What Our Clients Say

Check out our testimonial library featuring clients discussing their experiences, and learn
Why Clients Choose Us

You went above and beyond the call of duty for an attorney.
I like to deal with people who are honest and who keep their word. You are that kind of straight shooter.
I would recommend Mr. Shapiro and his staff to other persons who have a personal injury and need help with their situation as I did.
I asked a friend of mine...what attorney would he use [to handle a mesothelioma case] and he immediately said Rick Shapiro. He called Rick on his cell phone and explained our situation and handed me the phone. That connection to the law firm of Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis and Appleton began a relationship of trust and a sense of confidence that we had not experienced before. It was apparent to us that we had the right team fighting for our father.
She returned my calls promptly and everyone at the office was courteous and helpful.
I was really happy with the work that John Cooper did on my auto accident case. We went to mediation and got the case resolved for a good amount which will let me do things to help my financial future like buying a house.

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Why Medical Malpractice Cases are so difficult

On the page below you can find links to videos provided by Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton, P.C..

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of what you believe to have been a medical mistake by a doctor, a nurse, a nursing home or a hospital, then you are certainly going to want your case evaluated by a qualified attorney.

However, it is important that you understand that these cases are some of the most difficult and expensive cases involving personal injuries to try in the United States. This is largely the result of the fact that in the last 15 to 20 years, the medical community and the insurance companies that insure the medical community, have spent millions of dollars in Richmond and many millions of dollars in Washington, D.C. getting our legislators to pass laws to protect the medical community from those who have been injured by it.

In Virginia alone, there were over 100 laws in Virginia Supreme Court opinions that define all of the things that you must do before you can successfully prosecute a medical malpractice case.

Probably the most important one of these for you to understand is the fact that before you can file an action against a health care provider, whether it be a doctor, a nurse, a nursing home or a hospital, you must have located and hired the services of an expert witness who is trained and qualified in the same field and area of medicine as the entity or individual that you believe caused you harm.

This person must then review all of the medical records that relate to your case and must sign what is called a Certificate of Merit. That Certificate must state that the individual is an expert in the field of medicine that is the subject of your investigation, that he has reviewed the necessary medical records regarding the case, and that he or she is of the opinion that the defendant who is the target in the case committed malpractice. Without this Certificate, you cannot go forward with your case.

Here at Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton, we have decades of experience locating, working with, and using the best expert witnesses in the country to help our clients. If you have been injured as a result of the conduct of a health care provider and you need a law firm that knows how to work its way through the tangle of laws and regulations designed to discourage folks like you, then you have come to the right place.

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Main VA Office
1294 Diamond Springs Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Phone: (757)-460-7776
Fax: (757)-460-3428
Toll Free: 1-800-752-0042

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Hampton-Peninsula Area Office
Mill Point Center
101 Eaton Street
Hampton, Virginia 23669
Phone: (757)-788-8162

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North Carolina Office
101 E. Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Toll Free: 1-800-752-0042

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Offices

Main VA Office
1294 Diamond Springs Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Phone: (757)-460-7776
Fax: (757)-460-3428
Toll Free: 1-800-752-0042

Hampton-Peninsula Area Office
Mill Point Center
101 Eaton Street
Hampton, Virginia 23669
Phone: (757)-788-8162

North Carolina Office
101 E. Elizabeth Street
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Toll Free: 1-800-752-0042

Case Results

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT, AND THE VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS MENTIONED ON THIS WEBSITE, WHILE ACCURATE, DO NOT REPRESENT WHAT WE MAY OBTAIN FOR YOU IN YOUR CASE.