How Can a Norfolk Car Accident Lawyer Help You?
Car and other motor vehicle accidents can cause overwhelming financial and emotional hardship. With millions of accidents occurring every year in the U.S. leading to permanent injury and death, the costs can be devastating. An experienced car accident attorney can help you secure the funds you deserve, and hold negligent actors accountable for the harm they caused.
As one of Virginia’s oldest law firms, the Smith Law Center has unique experience in litigating spinal cord and traumatic brain injury (TBI) injury cases. These injuries are some of the most common and devastating results of car accidents in Norfolk, across the state, and nationwide. We have the resources and connections to expert witnesses needed to secure full compensation for all your pain, losses, and future care needs.
Our attorneys have recovered over $1 billion in compensation for our clients, funds that are used to create financial stability for families and guarantee dignified care for long-term injuries. You only have one chance to file a claim after a crash — that is why you need a proven Norfolk car accident lawyer who understands the full scope of your injuries and can build a substantial case on your behalf.
Contact the Smith Law Center at (757) 695-9425 as soon as possible for a free and fully confidential consultation. A robust settlement or verdict could make a significant difference on the quality of the rest of your life. We are here to help you pursue justice and find peace after a car accident.
What Kind of Settlement Can a Norfolk Car Accident Attorney Help Me Secure?
Depending on your injuries, symptoms, financial losses, and the circumstances of your accident, an experienced Norfolk accident lawyer can help you recover funds for:
- Medical bills including emergency transport, medications, and long-term care or physical therapy
- Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity, as well as compensation for missed work, lost employment, or lost job-related benefits like retirement contributions and health insurance coverage
- Pain and suffering, which could mean the physical pain of your injuries, and the psychological trauma associated with serious accidents such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Punitive damages, which are fees that may be charged to the other side to punish them for appallingly unsafe behavior, like drunk or DUI driving; that money may then be awarded to you as compensation
- Wrongful death claims may also be made by the family members of someone who lost their life due to a crash, and can cover funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the emotional loss of their irreplaceable companionship
The Smith Law Center has secured the multi-million dollar results for our car accident clients, including a $7.5 million jury verdict for a woman who suffered a brain injury from a car accident, and $4.75 million from a company defendant for a librarian with a mild TBI after an auto wreck.
We have secured landmark victories for our clients thanks to a comprehensive understanding of both accident scenes and the impact of injuries. Founding attorney Stephen M. Smith’s background in neuroanatomical science has fostered a unique skillset for litigating head, brain, neck, and spinal cord injuries that result from car accidents.
Hiring a proven Norfolk car accident lawyer who can describe the true cost of long-term injuries in court is essential. You and your family deserve award-winning experience for your recovery.
What Makes Virginia Roads So Dangerous?
The Norfolk accident attorneys at the Smith Law Center are unfortunately very familiar with the dangerous factors that regularly cause fatalities and injuries in our state. Here are key relevant facts we’ve learned from years of litigating car accident cases in Virginia:
- Virginia’s I-64 has the deadliest portion of road in the entire state. Specifically, the stretch of highway between Exit 261A and 264 near a major casino at the halfway point between Newport News and Hampton has seen 11 fatal accidents in just two years.
- Virginia is the 11th worst state for distracted driving fatalities with close to 14% of lethal crashes involving distracted drivers.
- Fairfax County is the state’s deadliest county, which may be caused by its proximity to the busy travel hub of Washington D.C.
- October is the deadliest month in Virginia, possibly a result of the tourist-heavy leaf-peeping season coinciding with the beginning of snowy/icy winter road conditions.
- Intoxicated driving was a factor in more than 30% of local deadly crashes, with speeding involved in over 28%.
Attractive coastal cities like Norfolk draw out-of-state drivers for tourism and travel during dangerous weather seasons. An experienced Norfolk car accident lawyer will be aware of these relevant local factors, and incorporate them when building the strongest possible case for you and your family.
How Do I Choose a Norfolk Accident Attorney?
Choosing the best Norfolk-area car accident lawyer for you will likely hinge on three key factors:
- Proven experience: Has this attorney successfully represented car accident injuries like yours before? Are they willing to take your case to a full trial if negotiations stall? Ask for recent examples of cases like yours, or look for a case results or client reviews page on their website for specific information.
- Local accessibility: Does the attorney hold consultations at their office, and are they willing to take the time to meet with you in person? Being able to build a personal rapport with your attorney matters. An established local lawyer will be more accessible to you, and will also have important familiarity with Virginia state laws and how to calculate losses for the courts in your district.
- Payment arrangement: Does the law firm offer a contingency fee arrangement, or are you expected to pay upfront? At the Smith Law Center, we work on contingency, meaning we only collect a fee if we are successful in winning compensation for you. We understand that our clients are experiencing financial hardship after a car accident — we handle the filing fees, investigations, and court appearances as an investment in your case, and only earn our payment if we are able to deliver you results.
When you hire a Norfolk car accident lawyer, you should feel confident that your case is in the hands of a dedicated professional. Our attorneys will keep you up to date with the investigation, the timeline of your case, and lay out clear information for any decisions you need to make. Contact us at (757) 695-9425 to discuss your options with a proven, compassionate team.
Testimonial: After sustaining injuries from a car accident that wasn’t my fault and then having to spend $8,000 of my savings to replace my car, it was very frustrating to hear from two separate attorneys that I had no grounds for filing suit. I’ll always be thankful that I happened to see The Smith Law Center on Facebook during that time and decided it was worth one more phone call. I really can’t thank you enough for securing the damages to which I was entitled. – Nancy
About Smith Law Center
How Long Will My Norfolk Car Accident Case Take?
A car accident lawsuit may take anywhere from several months to more than a year. The timeline for your unique case will depend on multiple factors, like the availability of evidence, and whether the opposing side is willing to negotiate.
The car accident attorneys at the Smith Law Center will conduct an independent investigation of your Norfolk-area car accident. This may include going to the scene of the crash itself, inspecting the vehicles, and speaking with the other driver so you do not have to endure unnecessary interaction with the person who harmed you.
We build your case as if we’re going all the way to trial, but for most cases we are able to reach a substantial settlement out of court in a timely manner. However, if the other side refuses to fairly compensate your injuries, losses, and ongoing care needs, we have no hesitation in going before a judge or jury.
A pre- or mid-trial settlement has the benefit of letting you move on as soon as possible after a car accident. That being said, if your case does go to trial, there are potential benefits to achieving a verdict as well: judges and juries have the power to greatly increase the compensation you receive. Once a verdict is made, it’s no longer a choice for the other side to decide what they’ll settle for, it’s a court-mandated order that they pay what you’re owed.
If there’s an option between whether to settle or go to trial, you will always be empowered to make the decision that’s best for you. We at the Smith Law Center are here to advise you on all the information you need, and then proceed with your choice.
Contact Experienced Norfolk Accident Lawyers
The benefit of hiring a Norfolk car accident attorney for your case is two-fold: on one hand, you get peace of mind knowing a professional is handling the precise legal work on your behalf; on the other, you’re far more likely to receive a significant result.
You are 91% likely to walk away with a settlement if you have a lawyer, instead of only 51% likely without one. A represented settlement amount is also 300% higher on average than payouts agreed upon without professional legal help.
To put it simply, a car accident attorney is going to protect your best interests while you recover in peace.
At the Smith Law Center, we are a multi-generational family-run personal injury law firm headquartered just up the road in Hampton. We have a combined 300+ years of legal experience working for fellow Virginians, including the largest slip-and-fall case ever awarded in the state. We’ve also helped the injured nationwide, achieving the largest verdict ever rendered in South Carolina. We are internationally recognized specifically for our work with catastrophic injuries, including the brain and spinal cord injuries frequently caused during serious car accidents.
We are more than just your attorneys, we are your neighbors and your advocates.
A car accident lawsuit settlement can help relieve the financial stress that often ensues after a wreck, upgrade the quality of the healthcare you can afford, and improve your future opportunities and comfort. Contact us at (757) 695-9425 — we will put the full power of our experience at your service.
FAQ
Car Accident Attorney FAQs
What are the most important steps to take after a car accident?
Once you have tended to emergency matters with paramedics, it’s important that you call a Norfolk car accident attorney for legal representation right away.
A lawyer can potentially arrive at the scene of the accident before evidence is degraded or misplaced, and help you with all the legal steps necessary to sort out the accident. That help includes advising your interactions with the other driver, your insurance company, and the police.
The sooner you contact the attorneys at the Smith Law Center, the sooner we can help protect your rights and begin gathering vital evidence.
What are the most common causes of car accidents?
Car accidents are frequently caused by driver error, driver fatigue, mechanical failure of the vehicle, or situations like tire blowouts or inclement weather. By determining the cause of your accident, an attorney identifies all who are responsible for your compensation.
Relevant parties may include the other driver’s insurance company, car manufacturers or mechanics, and those municipal employees whose job it is to build and maintain safe roads.
Can I hire your firm if I don’t live nearby?
Yes, attorneys from the Smith Law Center accept car accident cases all throughout the United States, anything from rear-end accidents to tractor trailer crashes. Located in Hampton, Virginia, we regularly cover areas like West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and D.C. We also understand that certain individuals are not able to travel due to their injuries, in which case we are more than happy to come to you.
What’s the deadline for filing a car accident claim in Norfolk?
In all of Virginia, you only have two years from the date of the crash to file a car accident claim. There are some rare exceptions to this rule that most individuals will not qualify for.
If you’re unsure about the details or deadlines surrounding your case, please contact us online or call (757) 695-9425 to speak with our auto accident attorneys right away. Your call is completely free of charge, and your information is kept 100% confidential.
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