By FindLaw Staff | Legally reviewed by Garrett Monteagudo, Esq. | Last reviewed December 07, 2022
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If you're involved in an accident in West Virgina, you'll want to know about the car accident compensation laws in the state.
Continue reading for an overview of West Virginia car accident compensations laws in West Virginia.
West Virginia requires injured parties to prove that another driver was “at fault" before any damages will be awarded. In 2015, West Virginia enacted a new law that established modified comparative negligence and allows injured parties to recover as long as the injured party's fault is not greater than the combined fault of all the other parties.
In other words, under this standard, if you suffered $10,000 in damages and the court determined that you were 50% at fault for your injuries, the court would award you $5,000 in damages. This is a much more forgiving rule that the contributory fault rule at play next door in Virginia.
For more about West Virginia car accident compensation laws, take a look at the table below.
Statute of Limitations |
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Damages Limits |
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In most cases, you will be entitled to both economic and non-economic compensatory damages for your car accident injuries. Compensatory damages are meant to do just that: compensate you for your injury. Almost any cost suffered, including lost income, medical expenses, and car repairs can be recovered as compensatory damages.
Lesser known amongst types of damages are the non-economic damages which may be available to you. These are the damages you suffered that are harder to assign a cost to, such as emotional distress, pain and suffering, and disfigurement. Finally, in rare cases, including negligent infliction of emotional distress, West Virginia permits punitive damage awards by the court.
Examples of car accident damages include:
West Virginia has state-imposed time limits, known as statutes of limitations, for how long you can wait before filing a lawsuit to recover damages from a car accident. In negligence cases, you have two years to file a claim.
If you were injured by someone working for the government, West Virginia has some specific requirements for how you draft your lawsuit, including a requirement that you not specify a number amount for your damages and that you bring your claim within two years. The State also prohibits punitive damage awards in such cases and limits non-economic damages to $500,000 per person.
Recovering damages after a car accident can be complicated and confusing. From the paperwork involved to the legal issues at stake, recovering such damages can be overwhelming. Consider speaking with a West Virginia motor vehicle accident attorney. They can help you navigate all parts of the process of recovering damages after a car accident.
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