No one ever plans to be in a motor vehicle accident, yet these accidents occur on a daily basis. The effect of a motor vehicle accident on your life can be devastating, including disabling injuries, hospital stays, constant visits to the doctor, surgical procedures, rehabilitative therapies, an inability to return to work, physical pain, and mental anguish, any of which can significantly disrupt your life. You may find that dealing with the aftermath of a motor vehicle accident can be much more difficult—and expensive—than you could have ever imagined.
You may be facing medical expenses you are unable to pay and could find that filing an insurance claim is a lengthy, cumbersome process. If your injuries are so severe you are unable to return to work, you could find yourself unable to pay your normal monthly expenses. Remember, it is never too late to take back control of your life by letting the experienced Virginia motor vehicle accident lawyer team at Tronfeld West & Durrett fight for your rights and your future. We will guide you through the litigation process step-by-step to fight the insurance company you are battling.
How Common are Motor Vehicle Accidents?
According to cars.com, “Death by car remains a formidable obstacle to reaching the average U.S. life expectancy…” The site found that the individual American driver’s odds of dying as the result of an automobile collision (including truck, motorcyclist, pedestrian, or bicycle accidents) are about 1 in 77, with between 33,000 and 36,000 annual deaths related to automobile crashes. As a means of comparison, heart disease—the leading cause of death in the United States—takes the life of about 1 in 4 Americans, while accidents in general kill 1 in 20. While the newest vehicle safety technologies can be expected to decrease the number of auto crashes and resulting deaths, unfortunately, distracted driving, fatigued driving, and reckless driving are sending those numbers back up.
For answers to your questions about a motor vehicle accident in Richmond, call:
800-321-6741
Types Of Virginia Auto Accident Cases We Handle
Car Accidents
A Virginia car accident can leave you injured, unable to work, and unable to pay not only your medical treatments but your regular monthly expenses as well. Even the most minor car accident is a jarring experience, both physically and emotionally, particularly when your accident was the result of a negligent driver. Distracted driving is a huge cause of auto accidents, whether the distraction is a phone, children, passengers, eating, daydreaming, or simply failing to pay adequate attention to the road and other drivers. Fatigued driving is also becoming more and more common.
Additionally, a car accident could be the result of an impaired driver, a failure to yield, aggressive driving, reckless driving, a teen or elderly driver, a mechanical malfunction, or a defective car part. You may even be a driver or passenger involved in an accident with a rideshare company like Uber or Lyft. Although head-on collisions tend to be the deadliest type of car accident, side-impact accidents, rollover accidents, and rear collisions from tailgating drivers can also lead to serious injuries. Following a car accident with injuries, it is unlikely you feel like dealing with insurance companies and uninsured or underinsured drivers while also dealing with your injuries and your financial position. Thankfully, you do not have to deal with all those issues because the Tronfeld West & Durrett car accident attorney team in Richmond, VA can deal with them for you, allowing you time to heal.
Truck Accidents
Truck accidents are among the most serious type of motor vehicle collisions, due to the size of an 18-wheeler. While the average passenger vehicle weighs between three and four thousand pounds, a fully loaded tractor-trailer can weigh more than 80,000 pounds. Due to the disparity in size, truck accident victims in passenger vehicles are likely to suffer much more significant injuries (or death) than the truck driver. Truck accident injuries are often catastrophic, requiring months, years, or a lifetime of medical interventions. Truck accident survivors may be left with permanent disabilities and may never be able to return to work or enjoy the regular day-to-day activities they once enjoyed.
Truck accidents, including commercial truck accidents, have another element that makes them more complex than the collision of two passenger vehicles. That element is the fact that there may be more than one defendant as a result of the truck accident. The truck driver may have been fatigued, distracted or improperly trained, the trucking company may not have performed an adequate background check on the driver, or may not have ensured he or she was properly trained, the loading company may have improperly loaded the cargo, the maintenance company may not have performed necessary maintenance on the truck, or the truck manufacturer may be responsible for defective parts. As you can see, truck accidents can be much more complicated than other types of motor vehicle accidents, thus requiring a highly knowledgeable Virginia motor vehicle accident attorney.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents come with their own set of legal complexities, namely the fact that juries may have a skewered idea of the average motorcyclist. Stereotypes regarding motorcyclists abound, with many believing motorcycle riders are risk-takers who exceed the speed limit and drive recklessly. In fact, the very safest, most experienced motorcyclist can be injured in a crash through no fault of their own. Drivers often fail to see motorcyclists, and even when they do see them, may fail to extend the same courtesies to a motorcyclist as they do to other drivers.
Virginia has worked to minimize the number of motorcycle accidents through helmet laws and bumper stickers that read “Start Seeing Motorcycles,” however these safety implementations go only so far in keeping motorcyclists safe on Virginia’s roadways. The Tronfeld West & Durrett motorcycle attorneys in Virginia are highly experienced in motorcycle accidents and can walk you through the legal process, ensuring you receive a fair settlement.
Pedestrian Accidents
According to the NHTSA, nearly 5,000 pedestrians die each year in motor vehicle-related accidents, with another 75,000 or more suffering serious injuries. There are many causes of pedestrian accidents, including distracted drivers, overly fatigued drivers, impaired drivers, and reckless drivers. Pedestrian accident claims usually hinge on the duty of care owed by those involved since both drivers and pedestrians must follow the rules of the road, exercising reasonable care.
Small children and the elderly are at the greatest risk of being hit by a vehicle. Children are unpredictable and may dart unexpectedly into the roadway, while the elderly may not be able to get across the street as quickly as a younger person. This means drivers must exercise extreme caution when driving in areas where pedestrians are likely. Pedestrians who are injured in an auto accident should speak with a Tronfeld West & Durrett attorney as quickly as possible following the accident.
When to Hire a Virginia Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer
If you were in a serious accident involving a motor vehicle in Virginia, you may be entitled to financial compensation to help pay for your medical care, pain and suffering, emotional distress, internal injuries, and any financial losses while you are recovering from your injuries. If you suffered any serious injuries, such as the following common types below, then you know it’s time to hire a vehicle injury lawyer in Virginia.
- Broken bones
- Catastrophic injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Head injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Other bodily injuries
- Other severe injuries
Click to contact us today
Contact Our Motor Vehicle Accident Law Firm After an Accident
The aftermath of a motor vehicle accident can be traumatic. You may be left to deal with serious injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. The Tronfeld West & Durrett personal injury attorneys can help you during this difficult time, just as we have helped many other clients in similar circumstances. We have offices conveniently located in your neighborhood, whether you are in Richmond, Petersburg, Chesterfield, Fredericksburg or Mechanicsville. For knowledgeable, experienced legal representation following your Virginia motor vehicle accident, contact Tronfeld West & Durrett personal injury lawyer firm today.
In addition to motor vehicle accidents, our firm also specializes in cases involving ATV and golf-cart injuries. Our dedicated attorneys are equipped to handle the unique challenges these cases present, ensuring that you receive comprehensive legal support tailored to your specific situation.
Call or text 800-321-6741 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form