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Every day personal injuries have devastating effects on people in the southeastern Virginia region of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth and surrounding areas. These injuries most often occur through automobile accidents, accidental falls, or accidental poisoning. Accidents can happen at work, at home, or in public places. Sometimes they are the result of defective products including drugs, machinery, toys, medical equipment, as well as motor vehicles. The important thing that all of these accidents have in common is that they occurred through no fault of the injured party. Unfortunately, another thing they have in common is the similarity of the destructive consequences that an injury can have on peoples’ lives. Personal injury can cause loss of wages, high medical bills, and time lost dealing with medical care and insurance companies. That is not to mention physical pain, emotional pain, reliance on friends and family for once routine tasks, and most tragically – loss of life.

According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, a traffic crash occurs every 3.42 minutes on Virginia roads. Every day 208 people are injured because of traffic crashes in Virginia and sadly 2.59 lives are lost each day on Virginia roads. The number of traffic related fatalities in our state increased by 2.6% as indicated by records for the most recent year that was made available.

As stated in the 2005 Annual Report published by the Virginia Poison Control Center, 86% of all poisonings reported to the Center were accidental or unintentional, this includes childhood, environmental, and occupational poisonings. This accounts for over 21,000 cases of poisoning reported in our state that year. The Center for Disease Control reports that death from unintentional poisoning was second only to motor vehicle crashes as a cause of unintentional injury deaths in 2005.

Thousands of personal injury cases reported each year can be classified as “fall-down” accidents. These incidents can happen at the workplace, outdoors, in places of business, and in residences. Common causes of fall-down accidents are slipping on spilled liquids, wet floors, or snow and ice, tripping over loose flooring or carpeting, electrical cords, or holes in the ground, and loose railings causing someone to lose their balance and fall. These injuries can result in sprains, fractures, broken bones, and traumatic brain or spinal injuries.

All of these statistics are alarming. What is even more alarming is the tactics that insurance companies employ to make sure that they pay as little as possible on their policy holders’ claims. If you or anyone close to you have been injured and have a personal injury claim, it is important to remember that insurance companies are for-profit businesses. Any claim that is paid out to you comes directly from the insurance company’s bottom line, and they will do anything to minimize the amount of the payout.

One of the insurance industry’s most commonly used tactics is to have a representative contact you within a day or two of your claim. This representative will be very friendly and sympathetic. They will ask you to make a recorded statement or to sign an agreement in order to expedite the claim. They will also give you advice on how to proceed. Remember that they work for the insurance company and that their only interest is what is best for the insurance company. Anything you say to an insurance company representative is “on-the-record” and can be used against you. They are trained in seeming to make light conversation while trying to elicit information that can be used to minimize your claim. Another tactic that insurance companies use is to make verbal promises and then string you along until the statute of limitations runs out on your claim. There are many downsides with trying to negotiate with an insurance company. The risks include settling too soon and being stuck with future medical bills, making statements that can be used to deny your claim, and allowing the negotiations to run too long.

Michael Weisberg and Allan Zaleski have been representing a broad range of personal injury clients in their Norfolk, Virginia office for over thirty years. We have experience in dealing with insurance companies and we have expertise in personal injury statutes in the state of Virginia. If you or a loved one has been involved in a personal injury accident, don’t make the mistake of trying to go it alone against an insurance company. Contact us at 757/622-7740 or toll-free at 800/690-0235 to schedule your free no-obligation consultation. You can rest assured that your case will be handled with the care and concern that it deserves and that we will aggressively pursue your goals and use every legally available means to fight for your rights. After all, we believe that your job is to get better; our job is to do everything else.

Library for Personal Injury and Automobile Accidents:

Angry Drivers Take it Too Far with Road Rage
Description: A recently released national survey reveals that drivers across the country are frustrated with having to share the road with aggressive, inattentive, and distracted drivers. In fact, just witnessing the antics of a bad driver can push some motorists over the edge into road rage. Some common behaviors that can trigger road rage include driving while texting, talking on the cell phone while driving, speeding, tailgating, and running red lights.
Driving with Diabetes: Accident Risks and Precautions
Description: The risks of driving with an underlying medical condition are very real, none more so than for diabetic drivers. While diabetes can be well managed with little impact on a person’s life, some complications or long-term effects can be dangerous behind the wheel. While driving does mean freedom for many people, the risk of causing a serious or deadly car accident must be taken in consideration when evaluating one’s health condition.
Is distracted driving really that dangerous?
Description: Distracted drivers are everywhere, chatting on cell phones, sending text messages, eating meals, changing clothes, picking up dropped objects, reading email, and pretty much doing everything except keeping their eyes on the road. In fact, distracted driving is so common that it is hard to find a driver who never stops looking at the road for one reason or another. So, is it really that big of a deal? Lawmakers, research scientists, and law enforcement officers think so, and they have the studies to back up their claims.
Accident-prone aggressive drivers on Virginia roads
Description: Aggressive driving is a major factor in avoidable car accidents, and can result in serious injuries or even death. These kinds of drivers have little regard for their fellow motorists, and can be seen speeding, weaving in and out of lanes, honking and gesturing as they drive. While aggressive driving can be difficult to define and the behavior hard to change, there are signs you can look for, steps you can take if you encounter an aggressive driver, and ways to avoid becoming one yourself.
Can roadway design contribute to serious car accidents?
Description: When roads are designed or upgraded a great deal of work goes into engineering a solution that will meet the many requirements of car and truck drivers, motorcyclists, law enforcement officials, safety experts, local and federal laws, pedestrians, bicyclists, and more. With so much to consider when a road is built or modernized, details can be neglected. These mistakes or omissions can create hazardous roadway conditions that can lead to serious auto accidents.
Do you need an attorney for your Virginia car accident?
Description: Being involved in a serious auto accident is bad enough, but dealing with the aftermath and the insurance company can be frustrating beyond words. If you are not sure if you should speak with an attorney about your car crash case, this article is for you. For example, accidents that result in serious injury or those that take place in construction zones or involve pedestrians may be complex enough to justify hiring a qualified law firm. The bottom line is that it you can speak with most attorneys for no cost and no obligation, so it is in your best interest to call an experienced firm like Weisberg and Zaleski and find out what they can do for you.
Serious Neck Injuries in Virginia Car Accidents
Description: There are many ways that drivers and their passengers can be injured in car and truck accidents in Virgnia. Neck injuries are very common in car accident cases and can manifest themselves in a variety of symptoms. You can learn more about this common soft tissue injury including symptoms, treatment, and long term prognosis in this article. If you need help getting compensation for injuries you’ve sustained in a Virginia car accident, please contact Weisberg & Zaleski at 800-690-0235.
Saving Money with a Small Truck? Consider Safety Ratings
Description: Some drivers have reacted to the recent oil crisis by trading in their gas guzzler for a smaller, leaner vehicle with better gas mileage. While this may make sense for a commuter’s pocketbook, drivers should be reminded to take the time to research the safety rating of any new vehicle purchase – especially small cars and trucks.
Hidden Dangers of the Hypermiling Craze
Description: Hypermiling is a term used to describe the various practices used by drivers to improve their fuel economy. Advocates claim they can improve fuel efficiency of their cars and trucks just by changing their day-to-day driving practices. However, some “extreme” hypermiliers have been advocating practices that are concerning law enforcement and safety experts.
What the Injured Worker Gets