Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers Blog

Why Springtime is Crash Season for Motorcyclists

Everyone loves a beautiful spring day, but they are heaven sent for motorcyclists, especially after a long winter. There’s nothing better than suiting up and hitting the open road on one of the first nice days of the year. But when you dust off your bike after several months of storage, it’s important to remember that your risks may be higher during the first few weeks of riding than at any other time of year.

Why? Because other drivers aren’t used to being around motorcyclists, and they may be even less likely to look out for you while you’re riding. The biggest risk factor for all riders is inattentive and distracted drivers. When drivers don’t see riders, those riders face enormous risks. All it takes is making a left turn into the path of a biker, drifting into their lane, or failing to slow down or stop to seriously injure or even kill a motorcyclist.

Whether you’ve already started riding again or are planning on doing so soon, be sure to focus on safety. That means wearing full riding gear, including a helmet, jacket, pants, boots, and gloves. Cover every square inch of your body in protective gear, and ride cautiously and defensively. Although you can’t control the movements and behaviors of other drivers, you can reduce your risks of being involved in a preventable crash and reduce the severity of any injuries you might suffer.

And because the injuries associated with motorcycle accidents can be so expensive, our Virginia motorcycle accident lawyers are here to help if you do get hurt. Contact the legal team at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.

What’s the Time Limit on a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Virginia?

Wrongful death lawsuits are among the most emotionally difficult types of legal action we take on behalf of our clients. Losing a loved one is always devastating, and we share in the pain of the families we assist. But we also know that helping those families get compensation for their losses can make their paths forward a little easier.

However, some grieving families may forego filing wrongful death lawsuits, especially if their loved ones suffer injuries that aren’t immediately fatal but that ultimately result in their deaths. For example, medical malpractice and car accidents can cause victims to suffer serious injuries, but they may live for weeks, months, or even years afterward. But eventually, they succumb to their injuries.

Thankfully, their surviving family members can still file wrongful death claims, even if it has been years since their accidents or injuries occurred. That’s because Virginia’s wrongful death statute of limitations is two years from the date of the person’s death—not the date of the accident.

However, even if it has been years since the injury occurred, many families are still unprepared for the grief and turmoil after their loved ones’ death. That means that it’s common for the two-year statute of limitations to expire, as they may be busy with other things or simply too grief-stricken to take matters into their own hands.

That’s why it’s important to have an experienced Virginia wrongful death lawyer on your side. At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our legal team will build your family’s wrongful death claim while you focus on being together, grieving your loss, and working towards your future one day at a time. Contact us today for a free consultation.

VA Drivers, Don’t Skimp on Uninsured/Underinsured Driver Insurance!

Virginia is one of around 20 states that requires drivers to purchase uninsured/underinsured driver insurance. This insurance kicks in when drivers are involved in crashes with other motorists who either don’t carry enough insurance to cover their crash-related costs, or they don’t have any insurance coverage whatsoever.

However, the minimum amounts of coverage associated with uninsured/underinsured driver insurance are the same as the minimum amounts of liability coverage. That means that if you’re hurt in a crash, you may be eligible to receive only $25,000 for your injuries and medical bills. And when you factor in costs such as an ambulance ride to the hospital, an overnight stay in the hospital (or longer), physical rehabilitation, and even surgery, you’re looking at a bill that will be much higher than $25,000.

That’s why it pays to have more coverage than the minimum, whether it’s your own liability insurance or your uninsured/underinsured driver coverage. You can also supplement your insurance policy with Medical Payments coverage. This coverage, also known as Med Pay, kicks in after any injury-causing crash, regardless of who was at fault, and it’s paid out in addition to any other compensation you receive.

You can also add lost income benefits coverage, which will help you replace lost paychecks while you’re too hurt to work. This insurance maxes out at $100 per week, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but can make a big difference when you’re waiting for your injury claim to settle.

Need help with an injury claim after an auto accident? The Virginia auto accident lawyers at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers are here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.

The Costs of a Traumatic Brain Injury Are More Than You Think

One of the most common pitfalls that injury victims face when pursuing compensation is accepting settlements that simply aren’t big enough for all of their expenses. That’s because it can be difficult to accurately gauge how much an injury will cost you over the course of your lifetime when you factor in medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

All injury victims are susceptible to this pitfall, but people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are especially vulnerable to accepting lowball settlements. TBIs can affect every aspect of life, and many victims recover only partially—while some don’t recover at all. But because it can be difficult to determine how impactful a TBI may be, and because money may be needed right away, victims are often tempted to accept settlements without thinking of the future.

Having an experienced Virginia brain injury lawyer on your side can give you peace of mind knowing that your expenses have been fully calculated, both in the short-term and years down the road. In addition, you’ll have experienced negotiators on your side who won’t let the insurance company take advantage of you or deny you full compensation.

Without a law firm working on your claim, it can be difficult to get the money you’re owed, especially when you’re dealing with the day-to-day challenges associated with a TBI. You’ve got enough on your mind already. Let the legal team at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers help you get money to pay for your medical bills and lost wages. Contact us today for a free consultation.

How Your Child Can Be Compensated for Their Birth Injuries

Was your child harmed before, during, or after delivery? If so, you’ve undoubtedly experienced many emotions and difficulties since then. Knowing your child was harmed because of someone else’s negligence—especially when that person was supposed to care for them—can be devastating. But both you and your child can potentially recover compensation from their medical bills and pain and suffering.

As your child’s parent, you can file a compensation claim on their behalf. But as with other medical malpractice or personal injury claims, it must be filed within two years of the date the injury occurred if the claim is designed to compensate you or your spouse for your damages related to the birth injury. If the claim is designed to compensate your child, it must be filed by his or her 10^th birthday if the injury occurred before they turned 8 years old.

Virginia also offers no-fault compensation for children who suffered birth injuries while protecting doctors and hospitals who elect to participate in this compensation program. This program covers children who suffered neurological injuries or disabilities that aren’t otherwise covered by governmental or private insurance policies. Covered injuries include those related to delivery and oxygen deprivation, and they must result in permanent motor damage to the development of motor and cognitive skills.

Birth injuries are extremely hard to deal with, especially when it comes to getting compensation. You have so much on your plate, and the last thing you want is endless back and forth with the insurance company and hospital. Contact the Virginia birth injury lawyers at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. We’ll work hard on your behalf, so you can focus on caring for your child.

We Help Injured Bicyclists Get the Money They’re Owed

Spring is almost here, and that means more days to enjoy your bicycle. Whether you use one to commute to work, or you just enjoy cruising around town and enjoying the pleasant weather, safety should always be your biggest priority.

Unfortunately, not all drivers are committed to safety, especially when it comes to sharing the road with bicyclists. To many drivers, bicyclists are little more than traffic-slowing nuisances, especially on roads without dedicated bike lanes. They often unknowingly put bicyclists’ lives at risk by recklessly passing them, drifting towards them, or cutting them off.

You can’t always trust drivers to be safe and attentive when they’re near you. And if you’re struck by a vehicle while you’re riding, it’s important to know that you’ve got an experienced legal team on your side that’s just a phone call away.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Virginia bicycle accident lawyers know that bicyclists have all of the same rights as other motorists, and when they’re injured because of negligence, they deserve a chance to pursue compensation. When bicyclists are struck by vehicles, they often suffer severe injuries, including broken bones,

Those injuries often mean weeks or months out of work and expensive medical bills that you may be unable to afford. Filing a compensation claim against the at-fault driver is an important way for injured bicyclists to get the money they need to recover and move forward with their lives. But convincing the at-fault driver’s insurance company to pay can be difficult, and that’s where we come in.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll work hard to help you get the money you’re owed.

Can You Sue Your Doctor for a Prescription Drug Injury?

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, we help people harmed by defective and dangerous prescription and over-the-counter medications get compensation by filing claims against their manufacturers. But sometimes, people get seriously injured by drugs that aren’t considered defective or dangerous. When that happens, victims may be able to file claims against their doctors via medical malpractice lawsuits.

Only doctors and a few other medical personnel can write prescriptions. When they do so, they must pay close attention to their patients’ conditions, weight, and other medications and supplements that they take. All of those factors play a major role in determining both how safe and effective their prescribed medications will be when they take them.

Unfortunately, healthcare providers don’t always take the necessary precautions and required steps when prescribing medications. That can put their patients’ health and even their lives in danger. And when their oversight results in a serious injury, illness, or death, those providers can and should be held liable for the losses that their patients and their patients’ families endure.

Medical malpractice claims aren’t easy to win, and they require the assistance of experienced Virginia medical malpractice lawyers. Our legal team has built many medical malpractice claims for injured victims throughout the state, and we know what it takes to win.

If you or someone you love was harmed by a prescription medication error, contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll collect proof that shows your doctor failed to take the necessary precautions and demand full compensation for you and your loved ones.

Injured Less Than 2 Years Ago? You May Still Have a Claim!

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Virginia personal injury attorneys always stress the importance of contacting a lawyer right away after accidents and injuries. But we know that not everyone wants to get involved in the legal process or is even aware of what their accident-related expenses will be. In fact, many victims don’t fully understand how much money they’ll be out until several months after their injuries.

At that point, many victims assume it’s too late to pursue a compensation claim. But because Virginia’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date they happened, victims can still file claims long after they were hurt. Of course, filing a claim several months or even more than one year after the injury occurred can make it more difficult to win, but there’s always a chance—especially when evidence is available.

Because we offer free consultations, there’s no risk to contact our firm and let us know what happened, even your accident occurred well over one year ago. Evidence is evidence, and when we can prove you weren’t at fault for your injury and that you’ve incurred serious damages because of it, we may be able to win you the money you’re owed. All it takes is making a phone call or filling out the form on this page.

Don’t be dissuaded from filing a compensation claim simply because you think too much time has passed. If the statute of limitations hasn’t expired, it’s always worth exploring your options, and we’re here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Why You Should Get a Dashcam to Protect Your Rights

When it comes to winning an auto accident compensation claim, proof and evidence are king. Without them, insurance companies can reduce or deny claims with near impunity, because they know that even if claims go to trial, victims are unlikely to win. And unfortunately, proof of what happened isn’t always easy to come by.

Even many traditional forms of evidence, such as accident scene debris, skid marks, and witness statements, can be argued in either party’s favor. But there is one form of “smoking gun” evidence that insurance companies can’t ignore: dashcam footage. Previously, drivers had to hope that their crashes were caught on tape by intersection or surveillance camera footage, but now, drivers can cheaply mount their own cameras to record every second that they’re on the road.

And while dashcams don’t always show the entire picture of what happened, as their fields of view can be limited, what they do show can make a big difference when it comes to getting compensation. The footage they capture is especially important and impactful when it’s combined with other types of evidence.

If you purchase and install a dashcam and are ever involved in a crash, it’s important to share the footage with a lawyer first. Not all dashcam footage will be interpreted in your favor, and the insurance company may pick out small, irrelevant details to paint you as the at-fault party! Get in touch with our Virginia auto accident lawyers first, and let the legal team at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers protect your rights to compensation.

Why Dog Bites Can Lead to Permanent Disability

Being bitten by a dog is a painful, traumatic, and frightening experience. Even small breeds can cause serious injuries. All dogs have sharp teeth and powerful jaws, and when they bite, they can inflict significant damage to skin, muscles, tendons, nerves, and more. In addition to immediate concerns such as pain and bleeding, victims also may be at risk of long-term damage.

The biggest risk factor for long-term damage after a dog bite is nerve damage. Dog bite victims are especially vulnerable to nerve damage when they are bitten on their hands or fingers, as the nerves are close to the skin and easily damaged by dogs’ sharp teeth. People who suffer nerve damage may lose some or all use of their hands and fingers.

In addition to affecting mobility and use, dog bites can also cause long-term pain, especially when they affect nerves. Nerve damage doesn’t mean just loss of feeling or motion—it can also lead to uncomfortable and painful sensations, even when the injury from the bite itself appears to have healed. Finally, dog bites can result in serious infections that can sometimes require amputation to treat, which obviously results in profound disability due to lost digits or body parts.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Virginia dog bite lawyers know how debilitating these injuries can be. That’s why we work hard to hold negligent dog owners accountable when their pets bite innocent victims and cause them to suffer pain and disability. If you or someone you love was bitten by a dog, we want to help you get compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation.