Collier & Collier

Protecting the rights of injured persons since 1973

What could my case be worth?

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If youve been injured in a car accident, motorcycle accident, or any other type of accident, and youre considering filing a personal injury claim, you may be wondering, How much is my case worth?

The answer is based on damages. What did the accident cost you”monetarily, physically and mentally? In some cases, damages are also based on whether or not the defendants conduct should be punished.

Compensatory Damages

Most damages are considered compensatory, and are intended to compensate you for what happened during the incident. This means putting a dollar figure on all that resulted from the accident. Some compensatory damages are relatively simple to quantify, like repair costs, medical costs, lost wages, etc. Others, such as physical suffering, emotional damage, or the loss of abilities, can be much more difficult.

Punitive Damages
In cases where the defendants conduct is outrageously careless or purposely hurtful, you may also receive punitive damages for your case. Punitive damages are used as a means to punish the defendant for his or her conduct.

Plaintiffs Actions
Many factors are considered when determining the monetary value of damages, and some of them include your actions as the injured person. The defendant may argue that youre partially at fault for the accident. The court will also consider whether or not you took appropriate measures to mitigate damages. For example, if you waited two weeks to see a doctor about your broken foot, the court may decide youre partially to blame for its current state.

Call Collier & Collier, P.C.
Every case is different. At the Richmond law firm of Collier & Collier, well help you seek compensation for all damages possible. Give us a call at 804-364-5200 right now, and learn more about your case. The consultation is free.

Slip and fall

Nothing puts fall into slip and fall like the holiday season. Hard ice, turkey frying grease, wet leaves, and strings of holiday lights all pose hazards during the final months of the year. And while these occurrences are common, that doesnt mean you have to accept them. If you feel that a property owner or business has been negligent in the care for their location, you may have legal recourse after your injury. Heres what you need to know about slip and fall legal claims.

This is especially true for property and business owners who must not be negligent in their care and keep up their property to avoid fault. Some indicators that someone else is potentially legally responsible for your injuries are:

  1. An owner or employee caused the hazard.
  2. The owner or employee must have been aware of the hazard and did nothing to remedy it in a timely manner.
  3. An owner or employee should have been aware of the hazard because a reasonable person would have noticed the issue and removed, repaired, or cleaned it.

Number 3 is the most common, but the term should have can be subjective and therefore legally ambiguous. A judge or jury must decide if the owner of the property took reasonable actions to keep the property safe.

Negligence claims turn on whether or not the property owner (or occupier) acted reasonably. To determine this the law focuses on whether or not the defendant (property owner or occupier) maintained and cleaned the property regularly to keep it safe and free of hazards.

Here are a few points that will be considered when we decide whether or not you might have a case in a negligence claim related to your injury.

  • How long was the hazard present? Had the danger been present long enough for the owner to become aware of the issue?
  • Did a lack of lighting contribute to your accident?
  • Does the owner (or occupant) regularly clean and maintain the premises? Do they have proof?
  • If your fall was caused by something placed or left on the ground, was there a reason for the item to be there?
  • Could a barrier or warning be created that would have prevented you from falling?

The knowledgeable attorneys of Collier & Collier, P.C. can help determine the amount of money you should receive in your case, and will fight to make sure you get it. Let us help you deal with your legal issues, while you focus on recovery.

Contact the law offices of Collier & Collier, P.C. at 1-804-368-6368 or toll-free at 1-877-825-0543 for a free consultation to discuss your case.

From 2011 to 2015, an average of about 800 Americans died a year in car wrecks because of snow, freezing rain, sleet or ice, according to an analysis of transportation data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That means during the winter months it is more important than ever to adjust your driving routines and patterns to accommodate weather changes.

Here are some tips for driving a motorcycle around Richmond in wintry weather:

  • Slow Down – During winter months you are more likely to encounter ice, water, and other factors that will reduce the traction of your motorcycle. This means your following distance and braking distance should be adjusted, but also that your speed overall should be adjusted as well. In cold weather, your tires are going to be colder than normal and will contribute to less traction on the roadway.
  • Watch for Salt – Not only is salt corrosive and harmful to your ride, but it can also make the road a more uncertain place. A patch of thick salt could cause your tires to slip or even lead to a sudden jerk of the handlebars in some cases. Salt may also hide other obstructions like branches or cracks.
  • Know a Local Motorcycle Towing Service – Accidents happen and are more likely to happen in cold-weather riding due to, once again, lack of traction. Make sure you have a towing service that is readily available.
  • If there is a storm, get inside – Keep an eye on the forecasts, and if theres even a threat of major snow, keep the bike home. Or buy a kit to create some studded snow tires.

Our Richmond motorcycle accident attorneys and their team of experts will take immediate action to establish driver fault, which may be attributed to such errors as tailgating, failure to check blind spots or misjudging speed. Our experts will also assess road conditions for problems with highway design, road signs, and traffic signals. Furthermore, we will inspect your bike and safety gear, making sure manufacturers met Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

If youve been hurt in a motorcycle accident, contact the law offices of Collier & Collier right away at 1-804-368-6368 or toll-free at 1-877-825-0543 for a free consultation to discuss your case. Let us put our resources to work for you.

Richmond Wrongful Death LawsuitThe death of a loved one is something that will never be easy to contend or deal with. And when a person dies or is killed due to the negligence or misconduct of another, including murder, the surviving members of the victim’s family may sue for “wrongful death.”

The elements of a wrongful death suit often stay the same even though the incidences that can lead to death and ultimately a trial vary drastically from medical malpractice to criminal behavior and more. Some things about a wrongful death case often stay the same including that a suit for wrongful death can only be initiated by the personal representative of the decedent’s estate. Here are some other elements of a wrongful death case, they must involve:

  • The death of a human being;
  • Caused by another’s negligence, or with intent to cause harm;
  • The survival of family members who are suffering monetary injury as a result of the death, and;
  • The appointment of a personal representative for the decedent’s estate.

A wrongful death claim may be found in many differing circumstances, such as these situations:

  • Medical malpractice that results in decedent’s death;
  • Automobile or airplane accident;
  • Occupational exposure to hazardous conditions or substances;
  • Criminal behavior;
  • Death during a supervised activity.

Someone elses negligence caused the death of your loved one, and your life was changed in an instant. Youre overburdened with grief, financial responsibilities, concerning medical bills, funeral expenses, and other obligations.

Our wrongful death lawyers are compassionate and well-prepared for the job. Damages in a wrongful death case may include compensation for medical bills, loss of future income, loss of services, funeral expenses, mental anguish and, in some cases, punitive damages. We will make sure the insurance company or the jury understands the depth of your loss.

Leave the legal compensation to us. Call the Richmond wrongful death attorneys of Collier & Collier, P.C. at 804-368-6368. We help clients in Richmond and the surrounding areas receive full compensation.

While there is no hard and fast stopping distance to maintain between vehicles, Virginia law does include a section defining a fine you may encounter on the roadways called ‘following too closely’ the details are listed as “The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard to the speed of both vehicles and the traffic on, and conditions of, the highway at the time.”

So what is an adequate stopping distance? Unfortunately, this depends on your unique situation at the time of collision as in the case of the above fine. However, we can recommend maintaining at least 40 feet between your car and the car ahead of you at most times. But there are many things that can factor into your stopping distance.

Five things that can factor into the stopping distance you have available on the road:

  1. Road Condition – This is highly dependant on the weather and can include the amount condensation or standing water left by rain or fog, debris from fallen leaves, the temperature of the road, and even the state of repair the road is in. Adding any slippery surface that reduces the friction between your tires and the road is inevitably going to have an effect on your braking. In rain and snow, the braking distance used at different speeds may sometimes double in order to compensate for less traction with the roadway.
  2. Tire Condition – Traction with the road, of course, starts with your tire quality! When was the last time you had your tires replaced? Virginia vehicle inspection law states: “If the tread depth is less than 2/32 of an inch in two adjacent tread grooves at each of the equally spaced intervals, the tire must be rejected.” You can have your vehicles inspected regularly to ensure safe travel.
  3. Speed of Travel – Above all other things, speed will control your stopping distance like no other factor. at 20 MPH you can expect to maintain a 40-foot following distance for safe travel. As speeds increase, your following distance will increase as well, all the way up to roughly 140 feet for 60 MPH travel.
  4. Field of View – Visibility is one of a number of factors that do not affect your braking distance per se but can inhibit your thinking distance. The longer it takes for you to spot hazards in the road, the more time will have passed before you hit the brake pedal.
  5. Driver State of Mind – As many as one-fifth of accidents on highways may be caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel. Tired driving can impact your reaction time and impair your decision-making ability. It is imperative that if you are driving long distances, or feel yourself becoming drowsy, that you take breaks often.

You can’t control other drivers on the road, and sometimes collisions will happen. When they do and you find yourself injured or seeking legal advice, contact us at 1-804-368-6368 or toll-free at 1-877-825-0543 for a free consultation to discuss your case. Let us put our resources to work for you.

Contact Collier & Collier for a FREE Consultation CALL NOW 804-364-5200