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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78713</law_id><section_number>59.1-204</section_number><catch_line>Individual action for damages or penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>59.1-204.1</reference><reference>59.1-207</reference><reference>59.1-207.49</reference><reference>59.1-529</reference><reference>59.1-537</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="59.1">Trade and Commerce</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="17">Virginia Consumer Protection Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who suffers loss as the result of a violation of this chapter shall be entitled to initiate an action to recover actual <span class="dictionary">damages</span>, or $500, whichever is greater. If the trier of <span class="dictionary">fact</span> finds that the violation was willful, it may increase <span class="dictionary">damages</span> to an amount not exceeding three times the actual <span class="dictionary">damages</span> sustained, or $1,000, whichever is greater. Any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who accepts a <span class="dictionary">cure offer</span> under this chapter may not initiate or maintain any other or additional action based on any <span class="dictionary">cause of action</span> arising under any other <span class="dictionary">statute</span> or <span class="dictionary">common law</span> theory if such other action is substantially based on the same <span class="dictionary">allegations</span> of <span class="dictionary">fact</span> on which the action initiated under this chapter is based. <a id="paragraph-282040" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-204/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in addition to any <span class="dictionary">damages</span> awarded, such <span class="dictionary">person</span> also may be awarded reasonable attorneys&#x2019; fees and <span class="dictionary">court</span> costs. <a id="paragraph-282041" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-204/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> No <span class="dictionary">cure offer</span> shall be <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> in any proceeding initiated under this section, unless the <span class="dictionary">cure offer</span> is delivered by a <span class="dictionary">supplier</span> to the <span class="dictionary">person</span> claiming loss or to any attorney representing such <span class="dictionary">person</span>, prior to the filing of the <span class="dictionary">supplier</span>&#x2019;s initial responsive pleading in such proceeding. If the <span class="dictionary">cure offer</span> is timely delivered by the <span class="dictionary">supplier</span>, then the <span class="dictionary">supplier</span> may introduce the <span class="dictionary">cure offer</span> into <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> at <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. The <span class="dictionary">supplier</span> shall not be liable for such <span class="dictionary">person</span>&#x2019;s attorneys&#x2019; fees and <span class="dictionary">court</span> costs incurred following delivery of the <span class="dictionary">cure offer</span> unless the actual <span class="dictionary">damages</span> found to have been sustained and awarded, without consideration of attorneys&#x2019; fees and <span class="dictionary">court</span> costs, exceed the value of the <span class="dictionary">cure offer</span>. <a id="paragraph-282042" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-204/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> In any action which the parties desire to settle all matters in dispute, the question of whether the <span class="dictionary">plaintiff</span> shall be awarded reasonable attorneys&#x2019; fees and <span class="dictionary">court</span> costs in accordance with subsections B and C may be tendered to the <span class="dictionary">court</span> for consideration of the amount of such an award, if any. <a id="paragraph-282043" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/59.1-204/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1977, c. 635; 1995, cc. 703, 726; 2004, cc. 41, 90; 2005, c. 250; 2006, c. 453.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
