Helping You Recover Compensation for Your Injuries and Anguish After a Car Accident that Wasn’t Your Fault.
We get the difficult decisions you will face after a car accident. This is especially true if you have serious injuries and require long-term medical care. When you hire us, we deal with the legal issues so you can focus on your recovery. Our goal is to help you secure the best possible settlement for your case. Our car accident attorneys have represented hundreds of victims injured in Virginia auto accidents for over 34 years.
Skip to: Why should I hire a car accident lawyer? | Handling the Insurance Companies | Car Accident Settlements | Statute of Limitations (Deadlines) | How much will a lawyer cost me?
Attorney Richard Serpe
As a Virginia personal injury attorney, Richard Serpe 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 and protection of injured children.
He’s earned a reputation as a well-respected, hard-working attorney with a tenacious approach to every case he takes on. Richard Serpe has a track record of success in obtaining favorable settlements and verdicts for his clients.
Awards and Recognition: Best Lawyers® : (2005 – Present), Super Lawyer : (2006 – Present), Martindale-Hubbell: AV Preeminent Rating, and Avvo.com : Rated 10/10 – “Superb.”
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
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. A Virginia Beach car accident lawyer can help you negotiate a fair settlement and ensure you’re not being taken advantage of.
Here are a few situations that may benefit from a Virginia Beach car accident lawyer:
- Permanent, Life-Altering Injuries: If you are permanently disabled after a car accident, it is likely your injuries will affect your ability to work and earn a living. An experienced car accident lawyer can help the car insurance companies, and a jury, understand just how much your injury will affect the rest of your life.
- Severe Injuries: Even if your injuries are not permanent, when severe, you are likely to have expensive medical bills and lost income. Insurance companies will likely offer you an unfair settlement offer.
- Death of a loved one.
How do I handle with the insurance companies?
We strongly advise that you do not to speak with insurance companies until you’ve contacted a Virginia Beach car accident lawyer. You may mistakenly say something that could negatively impact your settlement. Contrary to popular belief, you’re not required to give a recorded statement to the insurance company if they ask for one. Once hired, we become your first line of defense – insurance companies will have to go through our team in order to get to you.
Understanding Car Accident Settlements
Settlement amounts are based on both the damage done and the severity of the injuries sustained. Another major factor? Policy limits. These caps set by the insurance company limit the size of the settlement they are willing to pay. Agreed to in the insurance policy purchased by the insured, policy limits often represent the ceiling for settlement negotiations. Even if your claim is less than the policy limit, insurance companies make low-ball settlement offers at first. A Virginia Beach car accident lawyer can help you negotiate a fair settlement.
Types of Compensation
Depending on the specifics of the car accident, victims may be entitled to one or more of the following types of damages:
- Medical costs: Whether it’s an ambulance ride, a life-saving surgery, or years of physical therapy– medical bills will add up quickly. Seek compensation for those bills, as well as any future medical expenses associated with your injury.
- Lost wages: Loss of past and future earnings should also be included in your settlement.
- Pain and suffering: Pain and suffering can sometimes be compensated for in your settlement.
- Wrongful death: If your loved one was killed in a car crash, you’re probably grief-stricken and wondering how you’ll shoulder medical bills, funeral costs. Not to mention the loss of future income for your family. The emotional loss cannot be understated either. The Virginia wrongful death act allows certain family members to bring a claim for the losses they have suffered from the death of a loved one.
Statute of Limitations (Deadlines)
Many accident victims that have taken a “wait and see” approach to find out the hard way. There are strict time limitations for bringing a Virginia car accident injury claim. As time goes by and injuries have not gotten any better, victims then seek help for chronic pain or mounting hospital bills. If you wait too long, the door to justice is closed forever.
In Virginia, you typically must file a Virginia car accident lawsuit with the court within two years of the date of the accident. However, every accident is different and the circumstances surrounding the situation may change these deadlines.
While two years might seem like a long time, the investigation and negotiation processes can be lengthy. To protect your rights, you should speak with a Virginia personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Once you have missed this deadline, you will no longer be able to file a claim.
How much does a car accident lawyer charge?
We understand the fees associated with a lawsuit can be a barrier to justice. Corporations and insurance companies have tremendous resources, and our no-fee promise levels the playing field. Our no-fee promise means that you don’t owe us any legal fees unless we settle or win your case. Our personal injury lawyers will work on your behalf to get a fair settlement, and only charge legal fees if you receive a settlement or verdict.
Free Consultations 757-233-0009
Our attorneys represent injured victims involved in various types of Virginia Beach car accident cases including: collision accidents, rear-end accidents, texting and distracted driving accidents, drunk driving accidents, truck & tractor-trailer accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accident, injuries caused by vehicle defects, guardrail accidents, motorcycle accidents, uber/lyft accidents, and wrongful death.
