Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyer

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Attorney

The phrase “personal injury” can apply to any situation in which one party’s actions result in harm to another. Many personal injuries happen because of recklessness, carelessness, or inattention, but they also occur because of intentional and illegal actions.

If you believe your personal injury was the result of someone else’s actions, a Norfolk personal injury lawyer can help you pursue accountability and compensation for your damages.

Experienced Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Lawyer

Whitlock Law, LLC, offers client-focused legal counsel for all types of personal injury cases in Norfolk and surrounding communities. When you hire our firm to represent your case, you are investing in a dedicated legal advocate you will be able to trust to guide you through all the various steps you must complete to maximize your recovery in the most expedient manner.

Any personal injury claim has the potential to appear straightforward at first, only for the injured claimant to encounter various legal obstacles they may not be able to overcome on their own. Hiring an experienced Norfolk personal injury lawyer to represent you will not only allow you to rest and focus on your recovery with peace of mind, but you will also have a greater chance of maximizing your total compensation to the fullest extent possible under state law.

Kinds of Personal Injury Claims We Handle in Norfolk, VA

If you are searching for a Norfolk personal injury lawyer to represent your case, it is essential to choose an attorney with proven experience handling cases similar to yours. Every form of personal injury case entails different legal considerations your attorney must be prepared to address fluently.

Whitlock Law, LLC, has an extensive professional record of successful personal injury cases, including:

• Car Accident Claims: Car accidents happen in various ways, and the state adheres to the fault rule for resolving vehicle accident cases. This means the driver at fault for an accident is liable for the resulting damages. Your Norfolk car accident lawyer can help you prove fault for a car accident, pursue a vehicle insurance claim settlement, and build a personal injury suit if necessary to ensure the fullest possible recovery.
• Truck Accident Claims: Commercial truck accidents often cause devastating damage, and these cases are more challenging to resolve than standard passenger vehicle claims due to complex issues about liability and the scope of the damages often involved. Your Norfolk truck accident lawyer can help you determine fault for your accident and pursue compensation for your damages through an insurance claim and/or personal injury suit against the driver at fault.
• Motorcycle Accident Claims: Motorcycle accidents have a good chance of resulting in catastrophic or fatal injuries due to the fact that a motorcycle does not provide much in the way of physical protection for the rider in an accident. Your Norfolk Motorcycle accident lawyer can assist you in determining all your most viable recovery options in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident caused by another driver.
• Premises Liability Claims: If you or a loved one suffered a premises liability in Norfolk such as a slip and fall or other injury on private property because the property owner did not address a foreseeable safety hazard, you might have grounds for a claim under the state’s premises liability laws. However, it does not apply if the hazard was open and obvious and/or the victim’s own negligence contributed to the incident.
• Dog Bite Claims: When a dog attacks a person for the first time, the owner is required to prevent any future incidents. If the dog injures someone again, the owner then faces strict liability for any damages the pet has caused. Dog attacks can cause very painful and sometimes permanently damaging injuries. Your attorney can advise you as to what type of compensation you could claim for this type of personal injury.
• Catastrophic Injury Claims: A personal injury is catastrophic if it entails permanent harm to the victim. Traumatic brain injuries, amputation injuries, and spinal cord injuries are some of the most common catastrophic injuries that result in permanent disability and/or disfigurement. You will need a seasoned attorney’s help to maximize your compensation for this type of serious personal injury.
• Wrongful Death Suits: If the victim of a personal injury does not survive, their family will likely have grounds to file a wrongful death suit against whoever caused the injury. The state enforces special rules regarding eligibility to file wrongful death suits and the damages available for this type of case.

Whatever type of personal injury claim you need to file, having the right attorney on your side will make a tremendous positive difference in the outcome of your case. Whitlock Law, LLC, has years of experience representing clients in an extensive range of personal injury cases, and our team will apply this experience to your case to help you overcome the unique challenges you face as you seek compensation for your damages.

Recovering From a Personal Injury in Norfolk

The goal of your personal injury claim in Norfolk, VA is to prove fault for your damages and to hold the defendant accountable for those damages, securing compensation so you can be as whole as possible again. Your Norfolk personal injury lawyer can not only be an invaluable asset for gathering the evidence you will need to firmly establish liability for your personal injury but also for proving the full extent of your damages and maximizing your total compensation.

The plaintiff in a personal injury claim has the right to seek full repayment of any direct financial losses they suffered because of the defendant’s actions, known as economic damages. These include both immediate losses as well as anticipated future losses that resulted from the incident.

The economic damages you may be able to recover from a successful personal injury claim in Norfolk may include:

• Medical Expenses: Most personal injury claims pertain to physical injuries. If the defendant in your case physically harmed you, they are liable for the medical treatment you will require to reach maximum medical improvement from your injury. This includes the projected costs of any future medical treatment you will need for rehabilitation, future surgeries, or in-home medical monitoring after a serious injury.
• Lost Wages: Your personal injury may have left you unable to work for an extended time while you recover. If so, the defendant is liable for the wages you were unable to earn during that time. Additionally, you have the right to claim compensation for lost future earning capacity if the defendant has permanently disabled you with their actions.
• Property Damage: The defendant in your claim may have damaged or destroyed your personal property with their actions. For example, in a car accident claim, the at-fault driver would be liable for your vehicle repair costs. Any property damage you cannot recover with an insurance claim can be cited as economic damages in your personal injury suit.

Your Norfolk personal injury lawyer can help you accurately calculate all immediate and future economic damages you can claim from the defendant who caused your personal injury. Additionally, they will also assist you with determining the amount of non-economic damages you can include in your claim. Non-economic damages include physical pain, psychological distress, trauma, and diminished enjoyment of life resulting from a personal injury.

It may seem difficult to assign a monetary value to something intangible like pain and suffering, but your attorney will know how to determine a suitable figure that reflects the severity of your experience. State law does not limit pain and suffering compensation in most personal injury cases, so if a plaintiff suffered a life-changing injury, their pain and suffering compensation may form the bulk of their total compensation.

Additional forms of compensation may also come into play if the defendant in your case caused your personal injury by breaking the law. They will likely face criminal charges from the state along with your civil claim for damages, and they could be forced to pay restitution as an element of their sentence. In your civil claim, a judge may award you punitive damages to reflect the illegal nature of the defendant’s behavior.

Resolving Your Personal Injury Case in Norfolk, VA

Ultimately, you could be entitled to a larger recovery than you initially expected, and you have the greatest chance of maximizing your compensation when you have an experienced Norfolk personal injury lawyer representing you. The team at Whitlock Law, LLC, is ready to help you gather the evidence needed to firmly establish fault for your damages and assist you in determining the extent of your damages to maximize your recovery.

Many personal injury claims can be settled outside of court, allowing the parties involved to resolve their case more swiftly than they could expect if they took the claim to litigation. However, private settlement requires all parties involved to be willing to negotiate. Our team will attempt to settle your claim if possible, but we are fully prepared to represent you in court if necessary.

It is always advisable to work quickly to secure trustworthy legal counsel and to start building your case directly after any personal injury in Norfolk. The team at Whitlock Law, LLC, is standing by to provide the compassionate and results-driven legal counsel you need on your side during this difficult time.

Norfolk, VA Personal Injury Law FAQs

Q: What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Personal Injury Claim in Norfolk?

A: The statute of limitations for a personal injury claim in Norfolk is the time limit in which the plaintiff must submit their complaint to the court; otherwise, they lose their chance to seek compensation from whoever caused their injury. For most personal injury claims filed in the state, the statute of limitation is two years. However, there are special statutes that apply to certain types of cases or under certain conditions.

Q: Can I Claim Compensation for a Personal Injury if I’m Partially at Fault?

A: No, you cannot claim compensation for a personal injury if you are partially at fault. The state enforces the pure contributory negligence rule, meaning for a plaintiff to succeed with their personal injury claim, they must prove that the defendant named in the claim is entirely responsible for causing their damages. If you bear even slight fault for the personal injury, it will negate your ability to claim compensation from any other party.

Q: How Much Is My Personal Injury Claim Worth in Norfolk?

A: The total value of a personal injury claim in Norfolk depends on the scope and severity of the plaintiff’s damages. The goal of your personal injury claim is to recover the compensation you need to be whole again following your injury, so you will likely be able to claim compensation for any economic and non-economic damages the defendant inflicted. Your Norfolk personal injury lawyer can help you assess the total potential value of your claim.

Q: Why Do I Need to Hire a Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyer?

A: You need to hire a Norfolk personal injury lawyer to ensure the greatest possible chance for success with your claim. While it is technically possible for you to pursue compensation on your own, you stand a much better chance of proving liability and maximizing your recovery when you have an attorney representing you. Your legal team can also streamline your case, reducing the time it takes for you to receive compensation for your damages.

Q: How Much Are Attorneys’ Fees for a Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyer?

A: Attorneys’ fees for a Norfolk personal injury lawyer may only be a percentage of your total case award. When you hire Whitlock Law, LLC, to represent you, we take your case on contingency. This means you will not pay any upfront legal fees, and you will only pay our firm a percentage of your case award if and when we win your case. This billing policy removes any financial risk of hiring an attorney when you need one the most.

Whitlock Law, LLC, has the skills, professional resources, and experience needed to resolve the most challenging personal injury cases on behalf of clients in Norfolk and surrounding communities. When you hire our firm to represent you, you are investing in a dedicated advocate who will guide you through every step of your case. Contact us today to schedule your free initial consultation with a trustworthy Norfolk personal injury lawyer.