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ARLINGTON, VA (March 19, 2025) – A woman was rescued after her car plunged into the Potomac River on March 18.
According to officials, a one-car crash on the George Washington Memorial Parkway caused the car to enter the water. The car was submerged near the shoreline between 14th Street and the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
The woman had gotten out of the car and was clinging to the vehicle before emergency personnel helped the woman to shore with a throw bag.
She was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No one else was in the car at the time of the accident.
When vehicles enter the water in Arlington, Virginia, these incidents create complex personal injury scenarios with unique challenges for victims seeking compensation.
The proximity of Arlington to the Potomac River and other waterways like Four Mile Run creates inherent risks. Several documented cases have involved vehicles leaving roadways along the George Washington Memorial Parkway and other arterial roads near water bodies, resulting in catastrophic injuries and fatalities.
From a liability standpoint, these cases often involve multiple potential defendants. Arlington County may bear responsibility for inadequate guardrails, poor road design, or insufficient warning signage near waterways. Vehicle manufacturers could face claims if electronic systems failed during water immersion or if vehicle escape mechanisms proved defective. In multi-vehicle incidents, other drivers’ negligence may have forced the victim’s vehicle off the road.
Virginia’s contributory negligence doctrine presents a significant hurdle in these cases. Under this strict standard, a plaintiff found even 1% at fault loses all right to recovery. This becomes particularly relevant in water immersion cases where defense counsel routinely raises questions about driver reaction time, speed, or distraction.
Evidence preservation is critical. To document electronic systems and mechanical components, vehicle recovery must happen quickly before water damage destroys crucial evidence. Accident reconstruction specialists must analyze skid patterns, road conditions, and barrier impacts to establish the sequence of events.
Medical documentation in water immersion cases requires particular attention to not only immediate traumatic injuries but also secondary complications from water aspiration, hypothermia, and post-traumatic stress disorder, which is especially common following the terror of vehicle submersion.
For victims of water-related vehicle accidents in Arlington, early consultation with an Arlington car accident lawyer provides the best opportunity for successful recovery. Contact Regan Zambri Long today to schedule a free consultation.
This post was created using outside sources about serious accidents in Virginia. Regan Zambri Long has not independently verified all facts surrounding this accident. If you locate inaccurate information related to this post, please get in touch with us immediately so we can correct it. We will remove a post if requested. Please note that this post is not intended as a solicitation for legal representation. None of the information herein should be interpreted as medical or legal advice.
