Recovering Compensation After A Serious Personal Injury

Suffering a serious injury can change every part of your daily life. You may end up missing work, undergoing multiple medical procedures and facing overwhelming expenses. In the most tragic cases, injuries can even be fatal. If your harm was caused by another person’s negligence or reckless actions, you have the right to pursue financial compensation for your losses. Insurance companies may try to settle quickly, but their offers are often far below what your claim is truly worth. Speaking with an experienced injury attorney is the best way to protect your rights and pursue a fair result.

At Johnson Law PLC, in Roanoke, Virginia, we focus on understanding your situation and providing representation tailored to your needs. Our team is prepared to guide you through difficult legal issues, including contributory negligence, while advocating for your best interests. With years of experience handling complex claims and securing compensation for victims of serious accidents, we are committed to helping you move forward after a devastating injury. For a free consultation, please call us at 540-685-0136 today.

Personal Injury Cases We Handle Regularly

Our founding attorney, Neal Johnson, regularly represents plaintiffs in the following types of personal injury cases:

• Wrongful death – If someone else’s negligence results in the death of your loved one, you may have a right to file a wrongful death claim for your losses, both financial and emotional.
• Medical malpractice – If your health care provider failed to perform according to the medical community’s accepted standards of practice, you may be entitled to recover the damages that result. We can help you retain the right expert witnesses to substantiate your claim.
• Product liability – Our lawyer has significant experience representing clients in an array of product liability cases involving prescription drugs, vaccines, fireworks, all-terrain vehicles, food supplements, food products, breast implants and many other products.
• Premises liability – Property owners, landlords and businesses have a legal obligation to keep their premises safe. If you were hurt in a slip-and-fall accident or due to negligent security on someone else’s property, we can help you hold the responsible party accountable for your injuries.
• Catastrophic injuries – These are severe injuries that have lifelong consequences. Some of the most common catastrophic injuries include: traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations and burns.

We are always happy to answer your questions about your personal injury case and provide an honest assessment of how your claim may fare in court.

Personal Injury Frequently Asked Questions

It is rare that anyone has previous experience in personal injuries, so when you suffer a serious or catastrophic injury, it is not surprising that you might not know what to do or if any legal help is available. You may want to ask many questions, and here at Johnson Law PLC, we want to help you answer some of the big questions. It is important to know where to start so you know where to begin recovering from your injuries. Please see our FAQ below and let us know if you have additional concerns.

What should I do immediately after an accident?

After an accident, the evidence of your accident is at its freshest state. If you are in a safe position to do so, gather as much evidence of the accident as possible. This can include gathering photographic evidence, video evidence, and witness testimony and contact information. The better the evidence, the stronger your case is when it comes time to seek compensation for your injuries. In addition to evidence of the accident, document everything. Get police reports and medical statements, and document every experience that you go through from the event of your accident. No detail is too small in building your case.

It is also imperative that you receive treatment for your injuries as soon as possible after the accident. This provides documentary evidence of how you were harmed by the accident and ensures that you do not suffer additional harm by having a serious condition go untreated because you were in shock or did not think your symptoms were significant initially.

Should I accept the first offer I receive?

No, you should not accept the first offer you receive in a personal injury case, especially without reviewing it with a personal injury attorney. Whether you suffered a car accident, a slip and fall, or even if a loved one suffered a wrongful death, the first offer of compensation you receive is likely not in an amount that you deserve for your suffering/loss. Insurance companies are like any other business, and their goal is to make money. Because of this, insurance companies will often try and do as little as possible to make you and your problems go away, including offering you less than you deserve.

How can I make sure the compensation I receive is fair?

As the victim of a personal injury, you have the right to refuse your initial offer, even if you have received a check, and negotiate for the compensation you deserve. This is why it is so important to have an experienced attorney on your side. Our lawyers have years of experience in negotiating for your best possible compensation. A fair compensation should include costs for your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and even your pain and suffering. You do not have to take what the at-fault party’s insurance company tells you about how things will be. You can let an experienced attorney act as your representative and negotiate on your behalf to fight for the fair compensation you need.

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Virginia?

You have just two years from the day the injury occurred to file a personal injury lawsuit in Virginia for most types of personal injury claims. There are some exceptions, such as those involving injuries to minors and medical malpractice claims, that have extended deadlines. We will talk about the specific deadline for your case once we know the details of your accident and injuries.

What types of compensation can I receive in a Virginia personal injury lawsuit?

You can potentially receive three types of compensation in a Virginia personal injury lawsuit. This includes:

• Economic damages: Medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, diminished earning capacity, loss of services to the household, and funeral and burial expenses
• Noneconomic damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life and loss of consortium/personal loss of a loved one
• Punitive damages: Damages meant to punish the negligent party for egregious behavior that led to the accident

Economic and noneconomic damages are considered compensatory damages, meaning that they are to compensate you for your losses. Punitive damages, as mentioned above, are specifically to punish the wrongdoer for their conduct. The damages you are entitled to will be unique to your personal injury case. We will discuss which damages apply in your case during your free consultation with us.

Are pain and suffering damages capped in Virginia personal injury cases?

No, in most cases, pain and suffering damages are not capped in Virginia personal injury cases such as vehicle accidents, premises liability accidents and wrongful death. There are exceptions in medical malpractice cases, cases involving a government entity and punitive damages, however. When we speak about your personal injury claim, we will estimate how much you may receive in pain and suffering damages.

Contact Us For A Free Consultation Today

If you have been injured because of another’s negligence, it is important to act quickly. A dedicated Roanoke injury lawyer at Johnson Law PLC can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Call 540-685-0136 or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation.