Virginia Car Accident Lawyers
Experienced Virginia Car Accident Lawyers – Marks & Harrison
Founded in 1911, Marks & Harrison has been helping accident victims in Virginia for over 100 years. As one of the largest personal injury firms in the state, it is uniquely positioned to help victims of car accidents. The team today includes 26 attorneys with varying areas of expertise and more than 100 support staff, including investigators and former police officers, and insurance adjusters. This large team is dedicated to getting results for clients every time.
Resident of Virginia who have suffered injuries in car accidents have many reasons to contact Marks & Harrison:
- More than 100 years in business as a law firm
- Ten offices throughout the state
- Big results for clients, including $12 million for a truck accident and $11 million for a brain injury
- Free consultations
- Availability 24/7
- Adequate resources to see even complex cases all the way to the end
- Spanish language services
Virginia Law Office Headquarters
Marks & Harrison has several offices throughout Virginia for the convenience of clients. Their headquarters are in Richmond:
1500 Forest Ave.
Room 100
Richmond, VA 23229
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Virginia Car Accident Lawyer?
A lawyer can help you in several ways after a car accident. Most offer free initial consultations too, so there’s no worry that you’ll have to pay to get some advice. There’s no obligation and no cost to contact a couple of firms to ask questions.
Unless your accident was minor, you have few and minimal injuries, and your resulting medical expenses are low, you should at least talk to a lawyer. If you suffered serious injuries and are now facing big bills and potentially ongoing medical issues, a lawyer can help by:
- Explaining your rights and the applicable Virginia laws
- Investigating the accident
- Providing experts to make your case or to provide medical care
- Ensuring you get a fair amount of compensation from your insurer
- Helping you file a lawsuit against the negligent driver
- Negotiating a fair settlement to avoid going to court
- Litigating in court if the defendants refuse to settle or offer adequate compensation
- Giving you the peace of mind of knowing you have an expert on your side, advocating for you
Working with Your Car Accident Lawyer
Once you’ve hired a lawyer to help you after an accident, it’s important to know what to expect and to do your part. A car accident lawyer has the expertise and experience to optimize your outcome and maximize your damages. They’ll do most of the work but also need your cooperation.
Make sure you provide honest answers to your lawyer’s questions and tell them everything you remember about the incident. Even if you think something makes you look bad, your lawyer needs to know to help you.
Be communicative and easy to reach so that your lawyer can get information and also keep you informed. Your lawyer is the expert, but they need you to make informed decisions as you move forward.
Virginia Laws That Affect Car Accident Cases
Car accidents fall under the category of personal injury. Related laws in Virginia impact what you can do and potential outcomes after an accident. Auto insurance laws and rules also affect car accident cases and legal action.
Here are some of the Virginia laws and policies you need to know:[1][2]
- Statute of Limitations. The statute of limitations in Virginia is two years, which means you only have that long after a car accident to file a lawsuit.
- Auto Insurance. Virginia is considered an add-on state for insurance. This means that buying personal injury protection is optional. If you have it, you can file a claim with your own insurer after an accident. The state also does not restrict lawsuits, so whether or not you have that coverage, you can sue the at-fault driver.
- Government Claims. If a government employee caused your accident, you would follow a different procedure to get compensation. The time limit for filing a claim against a government agency or department is between six months and one year.
- Shared Fault. Virginia follows an antiquated shared fault rule. It states that if you have any blame in an accident, even as little as 1%, you cannot collect any damages.
The laws can be confusing, and knowing what to do after an accident difficult. Let a Virginia car accident lawyer take a look at your situation and provide some advice. You won’t regret talking to an expert before you decide on the next step.
For city-specific information, visit the following pages: