(757) 552-6055The area of law referred to as personal injury relates to claims for compensation for an injured victim. Personal injury claims can arise in different ways, including auto accidents, defective products, dog bite attacks, and accidents on business property. When the injuries are someone else’s fault, the victim may be able to recover financial compensation or damages. Our personal injury clients […]
Medical Expense Benefits Coverage / MedPay in Your Virginia Car Insurance Policy
Personal injury clients often ask about the different types of insurance coverage that an injured victim can use to help pay for medical expenses and other costs. Questions frequently relate to Medical Expense Benefits Coverage — also referred to as MedPay — which is available in Virginia, and include whether MedPay is the same as […]
Are Personal Injury Settlements Taxable?
A common question asked by our personal injury clients at The Jeff Brooke Team is whether the financial recovery in a personal injury settlement is taxable. While tax advice for a specific, individual situation should always come from an qualified tax professional, there are some general tax rules that apply to payments received from a personal […]
Dog Bite Injuries in Virginia: When Should You Talk With a Personal Injury Lawyer?
As the Virginia General Assembly adjourns for its 2018 session, one item on the agenda will be a proposed dog bite law to require disclosure of bite histories of dogs by animal adoption agencies. The legislative proposal results from a shocking case in which an elderly woman in Virginia Beach died from dog bite injuries […]
How Can You Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer in Virginia Beach?
There are important specific qualities you can identify that will help you select the right lawyer for your case. Any successful lawyer-client relationship is built on trust. That trust grows over time, but it has roots in qualities you can identify before you even meet with a lawyer and then explore in greater depth in […]
What Types of Accidents Cause Traumatic Brain Injuries?
Traumatic brain injuries, also referred to as TBI, are a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. The risk associated with TBI arises not only from the fact that any injury to the brain is serious, but also because even significant brain injuries often can go undetected. As a personal injury lawyer […]
What Should You Do If You Are in an Accident in Virginia Beach Today?
Asking what you should (or would) do if you’re in an accident in Virginia Beach today seems like a simple enough question. You immediate reaction probably is that you already know what you should do. But do you really know? There are certain things you are legally required to do under Virginia law. Then there are other […]
Why Are Public Police Reports Important in Accident Cases?
If you’ve been in an accident, a police officer probably arrived on the scene fairly quickly. The officer talked with people at the scene, collected names and addresses, and made notes. After the accident, the officer used that information to prepare a police report. That report is not conclusive evidence of what happened, but it […]
Can You Sue When a Dog Bites You in Virginia?
Many people are surprised to learn that sometimes the owner of a dog can be sued if the dog bites someone. In fact, Virginia Beach personal injury lawyer Jeff Brooke recently won a $300,000 settlement in a dog bite case. When that client came to The Jeff Brooke Team, she wasn’t sure whether suing the dog’s […]
Causation Requirement in VA Slip-and-Fall Cases
Slip-and-fall cases involve the question of whether a business has legal responsibility, also referred to as premises liability, for injuries received by a patron. Premises liability cases are always difficult to win in Virginia, because of all the elements required to prove a case. One requirement is causation. But what does that mean? Virginia Beach personal injury […]
Virginia Texting While Driving Law: What You Need To Know
Texting is the most dangerous form of distracted driving. Nearly one of every four accidents results from a driver who was texting. Nationwide, that’s 1.6 million accidents and more than 330,000 injuries each year. Our Virginia texting while driving law makes it illegal for anyone to text and drive in the state. What the Virginia […]
Virginia Auto Insurance Requirements: Virginia Beach Car Accident Lawyer Overview
Drivers often wonder whether they are required to have car insurance, and if so, what insurance is required. Each state sets its own auto insurance rules. Virginia actually does not require drivers to have insurance — but if a driver chooses not to buy insurance, other requirements must be met. Read on to learn from […]
Who Pays for an Injured Passenger? Answers from a Car Accident Lawyer in Virginia Beach
When you are injured as a passenger in a car involved in an accident, who pays your medical bills and other expenses and damages? The answer is: It can be complicated. Jeff Brooke, a car accident lawyer in Virginia Beach, explains who might pay and helps you determine what to do when you are an […]
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Symptoms and Causes
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a specific type of head injury that causes damage to the brain. TBI can be caused by car accidents and in other situations in which another person may be responsible. As a Virginia Beach personal injury attorney, Jeff Brooke has first-hand experience helping victims with traumatic brain injuries. Attorney Brooke understands how important it is […]
Pre-Injury Liability Waivers Are Not Always Valid or Enforceable in Virginia
You sign liability waivers all the time for activities, events, and programs. If your child is involved in sports, you are even more familiar with them. Did you know that in Virginia liability waivers are often invalid and unenforceable for personal injuries? Jeff Brooke, an experienced personal injury lawyer in Virginia, explains. What Is a Liability […]
Distracted Driving: Cautions From a Virginia Car Accident Attorney
Talking on your cell phone — or another distraction while you’re driving — is very dangerous. Virginia car accident attorney Jeff Brooke explains what distracted driving is, how it affects your ability to drive, and why it is so dangerous. What Is Distracted Driving? Distracted driving is anything that causes you to take hands off the wheel, […]
Car Accident in Virginia Beach: How Long Do You Have to Sue?
If you are injured in a car accident in Virginia Beach, state law puts a time limit on how long you have to file a lawsuit. Legal time limits generally are referred to as statutes of limitations. Every state sets these time limits on lawsuits. The limit varies, depending on the type of lawsuit. In […]
What To Do If You’re Injured in a Water Sport or Boating Accident
For water sports and recreation enthusiasts, as well as visitors who just want to look at beautiful water scenery, southeastern Virginia is the land of limitless opportunity: choices include the magnificent Chesapeake Bay — Virginia Beach oceanfront, marinas, and wharves — Elizabeth River in Norfolk — James River in Portsmouth — and many more. This […]
Amusement Park and Water Park Accidents and Injuries in Virginia
Amusement parks, theme parks, and water parks seem to be everywhere in Virginia. In the summer, county and municipal fairs offer additional opportunities to enjoy all the fun to be had on rides, water slides, and concessions in a carnival-like atmosphere. Water and theme parks abound, from the Ocean Breeze Waterpark in Virginia Beach and […]
If You Are in a Car Accident on Your Virginia Vacation: What You Need to Know
When you are involved in a car accident in Virginia, responsibility for the accident is determined by Virginia law—even if you live in another state. If you have an accident while visiting on vacation or business— whether you are driving or a passenger—there are state law requirements that apply as well. Liability for Virginia Car […]
