Virginia Personal Injury Attorneys

If you have been injured in an accident, it is important to know your rights, what to do next, and who to contact. 

An accident of any kind can be an unexpected and scary occurrence. You may not know what to do in the aftermath. Those who have been in accidents can experience financial hardships and long-lasting medical problems. 

Accident survivors may experience financial burdens, strained relationships, and the toll of emotional and physical recovery. When a serious injury causes severe outcomes like losing a limb or being permanently paralyzed, adjusting to such a big change in life can feel extremely hard.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident, you may have cause to bring a personal injury lawsuit for damages. A personal injury lawsuit can help you hold the accountable party responsible for their actions. 

The Smith Law Center has been fighting for personal injury victims for over 75 years and has recovered over a billion dollars for our clients. Contact a Virginia personal injury lawyer online or call (757) 244-7000. We are standing by to answer any of your questions and help you begin the legal process.

What Is a Personal Injury?

Personal injury is a broad term that covers many situations where someone gets hurt because of another person's actions or negligence. This could be from slipping on a wet floor that wasn't marked, a car crash caused by someone not paying attention, or even a faulty product.

If you find yourself injured because of someone else's mistake, Virginia law allows you to seek compensation to help cover medical bills, lost wages, and other costs you might face due to the injury.

A Virginia personal injury attorney has the skills and experience to represent people who have been physically or emotionally harmed due to someone else's carelessness.

Examples of Personal Injury Claims

There are many different types of situations where someone gets hurt and could be eligible to file a personal injury claim. The Smith Law Center has successfully represented people in a variety of claims, including: 

• Car Accidents: When someone drives recklessly or doesn't pay attention, they can cause a car accident that injures others on the road. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles shows that 1,005 deaths occurred on Virginia's roadways in one single year, an increase of about 3.8% from the previous year.
• Motorcycle Accidents: If a driver doesn't see a motorcycle or doesn't follow traffic rules, it can lead to a crash that harms the rider.
• Truck Accidents: Truck accidents often happen when drivers are tired or not driving safely, which can result in serious injuries to people in smaller vehicles.
• Dog Bites: When a dog owner doesn't properly control their pet or train it well, the dog may bite someone and cause injury.
• Workplace Accidents: Employers are responsible for keeping workplaces safe. If they don't fix hazards or provide proper training, workers can get hurt in accidents like falls or equipment malfunctions.
• Slips, Trips, and Fall: Property owners must keep their premises safe. If they don't fix broken steps or clean up spills, people can slip, trip, or fall and get hurt.
• Defective Products: If manufacturers sell something with a defect, like a toy that breaks easily or a medicine with harmful side effects, it can harm people who use it.

Types of Injuries The Smith Law Center Handles 

In a personal injury case, you can typically bring claims for a wide range of injuries and damages resulting from the negligence or intentional actions of another party. The team at The Smith Law Center has helped people in cases involving:

• Head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, concussions, and anoxic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries, including whiplash injuries, herniated disks, paraplegia, and quadriplegia.
• Burn injuries.
• Birth injuries, including cerebral palsy.
• Defective automobile injuries.
• Bedsores at Virginia nursing homes.
• Occupational exposure.
• Electric shock.
• Maritime injuries.
• Chemical solvent exposure.
• Dog bite injuries.
• Mesothelioma linked to asbestos exposure.
• Delayed injury symptoms after an accident.

Your attorney will evaluate the specifics of your case, including the injuries you have suffered, and provide an estimate of the potential value of your claim. 

Keep in mind that every case is unique, and the final amount you receive may vary based on negotiations with insurance companies or the outcome of a trial.

Listen to Attorney David Holt Talk About Our Approach to TBI Cases:

Five Reasons The Smith Law Center Stands Out

At The Smith Law Center, we know you have choices when it comes to legal representation. What sets us apart from others is our deep investment in our clients, where we place your goals and priorities above everything else.

Here’s why choosing The Smith Law Center can make a positive difference in your case: 

1. Decades of trusted service: Since 1949, our family-run firm has been a pillar in Virginia, dedicated to supporting victims of negligence through generations.
2. No-win, no-fee promise: We understand the financial strain of accidents. That’s why you only pay if we win, allowing you to focus on recovery without added financial worry.
3. Over a billion in settlements and verdicts: Our impressive track record speaks for itself, showcasing our ability to handle cases effectively and improve your chances of success.
4. History-making results: From landmark slip-and-fall cases to record-setting verdicts, we’ve secured justice and compensation that make a difference.
5. Experienced team, personalized support: Backed by a skilled team with over 300 years of combined experience, our diverse staff ensures you receive reliable assistance throughout your case.

Ready to see how we can help you? Contact us today for a free consultation at (757) 244-7000 or reach out online. We’re here to answer your questions and discuss your options with no obligation on your part.

“Attorney Howard Smith and the staff at Smith Law Center are top notch. I appreciated the concern about my well-being as we went through the process of my case. It was helpful to be kept in the loop and updated on a consistent basis. There were no surprises and I appreciate the direct manner in which my case was handled. Thank you for making me feel like I mattered.”

- Denise T.

How Can a Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me?

Throughout the legal process, your personal injury lawyer’s goal is to build a strong case. Your personal injury attorney will use evidence to show how the other person or company was responsible for your injuries and get you financial support for your losses. 

Your personal injury attorney improves the chances of success in your case by: 

• Evaluating your case: Your attorney will look at whether your case is strong, checking how you got hurt, who might be responsible, and what compensation you might get.
• Gathering evidence: Collecting proof is a very important part of your case. A personal injury attorney will collect and preserve crucial evidence to support your claim, such as medical records, accident reports, witness statements, and expert opinions.
• Calculating damages: Your lawyer will add up all the ways you've been hurt, like medical bills, lost wages, and how much pain you've gone through, to figure out what you might get compensated for.
• Negotiating for a Settlement: Negotiating for a settlement includes meeting with insurance companies and opposing parties to secure a fair settlement. This can involve complex legal and strategic discussions.
• Going to court if needed: A lawyer will ensure that you do not accept an inadequate settlement or make statements that could harm your case. If you and the opposing party cannot agree on a fair settlement, it may be necessary to go to trial.

Can you imagine trying to handle all of these steps on your own without a lawyer, especially if you're recovering from an injury? Contact us at (757) 244-7000 to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.

“Here at The Smith Law Center, our goal is to stand up for those who’ve been through tough times due to a personal injury accident. We see each case as a chance to make things right, working hard to get our clients the support and justice they need to move forward.”

- Managing Partner, Howard Smith

How Can a Virginia Personal Injury Attorney Prove Who’s at Fault in My Case?

Proving fault in Virginia can be tricky. Unlike many states that use comparative negligence, where responsibility can be shared between parties in an accident, Virginia follows contributory negligence rules.

Contributory negligence means that if you're even a little bit at fault for an accident, you can't get any money for damages. 

For example, let's say you're biking and stop at a four-way intersection. Another driver ignores their stop sign and hits you. If you didn't fully stop and just slowed down or rolled through the stop, you might be seen as partly to blame. 

In Virginia, cyclists must completely stop at stop signs—there's no yielding allowed. But if you followed all the rules and the other driver is totally at fault, then you can sue for damages.

To prove negligence and get compensation, your personal injury lawyer needs to show four things:

• Someone owed you a duty of care.
• They broke that duty (like by not following traffic laws).
• Their actions directly caused your injuries.
• You've suffered because of those injuries.

Our lawyers at The Smith Law Center will be able to help identify who is at fault for your injuries to get you the compensation you need to get your life back on track. Call us today at (757) 244-7000 or contact us online to get in touch with one of our experienced attorneys.

How Much of a Difference Can a Virginia Injury Attorney Make in My Case?

Your own lawyer’s experience, knowing the law well, and being good at standing up for you is super important for proving who’s responsible and getting a good result for your case. 

Having a skilled personal injury lawyer on your side can make sure you get the most money possible to make up for what happened to you.

Getting a lawyer can greatly increase your chances of receiving fair compensation. According to a 2016 study by Martindale-Nolo: 

• People who hire a lawyer typically receive 4.5 times more compensation than those who handle their claims alone.
• Over 90% of people with legal representation were able to secure a settlement or award, but only about half of those who managed their own claims successfully resolved them.
• Hiring a lawyer also resulted in significantly higher payouts. On average, individuals who retained legal representation received $77,600 in compensation, compared to just $17,600 for those who did not have a lawyer.

What Kind of Damages Can a Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me Pursue?

A lawyer can help you seek a variety of damages if you've been injured due to someone else's negligence. These damages aim to compensate you for the losses and suffering caused by the injury. 

• Medical Expenses: Medical expense damages may include compensation for past, current, and future medical bills related to your injury. This includes hospitalization, surgeries, doctor visits, medications, physical therapy, and assistive devices.
• Lost Wages: Reimbursement for income lost due to the injury you sustained. This includes wages from missed work and potential future earning capacity if the injury results in a long-term or permanent disability.
• Pain and Suffering: Pain and suffering damages are compensation for the physical pain, emotional distress, and psychological suffering resulting from the injury, such as anxiety, depression, and diminished quality of life.
• Property Damage: If your personal property, such as a vehicle, was damaged in the accident, you can pursue compensation for repair or replacement costs.
• Disability and Disfigurement: Additional compensation may be available if the injury has resulted in a permanent disability or significant disfigurement that impacts your daily life.
• Wrongful Death: In cases involving a fatal injury, surviving family members may pursue compensation for funeral and burial expenses, lost financial support, and the emotional toll of the loss.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme negligence or intentional harm, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the responsible party and prevent similar behavior in the future.

The specific damages available to you depend on the circumstances of your injury, the extent of your losses, and the relevant laws and regulations in Virginia.

Examples of Settlements and Verdicts We’ve Won for Our Clients

When choosing an attorney to handle your lawsuit, you will want to choose someone who has handled your type of case before. The lawyers at The Smith Law Center have handled many successful personal injury cases across many different areas. 

Here are a few examples of what we’ve achieved for our clients: 

• A landmark slip and fall verdict against Miller Mart in Virginia history: $12,264,302 awarded for a mild traumatic brain injury.
• A historic verdict of $10,220,667.98 awarded to a woman with a closed head injury from a crash involving Werner Transportation, believed to be Norfolk's largest personal injury verdict.‍
• Record $7.5 million awarded by Hampton jury to a woman with brain injury from a car accident.