Virginia does not recognize the doctrine of "res ipsa loquitur" when applied against local governments providing such services, so the civil plaintiff is required to prove that the local government is responsible for the condition that led to damage or injury. Political subdivisions may waive their sovereign immunity, and wherever and whenever a local government purchases insurance for its vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and buses, that local government will be ruled to have waived its sovereign immunity up to the amount of the policy. A municipality can be sued for nuisances - the negligent creation of a hazardous situation - even if the nuisance was created in the course of carrying out a governmental function.