Our Virginia Beach personal injury lawyers have one goal– to help you secure the best possible settlement for your case.
For over 34 years, victims have trusted the Law Offices of Richard J. Serpe, PC for help in matters involving maritime injury, car accidents, traumatic brain injury, dog bites, truck accidents, wrongful death, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, birth injury, and many other types of personal injury accidents.
Virginia Beach Injury Lawyer FAQs
We are here to answer your questions and teach you how the legal system can help.
- Do I need to hire a personal injury lawyer?
- How are injury settlements calsulated?
- Accept the offer or hire a lawyer?
- What are the deadlines for filing a claim?
- How much is a personal injury lawyer?
Do I need to hire an injury lawyer?
A: The simple answer is no.
However, you need to be careful not to sign away your legal rights with the other insurance company for a small settlement. If you agree to a settlement and sign the release papers, you cannot change your mind or come back for another settlement at a later date.
We highly recommend that you contact a Virginia Beach personal injury lawyer if you have experienced any of the following:
- Your Injuries Are Life-Altering: If you are permanently injured after a personal injury, it is likely that you could be facing a lifelong battle of challenges.
- Your Injuries Are Severe: Even when not permanent, severe injuries can still be debilitating resulting in expensive medical bills.
- Liability Is Uncertain: It’s not always clear who is at fault in an accident and who should be held liable. When multiple parties are involved, the insurance companies will do all they can to shift liability to another insurer. If there are numerous injuries, there may be less settlement money to go around.
- Low-Ball Offers: Insurance companies will often make low-ball offers within a matter of just a few weeks hoping to quickly settle a claim. If you’re comfortable accepting their offer, it may only take a few weeks to see your settlement check. Unfortunately, though, these offers come with an agreement that you will not seek additional compensation for damages relating to the accident.
How are personal injury claims calculated?
Depending on the details of your situation, you may be entitled to one or more of the following types of damages:
- Medical bills: Whether you need an ambulance ride to a hospital, a life-saving surgery, or years of physical therapy– medical bills can add up quickly. Why should you be responsible for these bills when someone else’s negligence caused your injuries? A personal injury lawyer can help you seek compensation for those bills, as well as any future medical expenses associated with your injury.
- Lost income: If you’re hospitalized after your accident, there’s a good chance you’ll miss work while you recuperate. That lost income should not be written off. Seek the paychecks you missed out on. Accidents can put people out of work for months or permanently, so the loss of earnings should also be included in your settlement.
- Pain and suffering: Long after the physical wounds heal, the emotional pain of an accident can linger. Pain and suffering may be included in your settlement.
- Punitive damages: Negligent parties often need more than an accident to deter them from acting recklessly again. Punitive damages can motivate them to act more responsibly in the future.
- Wrongful death: If your loved one was killed because of someone else’s negligence, 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. Of course, the emotional loss cannot be understated either. The loss of companionship and affection is irreplaceable. The Virginia wrongful death statute allows certain family members to bring a claim for the losses they have suffered from the death of a loved one.
Accept the offer or hire a lawyer?
When recovering from a Virginia Beach accident, medical bills should be the last thing on your mind. A person’s health is priceless, after all. With any luck, bones will mend and wounds will heal. But that’s inevitably when the medical bills start rolling in. So who pays?
It’s tempting to take the first settlement the insurance company offers you, especially when you’ve got medical bills piling up. But accept that first offer and you’ll be out of luck should long-term injuries and complications set in. When accepting the check, you’ll likely have to sign a release agreeing that the payment is a “full and final settlement.” Sign it, and you’ll never again be allowed to ask the at-fault’s insurance company for more compensation.
An experienced Virginia Beach personal injury attorney will ensure that you’ve reached maximum medical improvement (when your condition cannot be improved any further), before negotiating with the insurance company. This will ensure that all of your medical bills are included in the settlement, as well as any permanent long-term care that you will need.
Statute of Limitations for Virginia Personal Injury Claims
Under Virginia law, it is necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit within strict deadlines imposed by law. In many cases, Virginia provides for a two-year deadline also known as a Statute of Limitations. However, every case is different and this deadline could vary depending on the circumstances of the situation.
To protect your rights, you should speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Once you have missed this deadline, you will no longer be able to file a claim.
No Legal Fees Unless We Win
Our no-fee promise means that you don’t owe us any legal fees unless we settle or win your case. Our Virginia and Virginia Beach 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.
We understand the fees associated with a lawsuit can be a barrier to justice. Our Virginia and Virginia Beach personal injury attorneys believe that everyone should have a voice when it comes to asserting their rights. Corporations and insurance companies have tremendous resources, and our no-fee promise levels the playing field.
Contact Us For A Free Case Review
After an accident, you need an ally who will work tirelessly to ensure your rights are protected. Allow the Serpe Firm team to be your advocate in your time of need. Our personal injury lawyers will fight for the best possible outcome on your behalf. Contact us for a free, no-risk consultation today.
