Car Accident Law Firm Fairfax, VA
When you are dealing with property damage and injuries after a car accident, it is time to speak with a Fairfax, VA car accident lawyer from Cohen & Cohen. Getting into an accident is already bad enough. You’re now late to wherever you’re going, need to take time to go see a doctor, and have to figure out filing a claim. At the least, all of this can be incredibly annoying. However, it usually ends up being more than just annoying. Often, people who are in car accidents need to not only recover from their injuries but also need to fight the uphill battle that is the insurance company. If you were just in a car accident and need legal help, reach out to our trusted legal team. We are ready to help when you need to file a claim.
Understanding Virginia Car Accident Laws
Each state will have its own laws regarding car accidents and it is important that you speak with a lawyer to understand what that means for filing a claim.
- Virginia is known as a “fault” state. While some states follow the “no-fault” rules, meaning a person must first file with their own car insurance first, Virginia gives you the option of filing with whoever’s insurance makes the most sense. If you want to, you can immediately file your claim with the liable party’s insurance or take them to court with a lawsuit.
- There are certain times you must report the accident. There are certain situations where you must legally report a car accident. This includes if there is property damage or if someone was injured or killed.
- You will have a limited amount of time to file your claim. This is known as the statute of limitations. If you are filing a lawsuit over your car accident injuries, you will have two years to file from the date of the accident. If you are filing a lawsuit over property damage, you will have five years from the time the accident occurred.
- Virginia follows contributory negligence rules. This means if you want to take your case to court and are even the tiniest bit responsible for the accident occurring, you will not be allowed to recover any compensation. This can even play a role in how the insurance agent determines your settlement award if you hope to settle outside of court. This is one reason you want to work with a trusted Fairfax car accident lawyer.
Finding the Right Team For Your Case
It can be difficult to know whether you should submit a car accident claim and how aggressively you want to pursue this. A lawyer will give you the best chance at understanding what your case is worth and have experience negotiating with insurance agents. When you are ready to move forward with a car accident claim and have no idea where to start, it is a good idea to get the help of a lawyer you can rely on from Cohen & Cohen. When you would like to set up a consultation, reach out to our Fairfax car accident lawyer for more help.