(757) 552-6055A prior female client of ours was changing in a local retail store when she heard rustling in the acoustical tiles above her. She saw a peeping Tom looking down at her while she was in a state of undress. Prior emotional trauma caused her to relive a number of horrors from her past, and […]
Calculating Damages in a Traumatic Brain Injury Case
Virginia Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer “Damages” loosely defined are the amount of monetary compensation an injury victim should receive. Of course, we know that no amount of money can undo the harm that a victim has received due to someone else’s negligence. The argument we frequently make in court, however, is that since damages are the only […]
So How Much is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
It may not be the first or even the second question on your mind, but inevitably all of our clients want to know: How much is my personal injury case worth? Not only is that a reasonable question, it is the most important question. We don’t hide from answering questions like this, but we always […]
Your First Personal Injury Consultation and What to Bring
Accidents and injuries by definition are emergency situations. While protecting life, health, and property (in that order) are priorities, the legal action needs to take place immediately thereafter. We like to set up our initial consultations with new personal injury clients as soon as possible. But before new clients come in, they have typically been bombarded […]
Breaking the Chain in Chain Reaction Accidents
One of the most confounding types of vehicle accidents is the so-called “chain reaction” accident. Our office has handled multiple such cases, and each case comes with its own set of challenges and concerns. Take the so-called standard case. In the Hampton Roads area, unfortunately, such a case probably originates in one of our many […]
In Defense of Lawyers
When an accident or incident occurs, one party is outraged and seeks justice. The other side is equally upset. In the old West, the parties would have resorted to a duel, but in modern times, litigants can, and must, turn to the courts. In personal injury cases, it is important to remember that even in […]
When is “Just a Bump on the Head” a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Personal injury law and science are allowing us to better understand that minor blows to the head may not be so minor when it comes to an individual’s ability to function. As a result, our personal injury office is screening almost all injury cases for unusual symptoms, which require further investigation. Recent media has highlighted […]
Statute of Limitations: A Ticking Time Bomb
When it comes to things which can trip up your personal injury claim, there are a few less forgiving traps than the statute of limitations. Consider that an injury victim could be in the most deserving category having been completely blameless for a serious accident. The injuries could be catastrophic and the right to recover […]
How to Properly Document Damages in a Personal Injury Case
Everyone knows that you sustained serious injuries in your accident. Now, how do you go about proving it? Even the best personal injury lawyers cannot undo the damage a negligent driver has done. This realization is very sobering to us as we attempt to help put back the pieces of shattered lives. While the damage […]
Hidden Toll of Traumatic Brain Injury Jeff Brooke
Recent cases handled by our firm have underlined what many now know: traumatic brain injuries are taking a silent but crippling toll on people who receive blows to the head. The fact that people get hit in the head, of course, is not new. What is new is the evolving science and the knowledge that […]
Punitive Damages in Personal Injury Cases
The main consideration of injury cases, indeed most civil cases, is compensation. Unlike the criminal justice system where we need to be concerned about deterrence and public safety, the civil justice system strives only to put back what has been lost economically. This is true throughout the civil legal system with one notable exception: punitive […]
What Are Damages in Personal Injury Law?
Like many legal terms, the term “damages” can often be perplexing. Most non-lawyers consider damage to be something that their house may sustain in a storm or that a package may suffer during delivery. In legal terms, damages are related to these common considerations but are more specific. Black’s Law Dictionary defines damages as “pecuniary […]
Three Questions to Ask Yourself When Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Believe it or not, advertising is a good place to start. Unless you already know the name of a personal injury attorney, you will probably choose your attorney based upon name recognition and reputation alone. Advertising, or more particularly, public relations, is a good place to start. Television advertising is the most visible but not […]
There is Nothing Amusing about Amusement Park Injuries
Summertime typically means flocks of visitors to amusement parks and other entertainment venues. Ironically, while the purpose of such venues is entertainment, they also present a heightened risk for injuries and even death. Amusement parks typically try to strike a balance between rides which seem dangerous but are, in fact, extremely safe. Most of the […]
Serious Injury Claim Up In Smoke?
State Bar Required Disclaimer: The results of specific cases reported are not meant to be a prediction or guarantee of any other case. Each case depends upon a variety of factors specific to that case. While we have been representing injury victims for decades in this area, it is amazing how often new legal issues […]
Who Pays My Medical Bills in a Personal Injury Case?
First, no lawyer can pay your medical bills. This may seem obvious but the line is sometimes blurred in the case of consulting doctors who also afford treatment. For the purposes of this blog, it is sufficient to note that care that the doctor provides is treated as a regular medical bill. If the doctor […]
A New Avenue for Personal Injury Venue
Those who know a thing or two about legal matters probably know the term “venue.” Most often this comes up when one side or the other asks for a “change of venue.” The kind of jockeying around that lawyers do about venue is frequently perceived as the worst kind of petty tactics. Yet, for a […]
Injury Victims’ Rights and the 2014 General Assembly
Followers of Virginia law collectively hold their breath for the roughly three months that the Virginia General Assembly meets every year. Over the years, a number of sweeping proposals have been made there, which might completely overhaul the area of victims’ rights (generally known as “tort law”). While the so-called “tort reform” legislators are still […]
Winter Risk of Fire in Virginia
The arrival of wintertime can bring some unwelcomed guests: cold temperatures, snow and ice, but one “guest” that you may not have counted on is the increased risk of fire. Statistics and local headlines show that when Old Man Winter comes in, the risk of fire goes up. The primary culprit is the widespread use of […]
Hunting Accidents in Virginia Lead to Injuries and Death
It’s the time of year again when hunters will take to the woods and swamps of beautiful southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Hunting is a major Tidewater pastime and an exciting outlet for sportsmen that plays a vital role in culling herds of appropriate sizes. A recent incident in Sussex County, however, pointed out […]
