The Medical Legal Exhibit Expert Blog: Understanding the Osteophyte/Disc Complex in Spinal Trauma

The Medical Legal Exhibit Expert Blog: Understanding the Osteophyte/Disc Complex in Spinal Trauma

Francis P. HajekWilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firmExperienced Injury and Accident LawyersServing Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Serious Personal Injury in Virginia VI

Any Virginia personal injury lawyer and attorney will tell you that a serious personal injury case needs a lot of attention from the beginning, that is the day that the personal injury lawyer is hired to represent the victim. For this reason, the injured individual should always take the time to discuss their case in detail with the lawyer and determine if the lawyer is willing, and has the time, to devote to the serious personal injury case. The serious personal injury victim should ask the prospective lawyer about the number of cases that he or she is currently handling. And then there should be follow up questions for the personal injury lawyer such as, who will be working on my case, will you take my phone calls or will I be talking to a paralegal or junior associate most of the time. Serious personal injury accident cases demand a lot of time and effort so these types of questions are important. The lawyer's track record should also be considered. Has the lawyer handled a number of serious personal injury cases and what were the results? What does the lawyer see as the issues in the case and what type of plan is there to address those issues? I do think that is unfair to ask a prospective serious personal injury lawyer about the amount that the case is worth because there really is no way to project a recovery amount for a serious personal injury case until a lot of work has been done. The medical picture must be developed and the liability issues must be pretty clear before a range of possible recoveries can be explored. And, just because a lawyer had a good result in a case with a similar injury in the past really has very little to do with the value of a different case, even if the injury is similar. What is important is the lawyer's experience and his or her devotion to your case. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Albemarle Auto Accident Results In Fatality And Passenger Injury

Yesterday's car accident in Albemarle county, Virginia that left the driver dead and the passenger injured raises interesting issues for even an experienced Virginia personal injury lawyer and attorney practicing in the Charlottesville area. The auto accident was a single car crash. So what are the rights of the injured passenger? Since the auto accident involved a fatality, there will be an investigation and that investigation may come to some conclusion as to the cause of the accident. The personal injury victim, in this case the passenger, will have to show that there was some negligence on the part of the driver that led to the car crash if there is to be a personal injury recovery for damages. The injured passenger may have a good memory as to the driver's actions that caused the accident and that recollection may be sufficient to prove negligence. But, the passenger may not have a memory of the accident or the facts that are remembered do not establish a case. In such cases, it is always a good idea to contact an experienced personal injury attorney and lawyer as soon as possible so that the lawyer can begin an investigation into the causes of the accident before sources of proof disappear or become more difficult to obtain. Serious personal injury cases always involve twists like this and the only way to minimize the impact of difficult issues is to involve the experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. It is also important to stay in contact with the personal injury lawyer after retention so that the best outcome results. I always encourage my clients to consult with me about decisions that may affect their case before taking action as opposed to checking with me after the fact to see if they made the right guess. To assist my personal injury clients, I provide them with all of my contact information and always try to get back to my clients as soon as possible to address their concerns. Because of this very close and personal attention, I work with a limited number of personal injury clients. Contact me for a free consultation if you have serious personal injury concerns. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Virginia Railroad Employee Injury Requires Experienced Railroad Personal Injury Lawyer

As an experienced railroad personal injury lawyer and attorney, I sometimes receive questions from other personal injury lawyers about railroad employee injury cases that they are reviewing. Although I do not discourage them from taking such cases, I do try to let them know that the practice area of railroad employee injury claims under the FELA (Federal Employer's Liability Act) is not simple and there is a learning curve. I have over 25 years of experience in handling railroad employee injury and wrongful death claims. It is an area of legal practice that requires knowledge of railroad operating practices and procedures. It also requires knowledge of a body of law that is unique. The law that governs railroad employee injury claims has many differences from Virginia personal injury law that controls everyday auto accident injury claims and the like. For instance, the causation requirements in a FELA case are completely different than for all other personal injury claims. If a lawyer for an injured railroad employee can show that the negligence of the railroad was a cause in the slightest of the employee's injury, then the employee is entitled to a verdict. This legal point has to be argued forcefully to the jury as it can make the difference in case ending on a favorable note or on a defense verdict. In most personal injury cases, the negligence must be a proximate cause of the injury. The difference between the two standards is enormous. A seasoned railroad defense lawyer knows that this standard is the injured railroad employee's greatest weapon in a FELA case and if the plaintiff's lawyer does not use it to his advantage, then all can be lost because the liability in a railroad employee injury case can often seem to be marginal or not significant. If you have a railroad employee injury case, please take advantage of a free consultation with my law firm. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Serious Personal Injury in Virginia 5

The experienced Virginia personal injury lawyer and attorney knows that a serious personal injury, whether caused by an auto accident, a tractor trailer accident, a slip and fall, or any any other accident, requires extra attention to the damages and the future outlook for the serious personal injury victim. The complexity of the injury mandates a detailed review of the medical records and consultation with the medical providers to determine the progress of the recovery and the need for future care. With nearly 30 years of personal injury experience as a personal injury lawyer, I think that the future care needs of serious personal injury victims may be the most neglected aspect of a personal injury case. one reason for this is that a projection of future care needs for a serious personal injury victim often requires the services of a professional expert to coordinate the medical care providers opinions as to future care and then project the costs that will be required to provide care for the serious personal injury victim. I have worked with several life care plan experts to set forth a comprehensive future care package for serious personal injury victims. These reports frame the discussions with insurance companies and assist judges and juries in their understanding of the severity of an injury and its impact on the victim. The reports can also be utilized to provide a framework for a structured settlement that will fund the care plan into the future, thus providing the serious personal injury victim with the security of a future with all care needs being paid. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Serious Personal Injury in Virginia 4

As an experienced Virginia serious personal injury lawyer and attorney, I think there are still many misconceptions and wrongly held beliefs about serious personal injury cases. Every state has its own laws and rules concerning personal injury cases and Virginia has laws and rules that limit damages for personal injury cases, sometimes specifically as to a category and for other cases quite generally. For instance, Virginia does have caps, or limits on recovery, for damages in certain types of cases and for categories of damages. In a medical malpractice case, the cap on damages is currently two million dollars. The medical malpractice cap is also comprehensive in that it applies to all defendants in a case. So if there is a medical malpractice injury and the claim is against the doctor and the hospital, the total damages amount is limited to two million dollars, not two million per defendant. There is also a limit on punitive damages. Currently, the Virginia personal injury victim can only recover $350,000 in punitive damages. There are also practical limitations on damage amounts in personal injury cases, not every case merits a million dollar verdict. For all of these reasons, it is important to consult an experienced Virginia personal injury lawyer to determine your rights and to know what damages are recoverable in a personal injury case. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News

Serious Personal Injury in Virginia III

Experienced personal injury lawyers and attorneys know that a serious personal injury can be a life changing event. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that a serious personal injury will result in a recovery. For instance, if a deer runs into your car and causes an auto accident with a serious personal injury to the driver, insurance will cover the cost of repair to the car, but insurance does not generally cover the serious personal injury damages. The reason is that your car insurance protects only against the negligence of other drivers. Icy roads are another cause of car accidents that results in coverage for the car repair, but not for the injured driver. However, only a careful examination of your auto insurance policy will confirm the presence or absence of coverage for a particular event. There may also be other avenues of recovery if there is a serious personal injury. One example of such a situation is the icy road scenario that we just mentioned. There may not be an at fault driver, but there may still be a recovery if there was an equipment failure such as an air bag that did not deploy. Generally, a fact situation involving a product defect requires an expert to offer an opinion that the specific item did not function as intended. An experienced personal injury lawyer and attorney can look at the facts of an accident involving a serious personal injury and determine if further investigation is warranted. Francis P. Hajek Wilson & Hajek, LLC, a personal injury law firm Experienced Injury and Accident Lawyers Serving Virginia, including Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Greene, Augusta, Buckingham, Staunton, Waynesboro, Culpepper, Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News