Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyers

When a serious accident happens, suddenly everything is turned upside down. Victims may be confronted with life-altering circumstances, including physical pain, hospitalization, loss of income, and the prospect of financial ruin. Thankfully, when tragedy strikes, help is only a phone call away. Anchor Legal Group, PLLC is ready to pursue maximum compensation for personal injury claims, including but not limited to the following:

Amputations
Brain or spinal damage
Burns
Disfigurement and scars
Eye injuries
Knee or shoulder dislocations
Fractures and broken bones
Internal injuries
Persistent pain
Whiplash
Wrongful death

Victims who have sustained any type of serious injury may be eligible for substantial compensation if the accident was not their fault. Our Virginia Beach personal injury lawyers know from past experience that victims need a significant amount of financial resources to pay for recovery. Rest assured that we are committed to aggressively pursuing personal injury claims to fully compensate victims for medical bills, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and other damages.

When Should I Call a Personal Injury Lawyer?

There are times when it is absolutely clear to accident victims that they should hire a lawyer. In other instances, accident victims may question whether it is appropriate to get a lawyer involved. Victims may think their injuries are something they should just handle by themselves. However, that line of reasoning can lead to a lifetime of regrets. Instances when it is important for victims to call a personal injury lawyer include:

When an accident results in serious injury or death
When someone else’s carelessness or negligence may have caused the accident
When an accident involves any sudden impact, such as a fall or a car crash, as injuries may appear minor at first and later evolve into serious, expensive medical conditions
When an insurance company asks the victim for a statement about the accident
When an insurance company calls with a quick settlement offer

Any one of these factors may indicate that the accident victim is legally entitled to substantial monetary compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and damages for pain and suffering.

How can I Obtain Maximum Compensation?

Hiring a personal injury lawyer is the best way to for victims to improve their chances of obtaining maximum compensation. The process of getting full compensation is rarely simple or straightforward, for the following reasons:

Insurance companies are financially motivated to offer victims less than they deserve
If victims accept a settlement offer from an insurer, they may later discover the amount is nowhere near what they need to rebuild their lives
Many accident victims later regret accepting quick offers that were far less than they required
Persuading insurance companies to increase the amount of compensation typically requires legal action

Calling a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after an accident enables victims to protect their legal right to hold negligent persons or businesses accountable for paying full and just compensation.

What Should I Look for in a Personal Injury Lawyer?

When victims and their families are facing the aftermath of a devastating accident, their focus should be on healing and regaining a sense of normalcy. The last thing they need is added stress from legal challenges. Victims should look for a personal injury lawyer who is both competent and compassionate. A good personal injury lawyer can help victims and their families reduce the overall stress and anxiety involved in recovering after a serious accident.

In many large firms, cases are immediately handed off to less experienced lawyers, leaving clients feeling like a number. When looking for a personal injury lawyer, the level of comfort a victim feels during the initial consultation can be very revealing. Speaking with members of the legal team can provide a good sense of how the case will proceed. Experienced legal staff can explain how they go about representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases and the different possible outcomes. They should also provide ways in which they can be contacted and how often to expect updates. Most importantly, a victim needs to feel that their personal injury lawyer is a professional who can be trusted to work diligently on their behalf to produce the best possible outcome for their case.

What can I Expect if I Choose Anchor Legal Group, PLLC?

Accident victims who choose Anchor Legal Group, PLLC to represent them in a personal injury claim can expect the highest level of personal service accompanied by zealous determination to fight for the best possible outcome.

When a client comes to us with a potential personal injury claim, we initiate a rigorous process to ensure that their rights are protected and that their legal needs are fully served. We consider it our mission as trial lawyers to view every legal claim as if it will proceed into the courtroom, if that is what it takes to see that our clients obtain justice. Steps in our process include the following:

Investigate the circumstances of the accident
Assess the extent of the injuries incurred
Review evidence regarding negligence
Pursue additional documentation and question witnesses when appropriate
Enlist experts, if needed, to reconstruct the accident scene
Consult medical professionals and others as required to assess long-term costs for rehabilitation and recovery

All of the information we gather will help us build a strong case that will stand up to challenges raised by insurance companies or defendants’ attorneys. Before we negotiate, however, we always listen carefully to our clients’ wishes as the case proceeds. In all instances, we will offer our experienced legal guidance as to what we believe is possible and what is in our clients’ best interests.

How Much Money Will I Receive for My Personal Injury Claim?

The amount of money that a victim receives for a personal injury claim depends on several factors:

The type and severity of injuries
Circumstances of the accident
The laws of the state in which the accident took place
The determination of the legal team representing the victim

To thoroughly assess the severity of injuries, lawyers examine future potential medical costs, as well as past medical bills. Lost wages and loss of earning capacity also factor into calculating a settlement amount. Our lawyers may take into account past cases when estimating factors that may not appear, at first, to have an objective monetary value.

Circumstances of the accident largely focus on the legal question of negligence. Witness statements, police records, accident scene evidence, security camera footage, and other information can be instrumental in establishing fault. State laws can also have a significant impact on compensation awarded to accident victims.

How Does Virginia Law Affect Compensation for Personal Injury?

The categories of law in Virginia affecting compensation for personal injury include the following:

Statute of limitations. VA code § 8.01-243 stipulates that personal injury claims, including medical malpractice, must be filed within two years after the cause of action. The exception is a claim for an infant, which must be filed within five years.
Limitations on damages. If a victim is suing the Commonwealth of Virginia, damages paid cannot exceed $100,000 or the maximum insurance policy payout limit, according to VA code § 8.01-195.3.
Pure contributory negligence. Virginia is one of a handful of states that follow pure contributory negligence. This means that a victim cannot obtain damages if they are found to be just one percent at fault for the accident.

How are Damages Calculated for Pain and Suffering?

Calculating medical costs and lost wages involves the examination of past medical bills and paychecks, then looking into the future to estimate similar costs that will be incurred going forward. Non-economic damages, such pain and suffering, may be calculated differently.

Whether or not a personal injury case goes to trial, the premise of calculating non-economic damages involves anticipating what a jury would do when deciding how much money to award a victim. In the state of Virginia, juries may be instructed to take the following factors into consideration when awarding compensation for pain and suffering:

Physical pain endured and the emotional distress that accompanies pain
Humiliation arising from deformity or disfigurement
Inconvenience of living with the injury
The effect of injuries on overall health

Courtrooms in other states may vary in terms of instructions provided to the jury regarding assessing damages in wrongful death and personal injury. A skilled lawyer who is familiar with the state courts in question can advise clients as to the best method for calculating damages sought for pain and suffering.

What Types of Personal Injury Cases Does Anchor Legal Group, PLLC Handle?

The personal injury lawyers at Anchor Legal Group, PLLC are prepared to handle claims arising from a wide range of causes, including but not limited to the following:

Brain injury. On average, approximately 150 Americans die from brain-related injuries each day, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thousands more are seriously impaired, requiring ongoing medical treatment. Our lawyers work zealously to obtain full compensation for grieving families in wrongful death suits involving brain injuries, and to make sure brain injury survivors have the financial resources they need to rebuild their lives.
Car accidents. Most personal injury claims in this country are the result of a car accident. While insurance policies may provide some compensation, the amounts are often too small to cover the true cost of a serious injury. Our lawyers know what it takes to negotiate aggressively and go to trial if needed to obtain full and just compensation.
Nursing home abuse. Elderly residents of nursing homes are vulnerable to neglect and abuse. Our attorneys are dedicated to pursuing legal recourse when necessary to protect the health, dignity, and well-being of our senior citizens.
Slip and falls. Individuals who slip and fall on someone else’s property may have a valid personal injury claim if the owner of the premises is found to be negligent. Our lawyers are familiar with premises liability law and can help victims assess the value of a slip and fall injury claim.
Truck accidents. Truck accidents often involve multiple parties who might be at-fault. Victims of accidents involving commercial trucks should contact Anchor Legal Group, PLLC before accepting any settlement from a trucking company’s insurance company, as these offers are typically far less than victims deserve.

Our personal injury lawyers have also handled many other types of claims in civil court as well. Anchor Legal Group, PLLC is a local firm with a national reach. When clients come to us for legal help, they acquire a team of compassionate and responsive professionals who will work on their case with perseverance and determination to achieve the best possible outcome.