If you were seriously hurt by another driver in an auto wreck in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, or elsewhere in Virginia, you likely have a claim against the other driver’s insurance for personal injury. If you are looking for a car accident settlement that properly compensates you for your medical expenses, time missed from work, and pain and suffering, some form of negotiation with an insurance adjuster will need to occur. This is because auto insurance companies routinely make low-ball settlement offers in an effort to minimize their financial liability after an insured causes an accident.
The Insurance Adjuster is Not Your Friend
Many auto insurance adjusters have a car accident settlement range and will typically begin at the lowest figure. They may try to contact you soon after the accident (some adjusters reach out to the injured party in less than 24 hours). They do this because they want to speak to you before you have had a chance to talk to an experienced Virginia Beach personal injury attorney and before you have had a thorough medical examination. They want to record you saying you are “feeling fine” so they can attempt to settle your car accident injury claim for the least possible amount of money. Check out this article detailing some of the most common tricks and delay tactics used by insurance adjuster. Do not be afraid to reject the low-ball offer and go talk to a Virginia Beach car accident injury attorney.
Why Hiring an Experienced Virginia Car Accident Lawyer Makes Sense
If the thought of haggling with an insurance adjuster makes you queasy, you are not alone. Most people do not want to spend their days going back and forth with an adjuster who will likely question the extent of your injuries. You may also have no idea on whether the settlement offered is fair and reasonable. These are reasons why hiring an experienced personal injury attorney to handle your car accident settlement negotiations makes the most sense. Personal injury attorneys know how to handle insurance adjusters and are fully aware of their common tricks and delay tactics. Your lawyer will work on your behalf in the back-and-forth negotiations to try and obtain maximum compensation for you. If negotiations break down, your lawyer becomes even more valuable because they can file a lawsuit in General District Court or Circuit Court (allowing you to avoid the stress and risk of being an unrepresented plaintiff).
Examples of Successful Car Accident Settlements
- $1.5 million settlement reached for Albemarle motorcycle accident victims during mediation
- $1 million settlement in Virginia Beach car accident
- $1 million settlement for Fredericksburg woman seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident
- $600,000 settlement for car accident victim who had to undergo neck/cervical fusion surgery which resulted in substantial lost income and earning capacity
- Pedestrians hit by automobile in Virginia Beach reach $545,000 settlement during mediation
- Additional car wreck case results
How Long Does a Car Accident Settlement Take?
Settling a car accident claim may take days, weeks, or months. The length of time depends on multiple factors, including the type of accident, the extent of your injuries, the amount of damages in question, the amount of available auto insurance coverage, and so forth. It is important to keep track of the amount of time it takes to try and settle your claim because if negotiations break down, you can only file a lawsuit if you are within the applicable time period prior to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Basically, injured parties only have a finite period of time to file a lawsuit to seek monetary damages for their harms and losses. In Virginia, a personal injury lawsuit must, generally, be filed within two years of the date of the accident. Though, some exceptions apply, including if you the injured party is a minor and if the negligent party is local government employee or entity. Again, retaining an experienced Virginia Beach car accident injury lawyer will make your life easier because, once hired, they will keep track of all the necessary deadlines and ensure your lawsuit gets filed on time, if needed.
Five Reasons to Contact Our Virginia Car Accident Law Firm Today
- Free, confidential consultation and a “no recovery, no legal fee” policy;
- The lawyers at Shapiro & Appleton& Duffan possess over 80 years of combined legal experience;
- The firm is recognized as a “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News & World Report (since ’10) for personal injury litigation;
- Attorneys at our firm are recognized as Virginia “Super Lawyers”, a distinction less than five percent of practicing lawyers attain; and
- Our team of personal injury attorneys have experience representing clients have suffered catastrophic injuries in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, and all other transportation-related accidents.