Case Results
Verdicts & Settlements
THE FOLLOWING IS A SAMPLE OF THE THOUSANDS OF SUCCESSFUL RECOVERIES WE HAVE MADE ON BEHALF OF CATASTROPHICALLY INJURED VICTIMS.
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – A Hampton jury awarded a record $7.5 million to a woman who suffered from a brain injury during a car accident.
Award to School Librarian for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Auto Wreck
Awarded:
$4,750,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Company pays $4,750,000.00 to school librarian for mild traumatic brain injury in auto wreck.
Jury Awards $4,100,000.00 to School Principal for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$4,100,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Middle school principal suffers mild traumatic brain injury in auto wreck.
Jury Awards to Part-Time Pharmacist for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$3,000,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Part time pharmacist suffers mild traumatic brain injury in auto wreck.
HRT Bus Company Pays Woman with Closed Head Injury from Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Wreck
Awarded:
$3,000,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – The Hampton Roads Transportation District has entered into a settlement in the amount of $3,000,000.00 for injuries a woman sustained in a crash in the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia.
Trial for Gas Station Manager Results – Verdict in Mild Head Injury
Awarded:
$60,264,823.00
Summary:
MANASSAS, Virginia – A jury awarded over $60 million to a Williamsburg man injured when a Norfolk Southern train derailed and sent two cars careening into the RaceTrac service center he managed.
Summary:
MANASSAS, Virginia – Motorcycle dealer and tire manufacturers settled for installation of defective inner tube in the rear tire of a Harley Davidson motorcycle that failed, causing a brain injury to a female passenger.
Jury Awards Record Verdict – Largest Slip & Fall Verdict in VA history
Awarded:
$12,264,302.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Jury awards a record verdict against Miller Mart for mild traumatic brain injury from a slip and fall. This was the largest slip and fall verdict in Virginia history at the time.
Jury Awards Record Verdict of $10,220,667.98 to a Woman With a Closed Head Injury Against Trucking Company
Awarded:
$10,220,667.98
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Jury awards a record verdict against Werner Transportation for the victim’s mild traumatic brain injury a from crash. Believed to be the largest personal injury verdict in Norfolk, Virginia history.
Award for a Man’s Mild Traumatic Brain Injury From a Building Crash
Awarded:
$10,000,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Company pays $10,000,000.00 to man for a mild traumatic brain injury he sustained in a building crash.
Chambers County Woman Who Suffered Traumatic Brain Injury in Collision with Commercial Vehicle
Awarded:
$8,000,000.00
Summary:
CHAMBERS COUNTY, Alabama – Terms of case are confidential.
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – A Hampton jury awarded a record $7.5 million to a woman who suffered from a brain injury during a car accident.
Award to School Librarian for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Auto Wreck
Awarded:
$4,750,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Company pays $4,750,000.00 to school librarian for mild traumatic brain injury in auto wreck.
Jury Awards $4,100,000.00 to School Principal for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$4,100,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Middle school principal suffers mild traumatic brain injury in auto wreck.
Award for Woman Who Received Closed Head Injury in Commercial Establishment
Awarded:
$3,750,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Terms of case are confidential.
Award to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Collision with Tractor Trailer
Awarded:
$3,670,000.00
Summary:
TULSA, Oklahoma – Trucking company pays woman $3.67 million for mild traumatic brain injury suffered in highway collision.
Award for Man Who Received Closed Head Injury in Commercial Establishment
Awarded:
$3,250,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA – Terms of case are confidential.
Award for Florence County Woman for Closed Head Injury in Crash with Cement Truck
Awarded:
$3,000,000.00
Summary:
FLORENCE COUNTY, South Carolina – Cement truck strikes plaintiff’s car, resulting in mild traumatic brain injury.
Jury Awards to Part-Time Pharmacist for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$3,000,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Part time pharmacist suffers mild traumatic brain injury in auto wreck.
HRT Bus Company Pays Woman with Closed Head Injury from Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Wreck
Awarded:
$3,000,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – The Hampton Roads Transportation District has entered into a settlement in the amount of $3,000,000.00 for injuries a woman sustained in a crash in the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.
Williamsburg Woman Awarded $2,900,000.00 in Tractor-Trailer Accident for Mild Head Injury
Awarded:
$2,900,000.00
Summary:
WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia – A Williamsburg woman has received $2.9 million in a settlement with a shoe company whose tractor-trailer rig struck her car from behind and left her with permanent brain injuries.
Cyclist Struck by Passing Truck’s Side Mirror Awarded for Mild Head Injury
Awarded:
$2,400,000.00
Summary:
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – A Virginia Beach chiropractor struck on the head by the side mirror of a passing truck as he rode a bicycle has received $2.4 million in a settlement with the driver of the truck and his employer.
Jury Awards $2,250,000.00 Against Pier 1 Imports for Mild Head Injury in Falling Merchandise Case
Awarded:
$2,250,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia.
Award of $2,000,000.00 to a Georgia Man for Mild Head Injury Due to Collision with Hauling Company’s Equipment
Awarded:
$2,000,000.00
Summary:
DALLAS, Georgia – Hauling company pays $2 million to man who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury.
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia.
Woman With Mild Head Injury Awarded $1,975,000.00 After First Day of Trial
Awarded:
$1,975,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia – A Maryland woman suffered a mild head injury after an auto accident.
South Carolina Resort Award of $1,750,000.00 In Collapse of Rental Bicycle; Largest in State History for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,750,000.00
Summary:
CHARLESTON, South Carolina – A posh Kiawah Island resort has settled for $1.75 million a brain-injury lawsuit that was filed when a New York City stockbroker was injured in the collapse of a rented bicycle.
Award of $1,750,000.00 for a Man in Collision with Steel Hauling Company
Awarded:
$1,750,000.00
Summary:
ACCOMACK COUNTY, Virginia – Steel hauling company pays $1,750,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury
Award of $1,750,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Woman on Motorcycle in Car Collision
Awarded:
$1,750,000.00
Summary:
YORK COUNTY, Virginia.
Award of $1,550,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Collision with Trucking Company
Awarded:
$1,550,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Trucking company pays $1,550,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $1,500,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Collision with Produce Company
Awarded:
$1,500,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Produce company pays $1,500,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award for $1,500,000.00 to Deputy Sheriff for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Auto Wreck
Awarded:
$1,500,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – City pays $1,500,000.00 to an off duty deputy sheriff injured in her private vehicle by a city truck.
Award of $1,400,000.00 for Traumatic Brain Injury From Rear-End Collision
Awarded:
$1,400,000
Summary:
Stewart Gill of Smith Law Center represented a 57-year-old Virginia Beach man who was rear-ended when a company technician looked away from the road and slammed into his truck at 45 miles per hour. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, permanent nerve damage and required spinal fusion surgery. Before the crash he was an avid hiker, paddleboarder, biker, and loved to work on his classic car, a life he can no longer fully enjoy. The defense refused to offer a single dollar and hired experts to deny his injuries. Smith Law Center filed suit, built a team of medical experts and refused to back down. The case resolved for $1,400,000, fully exhausting the primary policy and recovering an additional $400,000 from the excess policy.
Award of $1,350,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Woman in Shipboard Explosion Due to Ship Repair Contractor’s Negligence
Awarded:
$1,350,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Ship repair contracting company pays $1,350,000.00 to woman with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $1,250,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Collision with Trucking Company
Awarded:
$1,250,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Trucking company pays $1,250,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award for $1,175,000.00 for Woman Injured by Hospital in Surgery for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,175,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Hospital pays $1,175,000.00 to woman for mild traumatic brain injury from surgery.
Summary:
BREVARD COUNTY, Florida – Tour Bus Company pays man $1,155,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in rear end collision.
Award of $1,100,000.00 to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Low Speed Collision with Tractor Trailer
Awarded:
$1,100,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Trucking Company pays woman $1,100,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in low speed collision.
Award of $1,100,000.00 for South Carolina Man with Mild Head Injury in Auto Accident Case
Awarded:
$1,100,000.00
Summary:
GREENVILLE, South Carolina – Company paid $1,100,000.00 to a man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award for $1,100,000.00 for Man Injured in Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,100,000.00
Summary:
CHESAPEAKE, Virginia – Company pays man $1,100,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck.
Award of $1,000,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Shipboard Explosion Due to Ship Repair Contractor’s Negligence
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Ship repair contracting company pays $1,000,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $1,000,000.00 for a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Due to a Slip and Fall at a Restaurant
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
LYNCHBURG, Virginia – The fast food restaurant paid $1,000,000 full policy limits for a premises liability slip and fall where our client fell on the wet, just cleaned, concrete floor, causing a mild traumatic brain injury.
Award for $1,000,000.00 for Woman Injured in Minor Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
ROCKLEDGE, Florida – Company pays woman $1,000,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck with minimal property damage.
Award of $1,000,000.00 to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Auto Collision
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
BREVARD COUNTY, Florida – Woman receives $1,000,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in collision.
Jury Awards $988,000.00 to Woman Who Slipped and Fell on Wet Floor Stuckey’s Restaurant
Awarded:
$988,000.00
Summary:
SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Virginia – Jury awards $988,000.00 to a woman who fell on wet floor in a restroom and suffered mild traumatic brain injury.
Summary:
PORTSMOUTH, Virginia – Motorcyclist awarded $900,000.00.
Award of $900,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Woman in Collision with Dump Truck
Awarded:
$900,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Hauling company pays $900,000.00 to woman with mild traumatic brain injury.
Summary:
GLOUCESTER COUNTY, Virginia
Summary:
CHESAPEAKE, Virginia – Company pays man $800,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in collision.
Award of $750,000.00 to Man For Closed Head Injury From Low Speed Collision
Awarded:
$750,000.00
Summary:
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Company pays man $750,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in low speed collision.
Award $750,000.00 for Man Beaten by Police in Mistaken Identity for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$750,000.00
Summary:
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – $750,000.00 awarded to a man for mild brain injury from beating and false arrest.
$700,000.00 Awarded to Woman With Traumatic Brain Injury for Auto Accident
Awarded:
$700,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia
Company Pays $680,000.00 to Man Injured in Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$680,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Company pays man $680,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck.
Award of $675,000.00 to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Low Speed Collision
Awarded:
$675,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Company pays woman $675,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in low speed collision.
Award of $650,000.00 for Man Injured in Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$650,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Man paid $650,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck.
Jury Awards $550,000.00 to Bank Teller Injured in Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$550,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Jury awards bank teller $550,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck.
Award of $500,000.00 to Florida Man Who Suffered a Mild Head Injury Due to Slip and Fall at Home Depot
Awarded:
$500,000.00
Summary:
ROCKLEDGE, Florida.
Chambers County Woman Who Suffered Traumatic Brain Injury in Collision with Commercial Vehicle
Awarded:
$8,000,000.00
Summary:
CHAMBERS COUNTY, Alabama – Terms of case are confidential.
Award for Florence County Woman for Closed Head Injury in Crash with Cement Truck
Awarded:
$3,000,000.00
Summary:
FLORENCE COUNTY, South Carolina – Cement truck strikes plaintiff’s car, resulting in mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $2,000,000.00 to a Georgia Man for Mild Head Injury Due to Collision with Hauling Company’s Equipment
Awarded:
$2,000,000.00
Summary:
DALLAS, Georgia – Hauling company pays $2 million to man who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury.
Settlement for Client Injured in Rear-End Collision With Company Vehicle
Awarded:
$1,975,000.00
Summary:
A woman rear-ended by a company vehicle has settled for $1,975,000 after sustaining a mild TBI, headaches, worsened ADHD, memory issues, and depression. The defense hired multiple experts to contest the injuries, but the case settled one month before trial.
Award of $1,750,000.00 for a Man in Collision with Steel Hauling Company
Awarded:
$1,750,000.00
Summary:
ACCOMACK COUNTY, Virginia – Steel hauling company pays $1,750,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury
Award of $1,500,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Collision with Produce Company
Awarded:
$1,500,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Produce company pays $1,500,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award for $1,500,000.00 to Deputy Sheriff for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Auto Wreck
Awarded:
$1,500,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – City pays $1,500,000.00 to an off duty deputy sheriff injured in her private vehicle by a city truck.
Award of $900,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Woman in Collision with Dump Truck
Awarded:
$900,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Hauling company pays $900,000.00 to woman with mild traumatic brain injury.
Summary:
CHESAPEAKE, Virginia – Company pays man $800,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in collision.
Award of $750,000.00 to Man For Closed Head Injury From Low Speed Collision
Awarded:
$750,000.00
Summary:
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Company pays man $750,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in low speed collision.
Company Pays $680,000.00 to Man Injured in Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$680,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Company pays man $680,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck.
Award of $675,000.00 to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Low Speed Collision
Awarded:
$675,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Company pays woman $675,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in low speed collision.
Jury Awards Record Verdict of $10,220,667.98 to a Woman With a Closed Head Injury Against Trucking Company
Awarded:
$10,220,667.98
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Jury awards a record verdict against Werner Transportation for the victim’s mild traumatic brain injury a from crash. Believed to be the largest personal injury verdict in Norfolk, Virginia history.
Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Largest Personal Injury Verdict of 2001
Awarded:
$5,200,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia – The Virginia Supreme Court upheld a $5.2 million verdict in favor of a special-education teacher who suffered serious injuries in a six vehicle wreck with a tractor-trailer leaking diesel fuel on Interstate 95.
Award to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Collision with Tractor Trailer
Awarded:
$3,670,000.00
Summary:
TULSA, Oklahoma – Trucking company pays woman $3.67 million for mild traumatic brain injury suffered in highway collision.
Williamsburg Woman Awarded $2,900,000.00 in Tractor-Trailer Accident for Mild Head Injury
Awarded:
$2,900,000.00
Summary:
WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia – A Williamsburg woman has received $2.9 million in a settlement with a shoe company whose tractor-trailer rig struck her car from behind and left her with permanent brain injuries.
Cyclist Struck by Passing Truck’s Side Mirror Awarded for Mild Head Injury
Awarded:
$2,400,000.00
Summary:
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – A Virginia Beach chiropractor struck on the head by the side mirror of a passing truck as he rode a bicycle has received $2.4 million in a settlement with the driver of the truck and his employer.
Award of $1,550,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Collision with Trucking Company
Awarded:
$1,550,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Trucking company pays $1,550,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $1,250,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Collision with Trucking Company
Awarded:
$1,250,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Trucking company pays $1,250,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $1,100,000.00 to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Low Speed Collision with Tractor Trailer
Awarded:
$1,100,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Trucking Company pays woman $1,100,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in low speed collision.
Summary:
ADA, Oklahoma – Company pays estate of woman $700,000.00 for collision.
Award of $1,750,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Woman on Motorcycle in Car Collision
Awarded:
$1,750,000.00
Summary:
YORK COUNTY, Virginia.
Summary:
PORTSMOUTH, Virginia – Motorcyclist awarded $900,000.00.
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia – The family of a Richmond woman killed in a traffic crash on Interstate 64 near Laburnum Avenue settled against the U.S. Postal Service for $1.76 million.
Award of $1,000,000.00 for Death of Elderly Man Due to Faulty Repairs to His Automobile by Auto Repair Company
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Auto repair company pays $1,000,000.00 to estate of man.
Summary:
ADA, Oklahoma – Company pays estate of woman $700,000.00 for collision.
Award for $2,200,000.00 for Child Injured By a Hospital in Surgery for a Brain Injury
Awarded:
$2,200,000.00
Summary:
OPELOUSAS, Louisiana – Hospital pays $2,200,000 to child due to brain injury from surgery.
Award for $1,175,000.00 for Woman Injured by Hospital in Surgery for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,175,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Hospital pays $1,175,000.00 to woman for mild traumatic brain injury from surgery.
Award of $135,000 for Woman Injured When Dropped During a Hoyer Lift Transfer
Awarded:
$135,000
Summary:
Emily Strak of Smith Law Center represented a 62-year-old woman from Portsmouth, Virginia, who had previously suffered a stroke and required full-time home care. On May 4, 2024, she was dropped during a Hoyer lift transfer and sustained two fractures in her lower right leg. The fractures required non-surgical treatment, and she incurred approximately $21,000.00 in medical bills. Smith Law Center successfully settled this case before filing the suit for $135,000, which was over six times the medical bills.
Settlement for Patient Burned During Electrical Stimulation Treatment
Awarded:
Confidential
Summary:
Emily Strak of Smith Law Center represented a client who suffered two second-degree burns while receiving electrical stimulation at a medical appointment. The burns left two permanent scars on the client’s back. Smith Law Center successfully settled this case for nearly three times the insurance carrier’s original offer.
Jury Awards Record Verdict – Largest Slip & Fall Verdict in VA history
Awarded:
$12,264,302.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Jury awards a record verdict against Miller Mart for mild traumatic brain injury from a slip and fall. This was the largest slip and fall verdict in Virginia history at the time.
Award for Woman Who Received Closed Head Injury in Commercial Establishment
Awarded:
$3,750,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Terms of case are confidential.
Award for Man Who Received Closed Head Injury in Commercial Establishment
Awarded:
$3,250,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA – Terms of case are confidential.
Jury Awards $2,250,000.00 Against Pier 1 Imports for Mild Head Injury in Falling Merchandise Case
Awarded:
$2,250,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia.
Jury awards $1,000,000.00 to Retired Veteran for Burns in Rooming House Without Smoke Detectors
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Retired veteran suffers burns in fire in rooming house with no smoke detectors.
Award of $1,000,000.00 for a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Due to a Slip and Fall at a Restaurant
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
LYNCHBURG, Virginia – The fast food restaurant paid $1,000,000 full policy limits for a premises liability slip and fall where our client fell on the wet, just cleaned, concrete floor, causing a mild traumatic brain injury.
Jury Awards $988,000.00 to Woman Who Slipped and Fell on Wet Floor Stuckey’s Restaurant
Awarded:
$988,000.00
Summary:
SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Virginia – Jury awards $988,000.00 to a woman who fell on wet floor in a restroom and suffered mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $500,000.00 to Florida Man Who Suffered a Mild Head Injury Due to Slip and Fall at Home Depot
Awarded:
$500,000.00
Summary:
ROCKLEDGE, Florida.
Summary:
MANASSAS, Virginia – Motorcycle dealer and tire manufacturers settled for installation of defective inner tube in the rear tire of a Harley Davidson motorcycle that failed, causing a brain injury to a female passenger.
South Carolina Resort Award of $1,750,000.00 In Collapse of Rental Bicycle; Largest in State History for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,750,000.00
Summary:
CHARLESTON, South Carolina – A posh Kiawah Island resort has settled for $1.75 million a brain-injury lawsuit that was filed when a New York City stockbroker was injured in the collapse of a rented bicycle.
Award for a Man’s Mild Traumatic Brain Injury From a Building Crash
Awarded:
$10,000,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Company pays $10,000,000.00 to man for a mild traumatic brain injury he sustained in a building crash.
Award for $2,000,000.00 for Woman Truck Driver for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$2,000,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia – Company pays woman $2,000,000.00 for a mild traumatic brain injury she suffered while making a delivery.
Award of $1,350,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Woman in Shipboard Explosion Due to Ship Repair Contractor’s Negligence
Awarded:
$1,350,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Ship repair contracting company pays $1,350,000.00 to woman with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $1,000,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Shipboard Explosion Due to Ship Repair Contractor’s Negligence
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Ship repair contracting company pays $1,000,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
$500,000.00 Award for Police Officer Injured While Directing Traffic for Back Injury
Awarded:
$500,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Award for police officer for back injury while directing traffic.
Award of $200,000.00 to Plumbing Manager for Injuries From Worksite Accidents
Awarded:
$200,000.00
Summary:
Stewart Gill of Smith Law Center represented a 60-year-old plumbing manager from Virginia Beach who was hurt twice on the same Norfolk worksite. The first accident happened when he helped unload a 400-pound bathtub and tore his biceps tendon and ligaments in his wrist. The second came months later when he tripped on a staircase, tearing his rotator cuff and causing an injury to his lower back. Smith Law Center fought both workers' compensation cases at once and hired an independent spinal expert when the carrier tried to close the file early. The case settled for $200,000 lump sum plus all the client’s accident-related medical bills.
Summary:
Stewart Gill of Smith Law Center represented a 43-year-old hospital security officer from Williamsburg, Virginia who herniated discs in his lower back while physically restraining a violent patient on October 15, 2024. His doctor ordered spinal surgery, but the employer cut off his disability checks and refused to authorize the procedure claiming it was a pre-existing condition. Smith Law Center filed for a hearing before the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission and secured a medical expert opinion proving the client’s new injury had nothing to do with his prior low back pain. Facing that hearing the employer settled for $125,000 plus payment of medical treatment up to entry of the final order, which was more than 10 times what the employer had paid before the firm got involved.
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – The police are supposed “to protect and serve,” Smith said. “It is an outrage that the people of Newport News need protection from attacks by rogue police officers.” Smith, who represents many police officers throughout the commonwealth, said that in no way should this be considered an adverse reflection on the good police officers.
Award $750,000.00 for Man Beaten by Police in Mistaken Identity for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$750,000.00
Summary:
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – $750,000.00 awarded to a man for mild brain injury from beating and false arrest.
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Jury awards man $685,000.00 to man for neck injury in car wreck.
Award of $45,000 for Man Attacked by Two Dogs While Helping Elderly Neighbor
Awarded:
$45000
Summary:
Samantha Cohn of Smith Law Center represented a 58-year-old self-employed man from Newport News, Virginia, who was attacked by two German Shepherds on April 8, 2024, while helping an elderly neighbor with memory problems get safely home. As he walked her across Marshall Avenue that afternoon, two large dogs charged from a neighbor's open yard. The owner called out that they would not bite. Seconds later, one dog tore into his left leg and the second bit his right.
Both dogs had expired rabies vaccinations at the time of the attack, forcing him to undergo emergency stitches for some of the wounds and a multi-week rabies prevention shot series requiring repeated hospital visits. The physical trauma was accompanied by lasting emotional distress that required counseling. When the insurance company failed to meet the firm's demand, Smith Law Center took the case to court. The case resolved in September 2025 for $45,000.
Settlement for Veteran Whose Spinal Injury Was Aggravated in Dog Attack
Awarded:
Confidential
Summary:
Samantha Cohn of Smith Law Center represented a 52-year-old retired U.S. Army veteran and Department of Defense analyst from Yorktown, Virginia. On the afternoon of August 13, 2022, she was walking her two small Maltese dogs on leashes in her own front yard when her neighbor's German Shepherd escaped its yard and attacked her and her dogs. It was the second time the same dog had attacked her pets. She fought frantically to free her dogs from the melee and was injured in the process. She suffered a serious aggravation of her service-connected spinal injury and severe emotional trauma. One dog died from its injuries while the other required emergency surgery. VA mental health records documented severe depression, severe anxiety, clinical insomnia, and eventual suicidal ideation in the weeks that followed. The firm refused to accept the insurance company’s low-ball offer taking the case to suit. The specificities of the settlement agreement are confidential but the recovery was more than three times greater than the medical bills incurred by our client.
Trial for Gas Station Manager Results – Verdict in Mild Head Injury
Awarded:
$60,264,823.00
Summary:
MANASSAS, Virginia – A jury awarded over $60 million to a Williamsburg man injured when a Norfolk Southern train derailed and sent two cars careening into the RaceTrac service center he managed.
Summary:
MANASSAS, Virginia – Motorcycle dealer and tire manufacturers settled for installation of defective inner tube in the rear tire of a Harley Davidson motorcycle that failed, causing a brain injury to a female passenger.
Jury Awards Record Verdict – Largest Slip & Fall Verdict in VA history
Awarded:
$12,264,302.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Jury awards a record verdict against Miller Mart for mild traumatic brain injury from a slip and fall. This was the largest slip and fall verdict in Virginia history at the time.
Jury Awards Verdict of $10,220,668 to Woman With Closed Head Injury Against Trucking Company
Awarded:
$10,220,667.98
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – A jury awards a record verdict against Werner Transportation for the victim’s mild traumatic brain injury from a crash. Believed to be the largest personal injury verdict in Norfolk, Virginia history.
Jury Awards Record Verdict of $10,220,667.98 to a Woman With a Closed Head Injury Against Trucking Company
Awarded:
$10,220,667.98
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Jury awards a record verdict against Werner Transportation for the victim’s mild traumatic brain injury a from crash. Believed to be the largest personal injury verdict in Norfolk, Virginia history.
Award for a Man’s Mild Traumatic Brain Injury From a Building Crash
Awarded:
$10,000,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Company pays $10,000,000.00 to man for a mild traumatic brain injury he sustained in a building crash.
Chambers County Woman Who Suffered Traumatic Brain Injury in Collision with Commercial Vehicle
Awarded:
$8,000,000.00
Summary:
CHAMBERS COUNTY, Alabama – Terms of case are confidential.
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – A Hampton jury awarded a record $7.5 million to a woman who suffered from a brain injury during a car accident.
Verdict Upheld by the Virginia Supreme Court for Teacher’s Injuries in 18-Wheeler Wreck
Awarded:
$5,200,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia – The Virginia Supreme Court upheld a $5.2 million verdict in favor of a special-education teacher who suffered serious injuries in a six-vehicle wreck with a tractor-trailer leaking diesel fuel on Interstate 95.
Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Largest Personal Injury Verdict of 2001
Awarded:
$5,200,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia – The Virginia Supreme Court upheld a $5.2 million verdict in favor of a special-education teacher who suffered serious injuries in a six vehicle wreck with a tractor-trailer leaking diesel fuel on Interstate 95.
Award to School Librarian for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Auto Wreck
Awarded:
$4,750,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Company pays $4,750,000.00 to school librarian for mild traumatic brain injury in auto wreck.
Jury Awards $4,100,000.00 to School Principal for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$4,100,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Middle school principal suffers mild traumatic brain injury in auto wreck.
Award for Woman Who Received Closed Head Injury in Commercial Establishment
Awarded:
$3,750,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Terms of case are confidential.
Award to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Collision with Tractor Trailer
Awarded:
$3,670,000.00
Summary:
TULSA, Oklahoma – Trucking company pays woman $3.67 million for mild traumatic brain injury suffered in highway collision.
Award for Man Who Received Closed Head Injury in Commercial Establishment
Awarded:
$3,250,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA – Terms of case are confidential.
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Company pays $3,200,000.00 to truck driver for an injury in a work site wreck.
Award for Florence County Woman for Closed Head Injury in Crash with Cement Truck
Awarded:
$3,000,000.00
Summary:
FLORENCE COUNTY, South Carolina – Cement truck strikes plaintiff’s car, resulting in mild traumatic brain injury.
Jury Awards to Part-Time Pharmacist for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$3,000,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Part time pharmacist suffers mild traumatic brain injury in auto wreck.
HRT Bus Company Pays Woman with Closed Head Injury from Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Wreck
Awarded:
$3,000,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – The Hampton Roads Transportation District has entered into a settlement in the amount of $3,000,000.00 for injuries a woman sustained in a crash in the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.
Williamsburg Woman Awarded $2,900,000.00 in Tractor-Trailer Accident for Mild Head Injury
Awarded:
$2,900,000.00
Summary:
WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia – A Williamsburg woman has received $2.9 million in a settlement with a shoe company whose tractor-trailer rig struck her car from behind and left her with permanent brain injuries.
Cyclist Struck by Passing Truck’s Side Mirror Awarded for Mild Head Injury
Awarded:
$2,400,000.00
Summary:
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – A Virginia Beach chiropractor struck on the head by the side mirror of a passing truck as he rode a bicycle has received $2.4 million in a settlement with the driver of the truck and his employer.
Jury Awards $2,250,000.00 Against Pier 1 Imports for Mild Head Injury in Falling Merchandise Case
Awarded:
$2,250,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia.
Summary:
Our lawyers obtained an award for $2,200,000.00 for a child who sustained a brain injury during a hospital surgery.
Award for $2,200,000.00 for Child Injured By a Hospital in Surgery for a Brain Injury
Awarded:
$2,200,000.00
Summary:
OPELOUSAS, Louisiana – Hospital pays $2,200,000 to child due to brain injury from surgery.
Award for $2,000,000.00 for Woman Truck Driver for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$2,000,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia – Company pays woman $2,000,000.00 for a mild traumatic brain injury she suffered while making a delivery.
Award of $2,000,000.00 to a Georgia Man for Mild Head Injury Due to Collision with Hauling Company’s Equipment
Awarded:
$2,000,000.00
Summary:
DALLAS, Georgia – Hauling company pays $2 million to man who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury.
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia.
Settlement for Client Injured in Rear-End Collision With Company Vehicle
Awarded:
$1,975,000.00
Summary:
A woman rear-ended by a company vehicle has settled for $1,975,000 after sustaining a mild TBI, headaches, worsened ADHD, memory issues, and depression. The defense hired multiple experts to contest the injuries, but the case settled one month before trial.
Woman With Mild Head Injury Awarded $1,975,000.00 After First Day of Trial
Awarded:
$1,975,000.00
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia – A Maryland woman suffered a mild head injury after an auto accident.
Summary:
RICHMOND, Virginia – The family of a Richmond woman killed in a traffic crash on Interstate 64 near Laburnum Avenue settled against the U.S. Postal Service for $1.76 million.
South Carolina Resort Award of $1,750,000.00 In Collapse of Rental Bicycle; Largest in State History for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,750,000.00
Summary:
CHARLESTON, South Carolina – A posh Kiawah Island resort has settled for $1.75 million a brain-injury lawsuit that was filed when a New York City stockbroker was injured in the collapse of a rented bicycle.
Award of $1,750,000.00 for a Man in Collision with Steel Hauling Company
Awarded:
$1,750,000.00
Summary:
ACCOMACK COUNTY, Virginia – Steel hauling company pays $1,750,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury
Award of $1,750,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Woman on Motorcycle in Car Collision
Awarded:
$1,750,000.00
Summary:
YORK COUNTY, Virginia.
Summary:
ISLE of WIGHT COUNTY, Virginia – Hair stylist awarded after suffering an arm injury in car wreck.
Award of $1,550,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Collision with Trucking Company
Awarded:
$1,550,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Trucking company pays $1,550,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $1,500,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Collision with Produce Company
Awarded:
$1,500,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Produce company pays $1,500,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award for $1,500,000.00 to Deputy Sheriff for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Auto Wreck
Awarded:
$1,500,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – City pays $1,500,000.00 to an off duty deputy sheriff injured in her private vehicle by a city truck.
Award of $1,400,000.00 for Traumatic Brain Injury From Rear-End Collision
Awarded:
$1,400,000
Summary:
Stewart Gill of Smith Law Center represented a 57-year-old Virginia Beach man who was rear-ended when a company technician looked away from the road and slammed into his truck at 45 miles per hour. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, permanent nerve damage and required spinal fusion surgery. Before the crash he was an avid hiker, paddleboarder, biker, and loved to work on his classic car, a life he can no longer fully enjoy. The defense refused to offer a single dollar and hired experts to deny his injuries. Smith Law Center filed suit, built a team of medical experts and refused to back down. The case resolved for $1,400,000, fully exhausting the primary policy and recovering an additional $400,000 from the excess policy.
Award of $1,350,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Woman in Shipboard Explosion Due to Ship Repair Contractor’s Negligence
Awarded:
$1,350,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Ship repair contracting company pays $1,350,000.00 to woman with mild traumatic brain injury.
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – The police are supposed “to protect and serve,” Smith said. “It is an outrage that the people of Newport News need protection from attacks by rogue police officers.” Smith, who represents many police officers throughout the commonwealth, said that in no way should this be considered an adverse reflection on the good police officers.
Award of $1,250,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Collision with Trucking Company
Awarded:
$1,250,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Trucking company pays $1,250,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Summary:
We helped a woman obtain an award of $1,175,00.00 for a mild traumatic brain injury she sustained in the hospital in connection with a surgery.
Award for $1,175,000.00 for Woman Injured by Hospital in Surgery for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,175,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Hospital pays $1,175,000.00 to woman for mild traumatic brain injury from surgery.
Summary:
BREVARD COUNTY, Florida – Tour Bus Company pays man $1,155,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in rear end collision.
Award of $1,100,000.00 to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Low Speed Collision with Tractor Trailer
Awarded:
$1,100,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Trucking Company pays woman $1,100,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in low speed collision.
Award of $1,100,000.00 for South Carolina Man with Mild Head Injury in Auto Accident Case
Awarded:
$1,100,000.00
Summary:
GREENVILLE, South Carolina – Company paid $1,100,000.00 to a man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award for $1,100,000.00 for Man Injured in Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,100,000.00
Summary:
CHESAPEAKE, Virginia – Company pays man $1,100,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck.
Jury awards $1,000,000.00 to Retired Veteran for Burns in Rooming House Without Smoke Detectors
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Retired veteran suffers burns in fire in rooming house with no smoke detectors.
Award of $1,000,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Man in Shipboard Explosion Due to Ship Repair Contractor’s Negligence
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Ship repair contracting company pays $1,000,000.00 to man with mild traumatic brain injury.
Award of $1,000,000.00 for a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Due to a Slip and Fall at a Restaurant
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
LYNCHBURG, Virginia – The fast food restaurant paid $1,000,000 full policy limits for a premises liability slip and fall where our client fell on the wet, just cleaned, concrete floor, causing a mild traumatic brain injury.
Award for $1,000,000.00 for Woman Injured in Minor Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
ROCKLEDGE, Florida – Company pays woman $1,000,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck with minimal property damage.
Award of $1,000,000.00 to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Auto Collision
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
BREVARD COUNTY, Florida – Woman receives $1,000,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in collision.
Award of $1,000,000.00 for Death of Elderly Man Due to Faulty Repairs to His Automobile by Auto Repair Company
Awarded:
$1,000,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Auto repair company pays $1,000,000.00 to estate of man.
Jury Awards $988,000.00 to Woman Who Slipped and Fell on Wet Floor Stuckey’s Restaurant
Awarded:
$988,000.00
Summary:
SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Virginia – Jury awards $988,000.00 to a woman who fell on wet floor in a restroom and suffered mild traumatic brain injury.
Summary:
PORTSMOUTH, Virginia – Motorcyclist awarded $900,000.00.
Award of $900,000.00 for Mild Head Injury for Woman in Collision with Dump Truck
Awarded:
$900,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Hauling company pays $900,000.00 to woman with mild traumatic brain injury.
Summary:
GLOUCESTER COUNTY, Virginia
Summary:
CHESAPEAKE, Virginia – Company pays man $800,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in collision.
Award of $750,000.00 to Man For Closed Head Injury From Low Speed Collision
Awarded:
$750,000.00
Summary:
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Company pays man $750,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in low speed collision.
Award $750,000.00 for Man Beaten by Police in Mistaken Identity for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$750,000.00
Summary:
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia – $750,000.00 awarded to a man for mild brain injury from beating and false arrest.
Summary:
ADA, Oklahoma – Company pays estate of woman $700,000.00 for collision.
$700,000.00 Awarded to Woman With Traumatic Brain Injury for Auto Accident
Awarded:
$700,000.00
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia
Summary:
HAMPTON, Virginia – Jury awards man $685,000.00 to man for neck injury in car wreck.
Company Pays $680,000.00 to Man Injured in Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$680,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Company pays man $680,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck.
Award of $675,000.00 to Woman For Closed Head Injury From Low Speed Collision
Awarded:
$675,000.00
Summary:
NORFOLK, Virginia – Company pays woman $675,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury in low speed collision.
Award of $650,000.00 for Man Injured in Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$650,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Man paid $650,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck.
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Man awarded $550,000.00 for broken ankle in car wreck.
Jury Awards $550,000.00 to Bank Teller Injured in Car Wreck for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Awarded:
$550,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Jury awards bank teller $550,000.00 for mild traumatic brain injury from car wreck.
$500,000.00 Award for Police Officer Injured While Directing Traffic for Back Injury
Awarded:
$500,000.00
Summary:
NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – Award for police officer for back injury while directing traffic.
Award of $500,000.00 to Florida Man Who Suffered a Mild Head Injury Due to Slip and Fall at Home Depot
Awarded:
$500,000.00
Summary:
ROCKLEDGE, Florida.
Award of $325,000 for Retired Veteran Struck by Car While Crossing Street
Awarded:
$325,000
Summary:
Samantha Cohn of Smith Law Center represented a 77-year-old retired Vietnam veteran who was struck by a car while crossing East Second Street in Chase City, Virginia, at dusk on November 19, 2022. The driver admitted she never saw him. The impact broke a bone in Mr. Queen's lower leg and caused serious lower back damage. He was left with chronic pain, repeated falls at home, and permanent limitations in daily life. He required a series of spinal injections, guided by live X-ray in an operating room, to manage ongoing nerve pain that never fully resolved. Despite the severity of the accident, the liability insurance carrier refused to tender its policy limits so Smith Law Center took the case to suit. The case resolved for $325,000, including a full policy limits recovery of $250,000 from the at-fault driver's insurance policy.
Award of $200,000.00 to Plumbing Manager for Injuries From Worksite Accidents
Awarded:
$200,000.00
Summary:
Stewart Gill of Smith Law Center represented a 60-year-old plumbing manager from Virginia Beach who was hurt twice on the same Norfolk worksite. The first accident happened when he helped unload a 400-pound bathtub and tore his biceps tendon and ligaments in his wrist. The second came months later when he tripped on a staircase, tearing his rotator cuff and causing an injury to his lower back. Smith Law Center fought both workers' compensation cases at once and hired an independent spinal expert when the carrier tried to close the file early. The case settled for $200,000 lump sum plus all the client’s accident-related medical bills.
Summary:
Stewart Gill of Smith Law Center represented a 43-year-old hospital security officer from Williamsburg, Virginia who herniated discs in his lower back while physically restraining a violent patient on October 15, 2024. His doctor ordered spinal surgery, but the employer cut off his disability checks and refused to authorize the procedure claiming it was a pre-existing condition. Smith Law Center filed for a hearing before the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission and secured a medical expert opinion proving the client’s new injury had nothing to do with his prior low back pain. Facing that hearing the employer settled for $125,000 plus payment of medical treatment up to entry of the final order, which was more than 10 times what the employer had paid before the firm got involved.
Summary:
Samantha Cohn of Smith Law Center represented a 28-year-old Newport News, Virginia, woman who was making a routine left turn on a Saturday night on May 3, 2025, when a driver fleeing police at 97 miles per hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone ran a red light and slammed into her car. The crash was so violent that the driver's side door was ripped completely off. Rescue crews had to cut her free from the wreckage before rushing her by ambulance to the hospital. She suffered a broken rib, along with injuries to her neck, back, and hip. She also developed ongoing pain that disrupted her sleep and daily life long after the crash. The case resolved in January 2026 for $95,000 total, including a full policy limits recovery of $50,000 from the at-fault driver's insurance policy, plus an additional $45,000 recovered through her own insurance policy which was just below our client’s policy maximum.
Award of $45,000 for Man Attacked by Two Dogs While Helping Elderly Neighbor
Awarded:
$45000
Summary:
Samantha Cohn of Smith Law Center represented a 58-year-old self-employed man from Newport News, Virginia, who was attacked by two German Shepherds on April 8, 2024, while helping an elderly neighbor with memory problems get safely home. As he walked her across Marshall Avenue that afternoon, two large dogs charged from a neighbor's open yard. The owner called out that they would not bite. Seconds later, one dog tore into his left leg and the second bit his right.
Both dogs had expired rabies vaccinations at the time of the attack, forcing him to undergo emergency stitches for some of the wounds and a multi-week rabies prevention shot series requiring repeated hospital visits. The physical trauma was accompanied by lasting emotional distress that required counseling. When the insurance company failed to meet the firm's demand, Smith Law Center took the case to court. The case resolved in September 2025 for $45,000.
Award of $135,000 for Woman Injured When Dropped During a Hoyer Lift Transfer
Awarded:
$135,000
Summary:
Emily Strak of Smith Law Center represented a 62-year-old woman from Portsmouth, Virginia, who had previously suffered a stroke and required full-time home care. On May 4, 2024, she was dropped during a Hoyer lift transfer and sustained two fractures in her lower right leg. The fractures required non-surgical treatment, and she incurred approximately $21,000.00 in medical bills. Smith Law Center successfully settled this case before filing the suit for $135,000, which was over six times the medical bills.
Settlement for Patient Burned During Electrical Stimulation Treatment
Awarded:
Confidential
Summary:
Emily Strak of Smith Law Center represented a client who suffered two second-degree burns while receiving electrical stimulation at a medical appointment. The burns left two permanent scars on the client’s back. Smith Law Center successfully settled this case for nearly three times the insurance carrier’s original offer.
Settlement for Passenger Injured in Rollover Crash After Failure to Yield
Awarded:
Confidential
Summary:
Samantha Cohn of Smith Law Center represented a 66-year-old retired woman who was a passenger in a vehicle struck by a driver who failed to yield while making a left turn at an intersection in Norfolk, Virginia, on December 2, 2022. The impact was so violent that it caused the car to roll over. Adding to the complexity, she had undergone back surgery shortly before the crash. She was taken by ambulance to the emergency room and treated for injuries to her abdomen, lower leg, shoulder, and lower back. She was also struck by the airbag. She struggled to walk and required a walker at home during her recovery. What made the case that much more difficult was that the client had signed a full release for all bodily injuries she sustained in the accident prior to retaining Smith Law Center to represent her. Smith fought the release rejecting the initial low offer taking the case to suit. The case was eventually settled and, while the specific terms of the settlement are confidential, it was for over ten times the initial pre-representation settlement amount.
Settlement for Veteran Whose Spinal Injury Was Aggravated in Dog Attack
Awarded:
Confidential
Summary:
Samantha Cohn of Smith Law Center represented a 52-year-old retired U.S. Army veteran and Department of Defense analyst from Yorktown, Virginia. On the afternoon of August 13, 2022, she was walking her two small Maltese dogs on leashes in her own front yard when her neighbor's German Shepherd escaped its yard and attacked her and her dogs. It was the second time the same dog had attacked her pets. She fought frantically to free her dogs from the melee and was injured in the process. She suffered a serious aggravation of her service-connected spinal injury and severe emotional trauma. One dog died from its injuries while the other required emergency surgery. VA mental health records documented severe depression, severe anxiety, clinical insomnia, and eventual suicidal ideation in the weeks that followed. The firm refused to accept the insurance company’s low-ball offer taking the case to suit. The specificities of the settlement agreement are confidential but the recovery was more than three times greater than the medical bills incurred by our client.
Note: The accounts have either been published previously by various entities unrelated to The Smith Law Center and/or The Brain Injury Law Center, or have been prepared by us for dissemination to our website visitors. The results obtained in specific cases depend on a variety of factors. It is generally impossible to know all factors that have influenced a specific result or an accumulation of specific results.
Each legal matter consists of circumstances that are peculiar or unique to the specific case. The results obtained under one case cannot be a predictor of the results likely to be obtained in another case involving different circumstances. Individuals should draw no conclusions about their particular legal matter based on these accounts.
If you have suffered from a catastrophic injury it is important to consult with an experienced attorney who can protect your legal rights and help you and your family get the compensation you deserve. The attorneys at the Smith Law Center have the experience, training, and knowledge to help you get the justice you deserve. Contact us at (757) 244-7000 for a no-cost consultation and to learn what your recovery options are.
About Smith Law Center
Our lawyers are more than lawyers. They are people who understand your injuries and the law that surrounds your options when it comes to holding others accountable.
