In my 20 years of handling automobile accident and insurance claims for injured persons in Virginia, I have come to realize the main reasons why a person should hire a specialized injury lawyer, if they or if someone in their family is seriously hurt in a car.
1. If you have an injury lawyer helping you with your case, that lawyer will likely pay for himself by increasing the amount of money that you walk away with at the end of the claim. Nearly all personal injury lawyers in Virginia work on a percentage basis so that you do not owe them anything unless and until they make a recovery on the case for you. A good lawyer should be able to more than pay for themselves in most situations by maximizing the amount of compensation you receive for the damages that you did not think of, like lost future wages or future prescription medication costs caused by the car wreck. Also, the personal injury lawyer should know enough about the rules of car insurance law to find sources of insurance monies that you probably were not aware of, like medical payments coverage or underinsured motorist coverage. As a veteran personal injury attorney, I pride myself on knowing how to get the most money available for my clients by being smart, knowledgeable and creative.
2. You can focus on getting well and getting your life back to normal and not worry about insurance companies, lawsuits and the other inconveniences of a car accident claim. One of the best reasons to get a strong professional on your side in the vent that you have been seriously injured in a car wreck is so that you can put your energy where it is most needed. Whey you are dealing with a back injury, physical therapy, the prospect of surgery and lots of doctor visits for things like MRI tests, the last thing you need is to also be hassling with insurance claims adjusters on the phone or worrying about some bureaucratic process to make sure that your bills get properly paid. By hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer, you have the peace of mind of knowing that your automobile insurance claim for your injury is being handled and you can deal with the physical pain and medical issues that happen when you are hurt in a car accident.
3. Balancing the scales of justice to be more fair to you is another critical reason to hire a personal injury attorney who you trust. The insurance company whether Nationwide, Allstate, GEICO or State Farm have their army of lawyers and claims representatives. If you try to work your case out directly with the insurance company without the benefits of having a lawyer of your own, you are risking letting them take advantage of you and your lack of power and information. It is much better to have someone on your side who has dealt with this before and does it day in, day out for a living so that you are protected. Why go into a negotiation on your claim with the insurance company without full information and the ability to call their bluff. If they do not treat you fairly, you now have representation that is willing and able to go to court. Your best chance of getting full and fair compensation fast is to have equal information and power on your side, so that you know what the options are.
Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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