Do You Really Need a Lawyer After an Injury That Wasn’t Your Fault?
When another person’s or party’s negligence causes you to suffer an injury, you may believe that the facts will stand for themselves. And those facts should be enough to get you compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and more. In other words, the at-fault party and their insurance company should quickly recognize who is at fault and pay you a fair settlement.
But it rarely works that way. Even when evidence is overwhelming and easy to understand, insurance companies are still in business to make money—not to pay fair settlements. That means that victims either get lowball settlement offers or have their claims denied outright. This can happen regardless of how much evidence you have in your favor.
Getting an experienced Roanoke personal injury lawyer on your side after an accident that wasn’t your fault is important for two reasons. First, it allows you a chance to focus on resting and recovering. Second, it shows the insurance company that you’re serious about getting the money you deserve.
Insurers divide claimants into two categories: those who have legal representation and those who don’t. The first group is often dismissed as being pushovers. They treat them poorly and give them the runaround when they try to get compensation.
The second group can be further divided into those who have experienced and aggressive lawyers and those who have lawyers that will buckle at the first sign of resistance. At Skolrood Law Firm, we don’t accept anything less than what our clients.
Contact us today for a free consultation and find out why we’ve been a successful law firm for more than 30 years.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
There are many stereotypes of lawyers, and many of them are rooted in television shows and movies. One of the most common stereotypes is that they’re extremely expensive and charge hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a single office visit. And while that stereotype is true for lawyers in some fields, it’s different for many lawyers who handle personal injury claims.
People who need personal injury attorneys are often facing serious financial difficulties. That’s because they’ve just been injured and need expensive medical treatments. They’re also often too hurt to work, which means no paychecks over the coming weeks, months, or even years.
Injured victims often don’t have the money to pay lawyer’s fees or consultation costs. That’s why many victims either accept what the insurance company offers them or pay their own costs out of pocket. But what many victims don’t realize is that most personal injury lawyers offer both free consultations AND they work on contingency fees.
Contingency fees mean that they don’t charge for their services unless they win money for their clients. If there’s no settlement or victory in court, there’s no charge. This allows victims in even the direst of financial straits to still get legal representation on their side when they need compensation for their medical bills and lost wages.
At Skolrood Law Firm, we’re proud to offer free consultations and no hourly rates, invoices, or bills unless we win money for victims like you. Contact our Roanoke personal injury lawyers today if you or someone you love was hurt because of another person’s negligence. We’ll fight to get you the money you deserve.
Is There a Cap on Personal Injury Settlements in Virginia?
The amount of compensation victims can receive for most injury claims in Virginia isn’t capped. That’s good news for victims whose injuries will result in lifelong care and a lifetime of disability, as their accident-related expenses can easily add up to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.
However, there IS a cap on medical malpractice cases in Virginia, which is currently $2.5 million. This cap increases by $50,000 every year and will reach $3 million by July 1, 2031. There is also a cap on punitive damages, which are damages designed to punish extremely negligent, reckless, and malicious people and parties. This cap is set at $350,000.
Just because there’s no cap on non-medical malpractice injury lawsuits doesn’t mean that victims have an easy time getting paid a fair amount, however. Insurance companies do everything in their power to reduce or even deny claims, including those with plenty of evidence to show that victims weren’t at fault. And the more money that’s on the line, the more combative and less cooperative they are.
At Skolrood Law Firm, we work hard to help our clients get every penny they’re owed, regardless of how big or small their settlements should be. Don’t risk getting a lowball settlement or even a rejection from the insurance company. Contact our Roanoke personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation.
