Car Accident Lawyer In Harrisonburg, VA
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We’re Here for You After You’ve Been Injured in a Car Accident
The Ritchie Law Firm is a Harrisonburg, VA, car accident law firm that fights for you. When your health and family are on the line, we go into BATTLE for you! You can talk to us for free and there is no fee unless we win.
While a minor fender bender can be inconvenient, serious car accidents can be devastating. No one expects to have their lives turned upside down due to a serious car accident. Dealing with the pain, medical treatment and bills, loss of income, and all of the other inconveniences of a car accident is difficult enough. Then, added to this list is fighting with insurance companies to get the money you are owed, and the situation can become unbearable.
Types of auto accidents we handle:
Drunk Driving Accidents Rear-End Collisions T-Bone or Side Impact Accidents
Head On Collisions Intersection Accidents Broken Bone Accidents
What Compensation Am I Entitled To After A Car Accident In Harrisonburg, VA?
After a car accident in Virginia, the injured person is entitled to receive compensation (money) for injuries that were caused by the accident. The amount you are entitled to receive is often based on the severity of your injuries, as well as the total amount of your bills for hospital stays, doctor appointments, prescriptions, lost wages, loss of any future earnings, and transportation costs. These are called economic losses.
You may also be entitled to recover non-economic damages, which include pain and suffering. This element of damages compensates you for the inconvenience and pain you experienced during the accident and recovery period.
Do I Need A Lawyer After A Car Accident In Harrisonburg?
One of the benefits of having a personal injury lawyer handle your Harrisonburg car accident case is that the insurance company will have to try to outsmart an experienced car accident lawyer who is dedicated to the outcome of your case and knows how to deal with the insurance company’s tactics. The Harrisonburg car accident lawyers at the Ritchie Law Firm have decades of experience handling serious injuries caused by car accidents.
You will want a Harrisonburg car accident attorney who handles your car accident case by immediately visiting the accident scene, requesting the accident report and your medical bills, and contacting the other driver’s insurance company to make certain that your serious car accident claim is on track to receive the highest compensation possible. Your accident lawyer in Harrisonburg should also keep track of all other accident related expenses, including lost wages, to make sure you recover every penny you are entitled to for your serious injuries.
Your car accident lawyer should also be prepared to file an insurance claim with your automobile insurance if you have medical expenses payments coverage on your policy. Your car accident lawyer Harrisonburg should also be prepared to monitor your doctor appointments and document your physical pain and non economic damages (such as emotional trauma) to prepare your injury case in the rare instance that your legal issues would need to be resolved in court.
Read more on this topic in our article “Common Insurance Adjuster Ploys” here.
Should I Try To Deal With The Insurance Company Myself?
Insurance company claims adjusters must act in the best interests of their insurance companies. It’s as simple as that. If you have serious injuries after a car accident, there is too much at risk to go forward without professional help. The insurance companies have lawyers protecting their interests, you need the same protection, especially if the accident was non-reportable.
If the accident was the other driver’s fault, his or her insurance company will be responsible for your expenses. But, you may need a lawyer to make sure you get everything you deserve, especially in the case of an aggravation of pre-existing conditions or injuries.
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident, you probably already know how hard it is to work with the insurance company for the at fault driver. Insurance companies often make it hard for car accident victims to get their car fixed or get they money you deserve for your injuries.
But, the LAST THING the insurance adjuster wants you to do is talk to a Harrisonburg car accident lawyer about your claim. In fact, insurance adjusters will often go to extreme lengths to make sure you don’t get legal advice. This is all designed to make sure YOU don’t get the insurance money you deserve.
Insurance companies have worked hard to turn people against using the legal system. As a result, the insurance company will frequently make a low-ball settlement offer on car accident cases, by claiming preexisting injuries, hoping that you won’t want to go to trial and will accept their offer.
Do I need photos of the accident scene or vehicle damage?
The location of the vehicles and distances involved will be in the accident report. However, actual photos of the wrecked car and accident scene are very helpful and, sometimes, necessary. Some auto accident lawyers are skilled investigators. If you’ve been in a serious auto accident, you want a lawyer who will be quick to investigate the scene of the accident, take photographs, measure any skid marks, and prepare scale drawings of the accident site. Different investigative techniques may be necessary depending on the type of collision, for example rear-end collision, etc.
The Ritchie Law Firm is a Harrisonburg, VA, car accident law firm that has the resources and expertise after an accident to act quickly to get you the results you deserve.
Should I See A Doctor Right Away?
If you don’t have immediate pain or notice any physical injuries after an accident, it might not be necessary for you to see a doctor right away. But, you may end up being more injured than you realize.
After an accident, the body’s adrenaline might mask the pain of injuries for a while. So, the sooner you see a doctor after an accident, the better. A car accident lawyer Harrisonburg, VA, can assist you with getting the medical treatment you need so you can recover after your accident.
How Many Car Accidents Happen In Harrisonburg, VA?
Recently, the number and severity of car accidents in Harrisonburg, Virginia has become increasingly concerning. For instance, the number of accidents since 2017 show the following trends:
- 2017 — 1048 total accidents
- 2018 — 1095 total accidents
- 2019 — 980 total accidents
- 2020 – 747 total accidents (lower related to COVID)
- 2021 – 1,071 total accidents
- 2022 – 1,104 total accidents
From 2017-22, accidents caused by teens and mature (65+) adults accounted for nearly half of the total number of auto accidents.
These trends in Harrisonburg car accidents may be attributed to various issues, including use of cell phones, drowsy driving, and distracted driving, as well as medical emergencies.
Accident Injury Case Results
The Ritchie Law Firm is a car accident law firm in Harrisonburg, VA, that gets results. But, don’t take our word for it. Check out our Case Results page to see for yourself.
The Ritchie Law Firm handles car accident cases state-wide in Virginia and West Virginia, with offices in Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Winchester, Staunton, VA, and Martinsburg, WV.
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What Our Clients Say
“The truck came across the center line and side-swiped my car. My wife and I were both injured in the accident. The Volvo was totaled. My wife needed surgery on her knee. I was suffering from post-traumatic stress as a result of the accident. It affected me far more seriously than I would have expected. I needed legal help and I went to the Ritchie Law Firm. This was a very difficult case because of complicated medical issues and the Ritchie Law Firm was able to handle the problem. They worked very hard for me. I was very satisfied with the outcome. They were a great help to my wife and I. If you’ve been injured, I recommend you call the Ritchie Law Firm.”
Our Car Accident Injury Lawyers
Roger Ritchie
Roger’s family has always been heavily involved in the construction industry. Roger, himself, has spent time working on construction sites. He’s seen first-hand how work injuries can change a worker’s life in an instant. Having tried hundreds of workers’ compensation cases at the hearing level, Roger is highly experienced in the complex workers’ comp system.
Robert Guntharp
Bob has handled a wide array of personal injury cases ranging from the simple to the complex. These have included serious injuries involving: automobile and tractor-trailer accidents, wrongful death, brain injuries, medical malpractice, insurance coverage disputes, social security disability, and workers’ compensation claims.
Michael Ritchie
Michael Ritchie is an attorney at the Ritchie Law Firm with extensive experience in a wide range of injury cases. Mike’s practice has included representing individuals who have been injured by pharmaceutical drugs, dangerous products, tractor-trailer collisions, dog attacks, automobile collisions and other instances of where the carelessness of others causes serious injury.
John Krall
John Krall, an attorney with the Ritchie Law Firm since 1991, practices primarily in the areas of automobile/tractor trailer collisions and medical negligence. He has extensive jury trial experience and has successfully represented hundreds of seriously injured persons.
Alvaro Inigo
Throughout his career, Al has concentrated his practice on civil litigation and has acquired substantial jury trial experience in a wide variety of negligence cases. He currently focuses his practice exclusively on representing injured persons in the areas of personal injury and worker’s compensation, as well as Social Security disability matters.
