Toll Free: 1 800 752 0042
Blog 
Auto Accidents
General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
- One of our own attorneys is featured in Virginia Lawyers Weekly again.
- Nanotubes Connected to Lung Cancers-New Article Posted
Trucking/Tractor Trailer Accidents
General
Practice Areas
- Auto Accidents
- Railroad Accidents, Occupational injuries/diseases
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Wrongful Death Claims
- Surgical Errors, Medical Malpractice
- Trucking/Tractor Trailer Accidents
- General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
Firm News
- Surgeon sues his own Spinal Surgeon for Medical Malpractice, Alleges Back Surgery Medical Negligence
- Single-Vehicle Tanker Trailer Crash Kills One
- Teen Driver Killed by Garbage Truck
- I-81 Tractor Trailer Accident
- Two Williamsburg, Va., Teens Killed in Crash
- John Cooper is Elected Chair of the Railroad Law Section of the American Association for Justice
- Trucker Health Problems Could Cause Collisions
- Truckers: Know your English or Pay the Fine
- Toxic Heavy Metal in Chesapeake, VA Water?
- The Jere Beasley Report – June 2008 “Jury returns verdict of $8,000,000 for seaman”
Library
Auto Accidents
- High traffic and bad driving cause headaches and accidents
- Road Fatalities Fall as Gas Rises
- Hazardous Road Conditions in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA) Seriously Injuring Motorists
Railroad Accidents, Occupational injuries/diseases
- Train Accident in Massachusetts Caused by Speed and Possibly Cell Phone
- The Higher Duty Owed by Railroads
- What Not To Do In A Railroad Accident
Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Head injury: forgotten trauma
- Spinal cord injuries are frightening.
- Hurrican Katrina: Seventeen Months and Counting
Wrongful Death Claims
- Having A Good Support Staff Is Key To Being A Strong Personal Injury And F.E.L.A. Law Firm
- Confidentiality Agreements Keep Information About Personal Injury Settlements From The Public
- Videotaping Lay Witnesses Can Be A Powerful Settlement Tool In Personal Injury And Death Cases
Surgical Errors, Medical Malpractice
- BREAST IMPLANT CASE WINS SUPREME COURT APPEAL
- Five Tips for Choosing a Cardiologist
- Stroke Symptoms & Diagnosis
Trucking/Tractor Trailer Accidents
- FMCSA Hours of Service Regulations
- Six Things You Must Remember if You're in a Truck Accident
- Top 10 Causes of 18-Wheeler Accidents
General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
- INSURANCE COMPANIES CONTINUE TO OVERCHARGE CUSTOMERS AND UNDERPAY CLAIMS
- North Carolina's Court System
- Boating accidents and injuries in Hampton Roads, Virginia (VA)
Co-Counsel
Firm Newsletters
General
Videotaping Lay Witnesses Can Be A Powerful Settlement Tool In Personal Injury And Death Cases
In wrongful death cases, our firm has been doing videotaping of the decedent's family members to show the impact of the death on the beneficiaries. By carefully preparing and shooting the videos, the injury lawyer can get some very powerful footage of how the wrongful death has impacted the family. My law partner, Jim Lewis, particularly has been very effective at using edited versions of these taped conversations with the family of the person wrongfully killed in a truck wreck to extract maximum value at a mediated settlement of the case. The idea is to give the insurance company and the defense lawyer a real taste of how strong, believable and sad the testimony at trial will be in these important cases.Recently, there was an article by Allen Michaelis, who is the man we use to put together powerful computer and videotape evidence for injury trials, that was published in the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association magazine. This magazine provides training material that goes to all Virginia personal injury lawyers who belong to the organize across the state. In his article, Mr. Michaelis described how Jim Lewis, as a 25 year veteran injury attorney, so effectively used videotape of a family in a wrongful death case where a truck killed a railroad worker on his commute back to serve as a Trackman for CSX.
In this educational piece for the VTLA, the questions used by Jim Lewis were cited to help other injury lawyers develop this powerful testimony. The questions included the following:
1. Here are some photographs. Tell us some of the things that your husband liked to do when he wasn't working.
2. Tell us some of the things that you and your husband enjoyed doing together.
3. Tell me when was the last time you saw your husband.
4. How did you hear about the car crash?
5. Tell us about the funeral.
6. What do you miss most about your husband?
7. If you could see your husband just one more time, what would you say to him?
As you can imagine, the widow telling her story in this way can be extremely powerful. The adult children can also tell more about their dad and little stories about his life. Once edited down to the very best material, such videotaping of lay witnesses can be the difference between getting a reasonable settlement and an extraordinary one in wrongful death and injury cases.
Free Reports
We Welcome
Lawyer Referrals
click here
Quick Contact
Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton, P.C.
1294 Diamond Springs Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Toll Free: (800) 752.0042
Phone: (757) 460-7776
Fax: (757) 460.3428
Case Results
Auto Accidents
- Pedestrians Stuck by Automobile Recover $540,000.00
- Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome brings verdict of $170,000.00
- Crosswalk Accident With Broken Leg Settles For $227,000.00
- Soft Tissue Injuries Caused by Auto Accident
- Serious Auto Accident Causes Death of Infant
Railroad Accidents, Occupational injuries/diseases
- Railroad-Roadway Crossing Accident - Car Passengers Injured
- FELA
- AMTRAK ENGINEER SETTLES WITH AMTRAK AND CSX OVER DERAILMENT
- Locomotive Engine Fire causes Rail Engineer right arm and wrist surgery
- Shoulder Injury requiring surgery for Locomotive Engineer
Surgical Errors, Medical Malpractice
- Gallbladder Surgery Error
- Medical Negligence
- Pharmacy-Prescription Error
- Gastric Bypass (stomach stapling) Surgery complications
- Retained Surgical Sponge and Subsequent Complications
Trucking/Tractor Trailer Accidents
- Collision Between Two Big Rigs Creates Fireball
- Automobile Accident Causing Coma and Paralysis
- Virginia Automobile Accident
- MACK truck wreck causes leg fractures
- Automobile wreck with drunk driver causes connective tissue injury
General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
- Department Store Shelf Falls on Customer
- Pilot Suffers Electrical Shock Injury At Hotel Ending Commercial Pilot’s Career--Settlement Soon Before Federal Court Jury Trial
Other
- Hotel Guest-Glass Coffee Carafe Shatters-Hand Injury
- Faulty Product - Fiberglass Stepladder Failure
- Skiing Accident
FAQs
Auto Accidents
- What should I do if I am involved in a car accident?
- I was in a car crash. How quickly do I have to find an attorney and file a lawsuit?
- What is the minimum car insurance I'm allowed to carry in my state?
- What is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and why should I think about having it?
- Does my state have a primary enforcement law for seat belts?
Surgical Errors, Medical Malpractice
General Personal Injury Claims We Handle
General
- Do I really need a lawyer?
- Can I afford to get into a lawsuit?
- How long will the whole process take?
- What if I do not want to go to court because I am getting nervous about testifying?
- How much am I likely to recover when in court?