I was referred to Allen & Allen from a retired insurance adjuster, someone I have known for years. I called him for advice after I was in an accident. He asked if we were considering hiring an attorney, which I had been hesitant to do. He told me he would refer me to someone at Allen & Allen.
As my treatment was progressing, I decided to contact Trent Kerns. I thought I should at least talk to him about my situation. During that first meeting, Trent and his assistant, Carolyn, explained what their role would be and helped me understand the complexities of the laws in Virginia.
I think a common misconception with personal injury attorneys is that you’re going to sue the defendant, but they made me realize it’s about compensating you for everything you had to go through because of someone else’s mistake. They also explained that they don’t get paid unless they settle in your favor and that was something I had not understood previously.
Trent let me know that he and Carolyn were my advocates. I found this meeting very educational and decided to sign while I was in the office that day. The process after was totally seamless; I didn’t have to do much other than collect my claims and send them to the office. They handled everything.
One of the biggest things was that they talked to the insurance company and adjuster on your behalf. When the adjuster would call and ask how I was doing, I could tell them to talk to Allen & Allen and not have to worry about it, which was worth its weight in gold as it was the last thing I wanted to be doing while trying to recover from my injuries and PTSD.
My case settled and the settlement blew me away. I had no idea I could have even gotten that amount as a settlement.
I had previously been in a wreck when I was 8 months pregnant and went into labor as a result. I spent the night in the hospital where they stopped the labor. The insurance company made me an offer while I was in the hospital after that accident and now, I realize I should have gotten an attorney. I wish I had known.