Virginia is one of only five states and territories that still adheres to a pure contributory negligence system, under which any percentage of fault attributed to a plaintiff completely disqualifies them from civil recovery. In other words, even if a negligent truck driver or trucking company is 99 percent at fault for a truck crash in Virginia, a finding of one percent liability for the plaintiff filing suit would likely mean the end of any hopes of civil recovery. Accordingly, it is especially crucial to work with a skilled lawyer when litigating truck accident claims in Virginia, as contesting allegations of contributory fault will be an essential component of virtually every case.