Injury Lawyer in Virginia Beach

100+ Years Fighting For Justice and Full Compensation

As a dedicated injury law firm, we know that life can change in an instant as a result of a serious injury. From coping with physical pain and emotional distress to managing medical bills and lost income, the consequences can be all-consuming. We can help.

Our attorneys collectively have more than 100 years of experience vigorously pursuing full compensation for clients from all those responsible. Since 1985, we’ve been helping clients and their families regain their lives and have recovered over $100 million in settlements and verdicts on their behalf. For many years, we have been named a “Best Law Firm” in the field of personal injury law by that prestigious lawyer’s ranking organization.

If you’ve been hurt by someone else and are looking for the best injury lawyer for your case, we invite you to call us today at 833-997-1774  for a FREE case evaluation to learn how we can help and the damages to which you may be entitled.

There is no fee unless compensation is recovered. As a full-service injury law firm, we will advance all litigation expenses on your behalf so you will not need to pay any costs to support your case while litigation is ongoing.

Our Practice – How We Work to Obtain Full Compensation For Clients

With offices in Virginia Beach, North Carolina, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton-Peninsula, and Kitty Hawk, we serve those who have been injured and the families who have lost a loved one in a wrongful death matter throughout the greater metropolitan areas in these locations. We also represent railroad workers in FELA injury claims throughout the eastern United States.

We are committed to achieving full and fair compensation for our clients and their families. This means that we take the time and dedicate the resources to building the cases of our clients to help get them the money they deserve. We do not seek quick, undervalued settlements.

As injury trial lawyers, defense counsel know we will not hesitate to take a case to trial and present it to a jury if a fair settlement cannot be achieved. We believe that our substantive trial experience is a key asset to clients seeking justice and the compensation clients deserve.

How We Build Client Cases for Full Compensation

We build client cases through:

  • Meticulous Case Investigation: We gather evidence such as traffic camera footage, witness statements, and expert testimony to establish the other party’s full responsibility. For example, in car crash cases, it’s often critical to send a preservation of evidence demand letter to all responsible parties warning against the destruction or alteration of totaled vehicles, as the damage to a vehicle can help prove fault. Additionally, vehicles now contain event recorders or “black boxes” that record critical information about a crash, such as the vehicle speed and whether brakes were applied. When a crash occurs, insurance companies for the at-fault driver typically want the vehicle demolished at a scrap yard so that event recorder information will be lost. An immediate preservation demand can prevent this from occurring.
  • Determining All Parties at Fault. In many injury cases, more than one person may be at fault. A business premises may have provided inadequate lighting or holes in their parking area. A company may have sold a defective product, which caused serious injuries. We determine all parties we believe are legally responsible for injuries so that they can be held accountable.
  • Vigorous Representation. Injury cases today go through a complex process, often involving depositions, document production, negotiation, and mediation. It’s critical to retain an injury lawyer who is highly experienced in all of these matters, particularly since over 90% of injury cases are resolved outside of trial. We build the cases of our clients step-by-step, and it’s important to retain our injury firm as early in the process as possible so we can locate and demand preservation of relevant evidence. We take on the painstaking work of proving liability and damages at the outset of a case, not just prior to trial. This approach helps our clients in negotiations and mediation, as the responsible defendants will know the detailed evidence that we will provide at trial if they are not prepared to pay full compensation.
  • Countering Insurance Company Tactics: Insurance adjusters and their attorneys are trained to minimize payouts by assigning blame to victims. We handle all communication and negotiations to protect client rights.

The Common Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle

As experienced Virginia Beach injury lawyers, we represent clients in nearly all types of injury cases, including:

  • Car Accidents: From rear-end collisions to multi-vehicle pileups, we help victims recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.insurance
  • Truck Accidents: Commercial truck crashes often involve complex liability issues, federal regulations, and multiple at-fault parties. We help clients identify all potentially liable parties to maximize the chances of securing full and fair compensation.
  • Motorcycle Accidents: Motorcyclists face unique vulnerabilities on the road. We represent victims injured in crashes caused by negligent drivers.
  • Bicycle Accidents: Virginia Beach offers many bike-friendly areas, but accidents involving negligent drivers can cause severe, lifelong injuries. We help cyclists secure the compensation they deserve, not just for current medical care but for ongoing treatment.
  • Pedestrian Accidents: Pedestrians are especially vulnerable to serious injuries in vehicle-involved accidents. Our team works tirelessly to hold negligent drivers accountable.
  • Boat/Watercraft Injuries: With Virginia Beach’s proximity to the water, we represent victims injured in boating and watercraft accidents caused by negligent operators.
  • Bus Accidents: Injuries involving public or private buses often involve complex liability issues. We handle these cases to ensure victims receive fair compensation.
  • Slip and Falls: Property owners in Virginia Beach are required to maintain safe premises. If you’ve been injured due to unsafe conditions, we can help.
  • Business Premises Liability: Beyond slip and falls, we handle cases involving negligent security, falling objects, and hazardous property conditions.
  • Dog Bites: Dog attacks can cause serious injuries and trauma, but claims are typically handled through homeowners insurance, often avoiding direct legal action against friends or family.
  • Defective Drugs & Faulty Products: When defective medications or products cause harm, we hold manufacturers, distributors, and retailers accountable.
  • Electric Shock/Electrocution: Injuries caused by faulty wiring, exposed electrical components, or workplace negligence require specialized legal expertise. Our team regularly handles these types of cases, often giving us an upper hand in electrocution matters.
  • Medical Malpractice: From surgical errors to misdiagnoses, we represent patients harmed by healthcare providers who fail to meet the standard of care.
  • Nursing Home Injuries: Neglect and abuse in nursing homes are serious violations of trust. We fight for justice for elderly victims and their families.
  • Brain Injuries: Traumatic brain injuries can have life-altering consequences. Our attorneys work with medical experts to build strong cases for compensation.
  • Spinal Cord Injury: Spinal cord injuries often lead to paralysis or long-term medical needs. We pursue maximum compensation to support ongoing care.
  • Wrongful Death: Losing a loved one due to negligence is devastating. We provide compassionate legal representation for families seeking justice and the recovery of lost financial contributions.
  • Mesothelioma/Asbestos: We represent victims exposed to asbestos, helping them recover compensation for medical bills and suffering caused by asbestos-induced cancers, including mesothelioma.
  • Railroad/FELA: Injuries involving railroad employees require knowledge of the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA). We represent injured railroad workers in FELA claims and have a nationwide reputation after representing hundreds of engineers, conductors, track maintenance workers, and virtually every sort of railroad worker in claims against CSX, Norfolk Southern, Amtrak, and other railroad employers. These claims involve injuries, diseases, derailments, and other rail accidents involving railroad workers.

How Much Can I Get in a Virginia Beach Injury Case?

One of the first questions that we are often asked is, “How much can I get in my injury case?” The answer depends on a number of factors, including:

  • Injury severity and permanency. The more severe and permanent an injury is, the higher the damages usually are.
  • The extent to which the injured person was partially or fully at fault. As discussed below, Virginia is one of the few jurisdictions in the United States that follows a contributory negligence standard. This means that if the injured person has any fault in the injuries sustained, the injured person cannot recover damages, even if their fault was only 1% or a slight percentage.
  • The availability of compensation from the defendants and their insurance companies. In some instances, liability for an injury may be clear, but the defendant has no meaningful assets from which a settlement or judgment can be collected. The defendant also may not have any insurance to cover liability. In these circumstances, while the injuries may be severe, the injury victim may not be able to obtain compensation due to the defendant’s financial circumstances. Our attorneys scour the landscape, searching for all sources of potential insurance coverage.

What Types of Damages Can I Get in a Virginia Injury Case?

Virginia law allows injury victims to pursue several types of damages, including:

  1. Past and Future Economic Damages: These cover measurable losses like medical bills, lost wages and income, and property damage. If it is likely that future medical treatment will be required or that an injury victim will suffer a loss in the ability to earn future income, these damages are also recoverable, so we develop evidence to prove such losses.
  2. Past and Future Non-Economic Damages: These damages compensate for intangible losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Like economic damages, these damages also include future damages likely to be sustained.
  3. Punitive Damages: In cases involving egregious negligence or recklessness, additional compensation may be awarded to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct. This form of damage claim is not based on personal injuries, as punitive damages are designed to punish more serious wrongdoing.

Our Virginia Beach injury lawyers work closely with medical, vocational, and financial experts to calculate the full value of a client’s claim, ensuring no detail is

It’s critical to ensure that all possible anticipated future expenses are included in a claim, as there typically will not be any ability to re-open or “come back later” after a settlement or jury verdict is final if the damages turn out to be greater than originally expected.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Experienced Injury Attorney in Virginia Beach, Virginia?

One of the most common concerns for those injured is the cost of hiring a Virginia Beach injury attorney. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we believe everyone deserves access to justice, regardless of their financial situation. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis.

A contingency fee basis means:

  • There are No Upfront Costs: You don’t have to pay any fees out of pocket to hire us, nor do you have to pay any fees for our time while your case is ongoing. We advance all litigation costs, such as filing fees, expert witness expenses, and court costs. Typically, these expenses are repaid by a jury verdict or settlement.
  • We Only Get Paid If You Receive Compensation: Our fee is calculated as a percentage of the compensation we recover for you through a settlement or jury verdict. If you don’t receive a settlement or jury verdict, you will not owe us any legal fees.
  • A contingency fee structure means that you will have access to the best injury lawyers without having to pay any money upfront for legal services and that the interests of your lawyers will always be aligned with your interests—our success depends on your success.

Can I Recover Compensation in Virginia If I’m Partially At Fault For My Injuries?

No. With an asterisk.

Virginia is one of the few states that follows the contributory negligence rule, which can significantly impact a person’s ability to recover compensation after an injury. Under this rule, if you are found to be even 1% at fault for the accident or incident that caused your injuries, you are barred from recovering any compensation.

This standard is strict compared to the comparative negligence systems used in most other states, where an injured person can recover reduced compensation even if they are partially at fault.

The asterisk is that Virginia ignores or forgives contributory fault only in a limited number of situations, such as ultra-hazardous scenarios like damages from blasting activities or activities involving explosives and highly toxic substances. Also, in some food poisoning or breach of product warranty situations leading to injuries, contributory negligence is not a bar to recovery.

Virginia also ignores contributory fault in limited scenarios involving gross negligence or reckless conduct by a primarily responsible party or in what is called “last clear chance” situations where the responsible party had a last, clear chance to avoid the accidental injuries suffered by a person despite their own negligence. Our skilled injury lawyers can explain the Virginia laws to determine if your case may fit into an exception.

How Does The Virginia Contributory Negligence Rule Affect Injury Victims?

In a Virginia injury case, lawyers for the defense will try to show that the injured plaintiff had some role in injury causation so that they can avoid liability. At trial, if they can convince a jury to determine that the plaintiff had some role in causing the injury – such as if the plaintiff was partly liable in a car crash – they can avoid liability.

For example, if you were involved in a car crash at a busy Virginia Beach intersection because the other driver ran a red light, defense counsel may assert that you were partially at fault because you may have been speeding. Whether you were driving above the speed limit may or may not matter; the crash occurred because the other driver ran the red light, and they need to be held liable. We can research the law and try to prove a viable case.

As experienced injury attorneys, we know well the tactics often employed by defense counsel to attempt to shift blame and liability, and we oppose these tactics whenever they are used. With contributory negligence laws at play, having legal representation is essential.

If you’re concerned about whether you may be partially at fault for your injuries, don’t hesitate to contact us. At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we offer free case evaluations to help you understand your legal options and determine the best path forward. Call us today at 833-997-1774 to schedule your consultation. Our team will fight to protect your rights and help you recover the compensation you deserve.

Why Acting Quickly Matters in Virginia Beach Injury Lawsuits

In many injury cases – such as car accidents – evidence can be destroyed or fade, and witnesses can become harder to locate as time passes. The sooner you consult with an experienced Virginia Beach injury attorney, the better your chances of preserving crucial evidence and building a strong case will be.

How Long Do I Have to File A Lawsuit for an Injury in Virginia?

Virginia enforces a strict statute of limitations for personal injury, wrongful death, and medical malpractice cases. Under Virginia law, an injured person typically has two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline could mean forfeiting your right to pursue compensation, regardless of the severity of your injuries or the circumstances of the accident.

This two-year limit applies to most personal injury cases, such as car crashes. However, certain exceptions may apply in specific situations, such as:

  • Injuries to Minors: If the injured person is under 18, the statute of limitations may be extended until their 20th birthday. Different rules apply for medical malpractice cases involving minors, so consult our law firm.
  • Wrongful Death Cases: For injuries resulting in death, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the individual’s passing. Again, there are some important (complicated) exceptions, so contact us for specific legal advice.
  • Certain Medical Malpractice Claims:  While the standard two-year limitation period applies in most situations, a longer statute of limitations applies for certain medical malpractice cases, including those involving fraud or concealment, leaving a foreign body (tool, sponge, etc.) in a patient, or negligently failing to diagnose a malignant tumor or cancer. Another critical exception in medical malpractice cases in Virginia involves the “continuing treatment rule,” which can extend the limitation period for up to two years from when continuing treatment from the responsible physician ends, as long as the continuing treatment relates to at least one complication of the alleged malpractice by that physician. If you believe the continuing treatment rule may apply to your given situation, obtain a free, confidential consultation with our injury law firm. Extensions of the limitation period in these specific scenarios are possible.
  • Government Claims: If your injury involves a Virginia government entity (such as a public bus accident or a slip and fall on government property), the timeline to provide notice or file a claim can be significantly shorter—sometimes as little as six months.

We understand the intricacies of Virginia’s personal injury laws filing deadlines.

By acting quickly, you also increase your chances of preserving critical evidence and building a stronger case.

Call Us Today for a Free Consultation and Case Evaluation

If you’ve been injured, don’t hesitate to seek legal advice. You deserve to know your options.

We offer a free consultation and case evaluation so you can get your questions answered and learn about your legal options with absolutely no obligation or financial cost.

Call us today at 833-997-1774 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your free case evaluation. Let us help you take the first step toward securing the compensation you deserve.

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