Injuries occur in a variety of ways. Any time another person acts in a negligent, careless, or purposeful way and leaves you needing medical treatment, you may be able to hold that person accountable by filing a personal injury claim.
Whether you needed surgery for torn ligaments in your knee after a slip and fall or your loved one suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in a Prince William County car accident, a personal injury lawyer in Prince William County at the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC has the knowledge and skill necessary to help you navigate the claims process.
Call us today at 571-229-1800 to learn more about our experience and how we can handle your claim to recover the compensation you deserve.
What types of injury cases does the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC handle?
Almost any negligent action can cause an injury. Some cases are more obvious than others — such as when a driver runs a red light and causes a car accident. However, no matter how your injury occurred we can help you identify the negligent party and hold it financially accountable for your damages.
Some of the most common injury cases we handle include:
- Slips and falls
- Car crashes
- Motorcycle wrecks
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck crashes
- Pedestrian collisions
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Defective products
- Defective drugs
- Wrongful death
If your injuries resulted from any of the incidents above and you need help paying for your medical treatment, recouping lost wages, and recovering from your emotional pain and suffering, we can help. During a free case evaluation, we can help you identify the liable party(s) and explain your legal options for compensation.
What do I need to prove to recover compensation?
Nearly all personal injury cases hinge on negligence. While the evidence we need to collect to prove your claim varies somewhat depending on how your injuries occurred, we still need to demonstrate negligence on the part of the liable party (defendant). For most cases, this requires showing:
- The liable party had an obligation to follow laws or regulations to keep you safe.
- The defendant failed to uphold this obligation.
- This failure led to your injuries.
- You suffered actual physical and/or financial damages.
For example, drivers must follow traffic laws. If a driver runs a stop sign, collides with you, and causes you to suffer a traumatic brain injury, he has broken a traffic law and behaved negligently. The evidence we collect in this case may include the police report, eyewitness testimony, pictures of the damage to the cars, testimony from an accident reconstruction expert, your medical records, and a journal detailing your pain and suffering.
Building a strong case against the at-fault party in a Virginia personal injury claim is particularly important because of the state’s pure contributory negligence laws. The state is one of the few that places this strict limitation on negligence cases. Under pure contributory negligence, if the other party can show you contributed to your injuries in any way the court will bar you from collecting compensation for your damages.
We can work with an accident reconstruction expert to determine exactly how an accident occurred and prove that you did not contribute to the accident in any way.
Prince William County Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me 571-229-1800
What can I expect during the personal injury claims process?
We can settle most personal injury cases out of court by filing a claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company. What type of insurance pays out depends on how your injuries occurred.
An auto insurance policy covers car, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents while a homeowner’s policy may cover the cost of a dog bite injury. Businesses and doctors also have insurance policies that pay for damages if we can prove the policyholder acted negligently and caused your injuries.
When we handle a Prince William County personal injury case, you can focus on your physical recovery and spending time with your family instead of worrying about your financial future and the legal aspects of your claim.
We collect and present the evidence to the insurance company, and then negotiate for a fair settlement with the insurance company or its lawyers. This process could take several months, but we will give you regular updates and help you understand what to expect along the way.
Occasionally the insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement and we must pursue further legal action. This includes filing suit in either Virginia’s district or circuit court, depending on the value of your case. We have two years from the date of your injuries to file this suit, in most cases. This means it is important to act quickly after your accident to enlist our help on your claim. If a government agency or employee played a role in causing your injuries, the time limits may be even shorter.
How much can I collect in a Prince William County personal injury case?
Every personal injury case is different, so there is no way to know how much yours might be worth without discussing the specific details of your accident, injuries, and prognosis. Our team of personal injury attorneys in Virginia can help you get a good idea of the full value of your losses after we investigate your accident and collect evidence to show your damages. This estimated value also lets us know if the insurance company’s offer is a fair settlement or if we need to push for more. Regardless of the value of your case, every settlement will likely include the following:
Economic damages: Medical bills, lost wages, and accident-related out-of-pocket expenses. There is no limit to this sum, in most cases. We can also use expert witnesses to understand your future care needs and wage losses, and request compensation for these.
Noneconomic damages: Emotional upset, turmoil, and frustration caused by the accident and your injuries. To come up with this value, we take into consideration how your injuries limit your abilities, and how they will continue to affect your life. In some cases, the law may limit compensation for this type of damages.
Occasionally, the courts also award punitive damages in a Virginia civil suit. Punitive damages punish the negligent party for a deliberate act or other wanton reckless behavior like driving while drunk or on other drugs.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
How can Jim Parrish help me win my Prince William County personal injury case?
Attorney Jim Parrish understands how the insurance companies work, because he used to represent them. This means he has knowledge from the inside of insurance companies and the firms that represent them. If you need someone who will go after the negligent party who caused your injuries and recover the maximum amount of compensation available in your case, you need the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC on your side.
Call us today at 571-229-1800 to schedule a free consultation with our personal injury lawyer in Prince William County.
Call or Text 571-229-1800 or Complete a Free Case Evaluation form