I was in a wreck and I am concerned about my lost wages. How will I recover them?
This is a frequent question. Of course you are worried about lost wages and time from work.
I was in a car wreck while pregnant and feel okay. Is it still possible that my unborn baby and I suffered injuries?
Yes, because pregnant women who are hospitalized following a car crash are at increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, even if they are not seriously injured in the wreck. Difficulties such as placental abruption and cesarean section (i.e. c-section) are common and your baby may be at risk for respiratory distress syndrome and fetal death. Even though earlier studies have uncovered that the severity of the car accident is connected to negative pregnancy results, newer research reveals that even injuries that are not deemed “serious” can also have negative and harmful results for you and your baby.
I was in a car wreck and my friend was the at-fault driver. I don’t feel comfortable suing. What should I do?
First of all, this is why we have insurance, for accidents. Don’t worry about suing your friend just yet, it might not get to that point. The first thing to happen is that you will make a claim with the insurance company. Chances are your friend won’t even be involved in that aspect. The only time we actually end up filing a suit is when we cannot resolve the claim through settlement. Most of the time we do resolve through settlement. Your friend will understand that you are hurt and need to make a claim. Don’t beat yourself up over it.
I was in a car wreck and my friend was driving. I don’t want to sue my friend, what should I do?
Most of the time you are simply making a claim against your friend’s car insurance policy. There is a strong liklihood that the case will settle before it ever goes to a lawsuit. Also, this is why we all have car insurance, for claims like these.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp& Duffan is a law firm which focuses exclusively on injury and accident law. We have a proven track record in the court room, and you can review our case results to see for yourself. Our attorneys have deep roots in Virginia and handle cases throughout the commonwealth. Our office is based in Virginia Beach, but we’re ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia if you’ve been seriously hurt by someone else’s carelessness. While not every injury case meets our criteria, we off a free, initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us toll free at (833) 997-1774. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail and we will return your call promptly.
Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included among the “Best Lawyers in America” 2010 Edition. Rick and James, along with fellow attorney John C. were named Virginia “Super Lawyers” For Personal Injury Law (2010 Ed., less than 5% of lawyers are chosen), and selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2009). In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical, respected law firms. Our firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.
We also offer free special reports along with editing the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a public information service. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube, a Railroad Accident/FELA Lawyers blog, a Medical Malpractice and Surgical Errors blog, a VA/NC Wrongful Death blog, and a blog dedicated to accident and safety issues on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
I was in a car crash. How quickly do I have to find an attorney and file a lawsuit?
Each state has a “statute of limitations” that governs how long you can wait before filing a lawsuit. The time limit will be different depending on the type of injury you suffered. Here is a list of the statute of limitations for auto accidents in the states that we practice: – North Carolina: 3 years, wrongful death 2 years, – Virginia: 2 years – West Virginia: 2 years – Washington, D.C.: 3 years While the statute of limitations provides the “end date” for the filing of a lawsuit, there may be many good reasons to get yours started earlier. Additionally, because every case is different, there may be some exception to the general statute of limitations rules that applies to your case.
About the editors: The motto at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp& Duffan law firm is simple -“All we do is injury law.” We hope you were able to find the answer to your injury query. If not, please review our Virginia Accident Lawyer FAQ Library for additional information. If you’d like to speak to an actual attorney about your potential injury claim for free, please contact our office at (833) 997-1774.