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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78560</law_id><section_number>8.01-379.3</section_number><catch_line>General verdict accompanied by answer to interrogatories</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.01">Civil Remedies and Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="13">Certain Incidents of Trial</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Except in actions for <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> resulting in injury to <span class="dictionary">person</span> or death by wrongful act, in <span class="dictionary">civil actions</span> when the <span class="dictionary">court</span> determines that the complexity of the <span class="dictionary">issues</span> warrant, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may submit to the <span class="dictionary">jury</span>, together with appropriate forms for a general <span class="dictionary">verdict</span>, written <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span> upon one or more <span class="dictionary">issues</span> of <span class="dictionary">fact</span> the decision of which is necessary to a <span class="dictionary">verdict</span>. In actions for <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> resulting in injury to <span class="dictionary">person</span> or death by wrongful act, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall submit to the <span class="dictionary">jury</span> a general <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> form only, provided that the <span class="dictionary">court</span> may submit <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span> to the <span class="dictionary">jury</span> if otherwise specifically authorized by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, if under substantive <span class="dictionary">law</span> governing the case comparative <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> applies, or if all parties to the <span class="dictionary">action</span> agree that <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span> may be submitted to the <span class="dictionary">jury</span>. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall give such explanation or instruction as may be necessary to enable the <span class="dictionary">jury</span> both to make answers to the <span class="dictionary">interrogatories</span> and to render a general <span class="dictionary">verdict</span>, and the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall direct the <span class="dictionary">jury</span> both to make written answers and to render a general <span class="dictionary">verdict</span>. When the general <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> and the answers are consistent, the appropriate <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> upon the <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> and answers shall be entered by the <span class="dictionary">court</span>. When the answers are consistent with each other but one or more is inconsistent with the general <span class="dictionary">verdict</span>, or when the answers are inconsistent with each other and one or more is likewise inconsistent with the general <span class="dictionary">verdict</span>, <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> shall not be entered and the <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall either <span class="dictionary">order</span> the <span class="dictionary">jury</span> to further consider its answers and <span class="dictionary">verdict</span> or <span class="dictionary">order</span> a new <span class="dictionary">trial</span>.</p></section></text><history>2005, c. 499.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
