtaining a copy of the official crash report is important. The report can contain the officer’s observations, any citations issued, and a diagram of the crash scene — all of which may be valuable in supporting an injury claim.

Understand Virginia’s Contributory Negligence Rule

Virginia is one of only a small number of states that follows the doctrine of pure contributory negligence. Under this rule, if an injured person is found to bear even the slightest degree of fault for the crash — even one percent — they may be completely barred from recovering any compensation from the other driver. This is one of the harshest negligence standards in the country, and it is precisely why the actions you take at the scene and immediately afterward matter so much. Insurance adjusters are well aware of Virginia’s contributory negligence rule and may attempt to gather statements or evidence that can be used to assign partial fault to you, reducing or eliminating your recovery.

Do Not Speak With the Other Driver’s Insurance Company Alone

After a crash, the other driver’s insurance company will often contact you quickly — sometimes within hours. Their goal is to resolve your claim as cheaply and efficiently as possible. You are not required to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer, and doing so before speaking with an attorney can seriously harm your case. Adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that can be used to minimize the insurer’s liability. Politely declining to provide a recorded statement until you have consulted with an attorney is your right and one of the most important steps you can take to protect your claim.

Contact a Virginia Personal Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in Virginia Beach or anywhere in Hampton Roads, you deserve to understand your full legal rights before making any decisions. An experienced personal injury attorney can evaluate the facts of your crash, advise you on the strength of your claim, deal directly with insurance companies on your behalf, and fight for the compensation you are owed — including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future care costs. For crashes involving serious injuries or fatalities, having skilled legal representation is not just helpful — it is essential.

Breit Law serves injury victims throughout Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and all of Hampton Roads. With more than 47 years of trial experience, William Breit has fought for seriously injured Virginians and is not afraid to take your case to court. If you have been hurt in a crash and are not sure where to turn, contact us today for a consultation.

Virginia Beach, Virginia, where car accidents occur on highways, local roads, and major intersections throughout the city.