Helping You Recover Compensation for Your Injuries After a Car Accident that Wasn’t Your Fault.
Accidents happen. When you’re injured in a car accident through no fault of your own, you may be left wondering: what’s next? This is especially true if you incurred expensive medical bills, are unable to work because of your injuries, or are suffering from the lingering psychological impacts of the wreck. In Virginia, car accident victims have the right to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver to recover compensation for their damages.
Facing the legal system, the insurance company, and the at-fault party can be a lot to take on. Most people are inexperienced with the Virginia personal injury claims process. Insurance companies know this and will seize any opportunity they can to deny or minimize a settlement. Protect your legal right to compensation by working with an experienced Portsmouth car accident lawyer.
How a Car Accident Attorney Can Help Your Case
Our Portsmouth car accident lawyers can help protect your right to compensation in a range of ways. We’ll start by conducting an investigation into the accident and determine the potential value of your claim. We’ll also work to shield you from predatory and abusive insurance company tactics. By working together, we’ll help you avoid costly mistakes that could jeopardize the outcome of your case.
An experienced Portsmouth car accident attorney can also go toe-to-toe with insurance adjusters and negotiate the largest settlement possible. In some cases, insurance companies will refuse to offer fair compensation. When necessary, we’ll file a lawsuit and hold them accountable for the coverage promised in their policies.
Virginia Car Crash Settlements
Personal injury accident settlements depend largely on the damage done and the severity of the injuries sustained. Insurance coverage and policy limits also play a role. Accident victims are often entitled to the following compensatory damages:
- Medical Bills: The cost of ambulance rides, emergency surgeries, pharmaceutical expenses, and ongoing physical therapy can add up fast. Accident victims are entitled to seek compensation for these costs as well as any ongoing medical expenses.
- Lost Wages: Some car accidents put victims out of work for months at a time. Others cause lifelong disabilities that jeopardize a person’s potential to earn a living altogether. The loss of future earnings can also be factored into your settlement.
- Pain and Suffering: While it can be hard to imagine attaching a dollar figure to the pain you’ve endured, compensation can help put you on the fast track to a complete recovery.
- Wrongful Death: When an accident results in a death, the victim’s family has the right to pursue legal action against the at-fault driver. If you’re a surviving loved one who is concerned about how to cover medical bills, funeral expenses, or the loss of future income, you may want to file a wrongful death claim.
Virginia Statute of Limitations
If you’ve been involved in a serious car crash, it’s important to take action quickly. In Virginia, victims have two years from the date of their accident to file a personal injury claim. Once that deadline passes, you’ll have no legal right to pursue damages stemming from the crash.
Two years seems like a long time at first glance. Unfortunately, these claims can take longer than people assume. It may take many months to recover fully from your injuries, and your attorney will need plenty of time to investigate the incident and prepare for negotiations. The more complicated the crash, the more time is needed to assemble resources. Wait too long to take action and you may even struggle to find an attorney willing to take on your case.
Timeline for Settling Your Claim
We’re often asked about how long Virginia car accident cases take to settle. The process is different for each claim. Generally, though, we follow these four steps:
- Consultations: When clients schedule their initial meeting with our firm, they share their story and learn about their legal options. If the person wishes to proceed with our team, they’ll sign an agreement allowing us to represent them.
- Investigation: We’ll dive into the investigation process to determine fault in the accident. We’ll look into medical records, witness statements, accident reports, and photos from the scene to fully understand the scope of the incident. We often bring in experts to better understand the leadup to the accident.
- Settlement Negotiations: We’ll compile a demand package containing relevant findings from our investigation and submit it to the insurance company. Many cases are resolved at this point in the process. When injuries are severe, though, the negotiation process may go back and forth for some time. If a fair settlement can’t be reached, a lawsuit may be necessary.
- Resolution: By filing a lawsuit, you put your fate in the hands of the courts. This decision kickstarts trial preparation, but insurance company negotiations often continue behind the scenes.
Protect Your Rights, Contact Us
If you decide to work with our Portsmouth car accident lawyer, we immediately reach out to the insurance company and direct their communications our way instead of yours. We’ll take over all questions and conversations with them – of course, no decisions are made without first speaking to you about your options.