Should you represent yourself or hire a lawyer in a small civil suit?

Fredericksburg Personal Injury Attorney Kathleen Llewellyn-Duncan

General District Courts in Virginia

Author: Attorney Kathleen Llewellyn-Duncan

If you want to file a civil suit in Virginia representing yourself rather than hiring an attorney, there are several things to consider. You would need to decide on which court to file in. 1 Your decision affects the costs and potential recovery in your case. If your case is worth less than $4,500,… [ read more ]

Is it important to talk to an attorney if you’ve been injured in an accident involving a tractor trailer?

If you’ve been seriously injured in an accident involving a tractor trailer and the accident wasn’t your fault, you should consult a trucking accident attorney immediately. The same is true if you have a relative who was killed in an accident with a large truck.

You need someone on your side from the very beginning to protect your rights, to investigate and preserve critical evidence, to help you navigate the medical world as you… [ read more ]

Trucking Accidents: Prompt Investigation is Essential

Prompt Investigation is Crucial

Prompt investigation is important in every kind of accident, but is especially critical in obtaining a satisfactory settlement or an excellent jury verdict in a tractor trailer accident case. Under Virginia law, the injured party, called the plaintiff, has the burden of proving how and why his accident happened. If the injured party cannot do this, he cannot win his case. The person who caused the… [ read more ]

Motor Vehicle Accidents in Virginia – Why hire an attorney? – Part One

Attorney R. Clayton Allen

Author: Attorney R. Clayton Allen

As a personal injury attorney, one of the questions I am most frequently asked is why an injured person needs to hire an attorney to represent them. Here’s an outline of how I usually answer that question.

Sometimes you don’t. If your injuries are relatively minor, if your medical treatment is for only a short period of time, and if your… [ read more ]

How to Pick An Attorney

Author: William P. Bootwright

Bill Bootwright, Claims Consultant

Just the other night while having dinner at a friend’s house, the question was asked: “how do you go about finding the right attorney,” whether for a personal injury, worker’s compensation, social security disability, wrongful termination case, or other legal matter. With the media being saturated by “lawyer commercials,” phone book displays with advertising on the front and back pages, and self-promoting… [ read more ]

Highway Construction Worksites: A Danger Zone for Motorists

Author: Attorney George E. Allen III

Personal injury attorney George E. Allen, III

When I settled a case recently, I was reminded just how dangerous highway construction work sites can be for passing motorists – and in so many different ways. In my case, the accident happened around noon in a construction zone on Interstate 70 near Terre Haute, Indiana as the family I represented was returning to Virginia… [ read more ]

Quick Reference Guide: What To Do At The Scene of a Car or Truck Accident?

Click to download the accident guide.

Click to download The Glove Compartment Quick Reference Guide: What To Do After An Accident.

If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, it is important to know what to do next. The Glove Compartment Quick Reference Guide has easy to follow steps and a place to log important information regarding the accident. Designed to fit conveniently in your glove compartment, the Quick… [ read more ]

Sharing The Road With Tractor Trailers

Attorney Elizabeth M. Allen

Author: Elizabeth M. Allen

Safety Tips for Highway Driving with the Big Rigs

For the automobile driver and his passengers, a collision with a truck, especially a tractor trailer, can have serious and sometimes fatal consequences. After the fact, it may not make much difference to the injured or dead which driver caused the accident. Moreover, automobile drivers cannot always avoid an accident with… [ read more ]

Do You Need A Truck Accident Attorney?

If You Have Been Seriously Injured In A Tractor Trailer Accident, You May Need An Attorney.

Attorney Elizabeth M. Allen

Author: Attorney Elizabeth M. Allen

The odds are against you when you’re involved in a collision with a semi tractor trailer. First, if you’re occupying a car, riding a bike or walking, you’re likely to be seriously injured or killed. Second, if the collision was caused by a truck driver or truck owner’s negligence, you… [ read more ]

Contributory Negligence: A Trap for the Unwary Claimant

Author: William P. Bootwright

Bill Bootwright, Claims Consultant

It’s often been said, and with good reason, that the contributory negligence defense is “an insurance company’s dream” and plaintiff’s “worst nightmare.” Under the common law doctrine of contributory negligence, there is no comparison of fault between the wrongdoer and the injured person. If the injured person is even 1% at fault in a way that significantly contributes to cause the… [ read more ]