Practice Areas
- Personal Injury and Automobile Accidents
- Medical Malpractice
- DUI, Traffic and Criminal Law Defense
- Business Litigation
- Divorce
Blog 
- July 4, 2008
- DUI Cases
- Looking out for your teen driver
- The FDA Can’t Win
- Dog Bites
- Gas Prices IV
- Gas Prices III
- Hosting a Graduation Party in Virginia? Read This First!
- 1807 Norfolk, Virginia
- Gas Prices II
Firm News
W&L professor formally sues Virginia Lottery
Salmonella can ride water into tomatoes
Cold Medication Use In Young Children Can Lead To Adverse Effects, Even Death
Man in critical condition after being hit by car in Norfolk
Deaths linked to heparin use rise to 149
Two Naval Men Injured in Va. Beach Wreck
Ford Recalling 655,000 Trucks With Braking Problems
Study: Active Women at Reduced Risk for Breast Cancer
Beta Blockers Increasing Stroke Risk
Driver gets 60 days for hitting, dragging two children
Firm Library
Personal Injury and Automobile Accidents
- One in Three Va. Drivers Texting
- No Civil Liability for Hosts or Bars in Virginia
- Is Your Car Spying On You?
- What can be done about teen car deaths?
- Virginia's Seat Belt Laws
Medical Malpractice
- New Technology may Reduce Physician Mistakes
- Shortage of On-Call Specialists at Hospitals is Costing Patients
- Switching to Electronic Health Records has Great Benefits, But Poses Liability for Hospitals
- Website Allows Consumers to Compare Hospitals
- Medical Interns and Sleep Deprivation
DUI, Traffic and Criminal Law Defense
- Requesting a Restricted License in Virginia
- Ignition Interlock Devices & DUI Law
- How Virginia's Driver Demerit Point System Works
- Three Driving Demerit Point Offenses
- Four Driving Demerit Point Offenses
Divorce
General
Car Insurance Terms in Virginia
Before you are able to purchase license plates or decals for your car in Virginia, you must certify that you have either met the minimum insurance requirements or paid the uninsured motor vehicle fee.
Minimum Coverages
Virginia requires drivers to carry a minimum of 25/50/20 insurance. This means that your insurance policy must have a minimum coverage of $25,000 for the bodily injury or death of one person in a car crash, a minimum coverage of $50,000 for the bodily injury or death of all people involved in a single car accident, and a minimum coverage of $20,000 for all property damage caused in the auto accident.
Uninsured Motorist Fee
Remarkably, in Virginia it is completely legal to drive without insurance. As long as you pay a $500 uninsured motorist fee to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, you can still register your car in the state. If you do so and are involved in a car crash, you remain personally liable to anyone you injure. This means that anything of value – your home, savings, future wages, and other assets – may be taken from you to pay for the losses you cause.
This unbelievably bad law not only imposes incredible risk on the driver of being the personal subject of a lawsuit, but it puts everyone else on the road at risk. When you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, there may be no funds available to pay for your injuries.
Uninsured Motorist Insurance
Because there are some people who choose to pay the uninsured motorist fee instead of purchasing insurance, it is a superb idea to purchase uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Uninsured coverage obligates your own insurance company to pay your medical bills and compensate you for your lost wages if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist. Underinsured coverage obligates your insurance company to pay any part of your damages that exceeds the amount of the other driver’s insurance coverage. For instance, if the other driver purchases the minimum amount of coverage allowable, $25,000/$50,000, and your personal injuries are $30,000, his insurance carrier will pay $25,000 and your carrier will cover the next $5,000.
Optional Coverage
There are many additional coverage options to choose from.
Collision and Comprehensive Coverage.
This coverage pays for the repair or replacement of your auto regardless of who is at fault. Collision coverage pays if your auto collides with most objects, including other cars. Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your auto from other causes, such as fire, vandalism, wind, hail, or glass breakage.
Medical Expense Coverage
As the name suggests, this coverage pays for all reasonable and necessary medical and funeral expenses for you or others injured or killed in an accident.
Loss of Income Benefits Coverage
This coverage pays for your, your family, or other passengers in your car for loss of income up to $100 a week for up to 52 weeks.
Rental Reimbursement Coverage
This coverage reimburses you for the expense of renting a vehicle if your car is unusable for more than 24 hours due to a collision or comprehensive loss. Each policy will vary as to which losses are covered and which are not, so it is important to read your entire insurance document before signing.
A Longer Guide to Virginia Auto Insurance
The Virginia Bureau of Insurance offers a Consumer’s Guide to Virginia Auto Insurance. This 49-page guide is incredibly helpful. It contains tips for shopping for insurance rates, definitions of various auto insurance terms, an explanation of how accidents and violations affect insurance premiums, and a special section for senior citizens.
Ask an Attorney
Free Consultation
Weisberg & Zaleski, P.C.
112 College Place
Norfolk, VA 23510
Toll Free: (800) 690-0235
Phone: (757) 622-7740
Fax: (757) 533-9223
FAQs
Personal Injury and Automobile Accidents
- Do I need a specialty lawyer for my personal injury case?
- When do I have a personal injury claim?
- Will a traffic court's determination of guilt or innocence affect the outcome of my civil suit for personal injury?
- Should I leave my vehicle unmoved at an accident scene until the police arrive?
- Should I call an Attorney before seeking medical attention?
Medical Malpractice
- What will the attorneys fees cost?
- What should I do if I feel that I, or someone close to me, have been a victim of medical malpractice?
- How is medical malpractice defined?
- The result of the medical care was bad and I believe that my doctor made a mistake. Will I win my case?
- Do doctors have a duty to tell the patients of every possible risk associated with a medical procedure?
DUI, Traffic and Criminal Law Defense
- Will a traffic court's determination of guilt or innocence affect the outcome of my civil suit for personal injury?
- Does the failure of the police to give the Miranda warnings prior to arrest operate to make your arrest unlawful?
- I have failed my breathalyzer test. What good can an attorney do in such a case?
- When should an attorney be present with me?
- I have been asked to sign some forms by the police officers. What should I do?
Business Litigation
- What is involved in litigating a business matter?
- What are the alternatives to litigation?
- How does mediation differ from arbitration?
- What effort will you put in to my case?
- What fee schedule is employed for a class action?
Divorce
- If your spouse is in the military and you have been married less than ten years, do you have any rights to the military pension?
- Do you have to have the agreement of your spouse to get divorced?
- How is it possible to agree on a divorce with the best possible outcome for both parties?
- Can I and my spouse use the same attorney for our divorce for the purpose of saving money?
- How likely is it for a father to retain custody of the children?