Chesapeake Personal Injury Lawyer

If you were seriously injured in an accident in Chesapeake, you are likely facing a difficult recovery. Between medical appointments, time away from work, and bills you were not expecting, it can be hard to know where to start.

You should not have to carry those costs alone, especially when someone else was at fault. A personal injury claim can help you recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses

But filing a claim involves deadlines, documentation, and legal procedures that are hard to manage on your own. An experienced attorney can handle that process and fight for the settlement you deserve.

Smith Law Center has been representing injured people in Chesapeake and throughout Hampton Roads since 1949. We have recovered over $1 billion for our clients, and our cases have ranged from car accidents on Battlefield Boulevard to falls at Greenbrier Mall.

Call (757) 244-7000 to speak with a Chesapeake personal injury lawyer about your case. The consultation is free, and we do not collect fees unless we recover money for you.

Understanding Personal Injury Claims and What Accidents Are Covered

To bring a personal injury claim, you need to show that someone else's negligence caused your injury.

Negligence means a person or company failed to act with reasonable care, whether that was a driver who ran a red light, a property owner who ignored a hazard, or a medical provider who made a preventable mistake.​

Our Chesapeake personal injury attorneys have handled cases involving:

• Motor vehicle crashes involving cars, trucks, and motorcycles on Chesapeake roads and highways;
• Pedestrian and bicycle injuries from vehicle strikes or unsafe road conditions;
• Commercial vehicle collisions with delivery trucks, tractor-trailers, and work vehicles;
• Slip and fall injuries at retail stores, restaurants, parking lots, and office buildings;
• Property hazards, including broken steps, inadequate lighting, and unsafe walkways;
• Medical malpractice from surgical errors, misdiagnosis, and treatment mistakes;
• Birth injuries caused by negligence during labor and delivery;
• Nursing home neglect resulting in falls, infections, or inadequate care;
• Dog bite injuries from animals whose owners failed to control them;
• Catastrophic trauma, including brain injuries, paralysis, and severe burns; and
• Wrongful death cases when negligence results in fatal injuries.

If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies, contact us. We are happy to discuss what happened and explain your options.

Hear From Those We've Helped

Linda Gervin's accident left her dealing with serious injuries, medical appointments, and mounting bills. Like many injury victims in Chesapeake, she needed help securing fair compensation.

Watch Linda's full account of how Smith Law Center helped her during her case. Her experience reflects the representation we provide to clients throughout the city.

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Experience, Results, and Dedication to Chesapeake Injury Victims

Joseph Smith opened Smith Law Center in 1949 to help injured people get the compensation they need to move forward. His sons, Stephen and Howard, run the firm today, securing over a billion dollars for clients across Virginia.

Your personal injury settlement or verdict affects your life directly. It determines whether you can afford the surgery your doctor recommends, pay your bills while you are out of work, or avoid financial hardship while you heal.

Howard Smith, Managing Partner at Smith Law Center:

"Most people have never filed a personal injury claim before. They do not know what their case is worth, what deadlines apply, or how to respond when an insurance company pushes back. That is where we come in. We have been doing this for decades, and we know how to get results."

A Martindale-Nolo survey found that injured people who hired attorneys received 3.5 times more than unrepresented claimants, even after attorney fees. Here are examples of what our clients have been awarded:​

• $14.6 million for a woman who suffered a permanent brain injury when a defective tire caused her motorcycle to crash. The case went to trial, and the manufacturer agreed to settle on the second day.
• $12.3 million for a client injured in a slip and fall at a convenience store. The defense argued she was exaggerating her injuries. The jury awarded her the largest slip-and-fall verdict in Virginia history.
• $7.5 million for a mother who was rear-ended on her way home from work. She required multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation. The settlement provided her family with financial security during her recovery.

Past outcomes do not guarantee a specific result, but they show what is possible when you have experienced Chesapeake personal injury lawyers working on your case.

For a closer look at how we approach complex injury cases, listen to Smith Law Center partner David Holt discuss traumatic brain injury litigation on the Cases for Causes podcast.

Listen to the Episode

If You've Been Hurt in Chesapeake, We're Here to Help

Dealing with a serious injury is hard enough without the added stress of figuring out the legal process on your own. Smith Law Center can evaluate your case and help you understand what compensation you may be entitled to.​

Schedule your free case review with a Chesapeake personal injury lawyer today. Call (757) 244-7000.

​Protect Your Rights with This Post-Accident Checklist

If you have been injured, there are a few steps you can take early on that will help build a stronger case:

• Get medical attention right away. Even if you feel okay, see a doctor. Some injuries, like concussions and internal bleeding, do not produce immediate symptoms. Medical records also create documentation linking your injuries to the accident.‍
• Take photos. Photograph the accident scene, your injuries, vehicle damage, hazardous conditions, and anything else relevant. Take more than you think you need.‍
• Save physical evidence. Keep damaged clothing, broken personal items, and anything else involved in the accident. Do not repair or throw these items away.‍
• Write down what happened. Do this as soon as possible while the details are fresh. Note the date, time, weather, who was present, and what was said.‍
• Get contact information. Collect names, phone numbers, and insurance details from the other party. If anyone witnessed the accident, get their information too.‍
• Request official reports. For car accidents, get a copy of the police report. For injuries on someone else's property, ask the business or property owner for an incident report.‍
• Follow your doctor's instructions. Attend follow-up appointments, complete physical therapy, and take prescribed medications. Gaps in treatment give insurance companies a reason to argue that your injuries are not serious.

What to Avoid

• Giving recorded statements to insurance adjusters. You are not required to provide a recorded statement, and doing so without talking to a Chesapeake personal injury attorney first can hurt your case. Adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that minimize your claim.
• Posting about the accident on social media. Insurance companies check Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms looking for posts that contradict your injury claims.
• Accepting a quick settlement offer. Early offers rarely account for ongoing treatment, future lost wages, or long-term effects. Once you accept, you cannot ask for more.
• Throwing away damaged items. Do not repair your car or discard damaged property until everything has been documented.

One more thing to keep in mind: Virginia law gives you two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing that deadline means losing your right to seek compensation, so it is important to speak with a Chesapeake personal injury lawyer sooner rather than later.

What Compensation Could You Be Entitled To After an Injury?

Taking the steps outlined above helps document your losses, which is essential because the compensation you can pursue depends on how the accident has affected your life. Virginia law allows injured people to seek damages for both economic losses and noneconomic harm.

Economic damages include:

• Emergency room visits, hospital stays, and surgeries;
• Follow-up appointments and specialist care;
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation;
• Prescription medications and medical equipment;
• Mileage and transportation costs for medical appointments;
• Home modifications if you have a permanent disability;
• Lost wages from time away from work; and
• Reduced earning capacity if you cannot return to your previous job.

Noneconomic damages include:

• Physical pain from your injuries;
• Emotional distress, anxiety, or depression;
• Loss of enjoyment of activities you can no longer do; and
• Permanent scarring or disfigurement.

In wrongful death cases, families can also pursue funeral expenses and compensation for the loss of their loved one's financial support and companionship.​

However, recovering this compensation is not guaranteed. Virginia follows a rule called contributory negligence, one of the strictest in the country. If you are found even partially at fault for the accident, you may be barred from recovering anything.​

Insurance companies know this and often try to shift some blame onto the injured person to avoid paying. An experienced Chesapeake personal injury attorney can anticipate these tactics and build a case that protects your claim.

Chesapeake Resources for Injury Victims

Recovering from a serious injury often means working with multiple doctors, therapists, and other providers. If you are not sure where to start, here are some local resources available to Chesapeake residents:

Emergency and Hospital Care

• Chesapeake Regional Medical Center offers a 24/7 emergency department and a full range of inpatient services.
• Sentara Norfolk General Hospital is the region's only Level I trauma center, equipped to handle severe and life-threatening injuries.

Urgent Care

• Patient First has multiple Chesapeake locations and accepts walk-ins for non-emergency injuries.
• Concentra Urgent Care on Volvo Parkway serves patients with work-related injuries.

Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

• Chesapeake Regional Rehabilitation Services offers physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
• Pivot Physical Therapy has locations throughout Chesapeake and specializes in orthopedic and post-surgical rehabilitation.
• Select Physical Therapy provides individualized treatment plans for injuries resulting from accidents.
• Tidewater Physical Therapy offers sports medicine and injury recovery programs.

Mental Health Support

• Chesapeake Community Services Board provides counseling on a sliding scale based on income.
• Hampton Roads Community Health Center offers behavioral health services.

Accident Reports and Documentation

• The Chesapeake Police Department (304 Albemarle Drive) handles local accident reports.
• Virginia State Police provides reports for collisions on I-64, I-464, and other state highways.
• Virginia DMV requires accident reports to be filed within 10 days if the crash caused injury, death, or property damage over $1,500.

Our Chesapeake personal injury law firm can help connect you with medical providers and other resources while handling the legal side of your case. If you have questions about where to go for treatment or how to obtain records related to your accident, we are happy to point you in the right direction.