Pedestrians are no match for the average vehicle. That’s why many collisions between pedestrians and cars result in minor damage to the vehicle – yet have deadly consequences for the pedestrian. Pedestrians are at risk of serious, catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, head injuries, broken bones, spinal cord injuries and even wrongful death.
We Can Protect Your Rights
After being hit by a car, it can be difficult to know who to trust. While you might expect the insurance company to have your best interests at heart, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Insurers are out to turn a profit. If they see any opportunity to deny a claim or minimize a settlement, they’ll take it.
Our Norfolk pedestrian accident lawyers can help you negotiate a fair settlement and ensure you’re not being taken for a ride. And if the insurance won’t offer a fair settlement, we can file a lawsuit and further escalate your case.
Types of Pedestrian Injury Cases
Types of pedestrian personal injury cases we are investigating include:
- Pedestrian accidents caused by distracted drivers
- Pedestrian accidents caused by drunk drivers
- Pedestrian accidents caused by failure to obey the law
- Pedestrian accidents involving buses and light rails
- Pedestrian accidents caused by rideshare vehicles
- Pedestrian accidents caused by motorcyclists
- Pedestrian accidents caused by commercial truck drivers
Attorney Richard Serpe
Richard Serpe is a distinguished personal injury lawyer with a reputation for meticulous preparation and presentation. Mr. Serpe has a tremendous track record of success in obtaining favorable jury verdicts and settlements for his clients.
As a Virginia personal injury attorney, he advocates for those who have been injured due to the negligence of another person, dangerous product, or company. A substantial portion of his 35-year legal career has been devoted to the representation of injured children.
- Best Lawyers in America® (2005 – Present)
- Martindale-Hubbell law directory: AV Preeminent (highest rating)
- “Super Lawyer”: top 5% of lawyers in Virginia (2006 – Present)
- Avvo.com : Rated 10/10 – “Superb”
How long will a injury case take?
There are many factors that go into determining how long it will take to settle a pedestrian accident claim. Here are the most important:
- Initial consultation: When a client schedules their initial meeting with our personal injury team, they share their story and learn of their legal options. A discussion of the person’s rights leads to a decision of whether to work together or not. If the person wishes to hire our law firm, they’ll be required to sign an agreement allowing us to represent them.
- Investigation: Our injury team will work to investigate the accident that caused your injuries. We’ll be looking into the statements of witnesses, the police accident reports and photographs taken at the scene. In some cases, we may even hire experts to better understand what led to the incident.
- Documentation: Your attorney will work with your healthcare providers to assemble as much information about your injuries as possible. Your medical history, hospital bills and medical records will be compiled to establish your injuries were in fact sustained in the accident.
- Settlement negotiations: In order to receive a fair settlement from your insurance company, we compile a demand package that contains pertinent results from the investigation and documentation steps. Most cases are resolved at this point, but negotiations with the insurance company can continue for a lengthy period of time. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, a lawsuit may be filed.
- Filing a lawsuit: When a lawsuit is filed, the personal injury lawsuit process begins. Although this does kick-start preparations for a jury trial, your attorney will continue to negotiate and attempt to settle out of court.
These steps can vary in length depending on the case, so there is no cut and dried answer to questions about how long the personal injury claims process takes.
Compensatory Damages
Depending on the specifics of the accident, victims may be entitled to one or more of the following types of compensation:
- Medical Bills: When recovering from a pedestrian accident, it’s easy to rack up thousands of dollars in medical bills – none of which you, as a victim, should pay for. We seek compensation for those bills, as well as physical therapy and any future medical expenses associated with the injury.
- Lost Income: When you’re injured, you’ll likely have to miss work to fully recover. You can sue for the paychecks you missed out on. Pedestrian accidents often put people out of work for months. The loss of future earnings of your injuries can also be included in your settlement.
- Pain and Suffering: This is based on the physical pain and mental anguish you’ve suffered as a result of being hit by a car or truck. Pain and suffering damages can be included in your injury settlement.
- Wrongful death: When a pedestrian is killed in a crash, they often leave behind a family. That family has to shoulder medical bills and funeral costs – and the loss of future income from their main source of income. The emotional loss cannot be undervalued, either. The loss of companionship and affection is irreplaceable. Virginia allows certain family members to file a claim for the losses they’ve suffered after the wrongful death of a loved one.
Statue of Limitations (Deadlines)
If you’ve been hit by a negligent driver, time is of the essence. The statute of limitations for a Virginia personal injury lawsuit is typically limited to just two years, so you’ll want to speak to an experienced Virginia car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
While two years might seem like a long time, the time it takes you to heal, the investigation, and negotiations can be lengthy. Once you’ve missed the deadline to file a lawsuit, you will never again be allowed to ask for compensation for injuries related to the accident. The sooner you call to schedule your initial consultation, the sooner you can put the entire incident behind you.
