Burnett & Williams - Experienced Brain Injury Lawyers in Richmond Virginia

What is my role as a client in a personal injury case?
(video interview transcript)

Client participation is an absolutely essential ingredient of any successful personal injury claim. And when I say client participation that doesn't mean we expect them to be doing most of the work. We understand what our role is as lawyers and advocates. But, with a bare accident report and a stack of medical records, that case isn't a whole lot more than a claim number. What's important to us is to understand the nuances and the impact of the particular injury our client has suffered. There are just so many different factors that play into the way a jury, or a mediator, or an arbitrator, and initially certainly the adjuster, perceives a particular claim that it's extremely important that all those details are filled in. One thing you can be certain of is if they have a stack of medical bills and an accident report, and nothing more, they are going to go to the low side of any offer and they aren't really going to have a full appreciation of the impact of the client's injuries.

What folks need to remember, and we tell our client's this all the time, is even though a case is about 90% likely to be resolved, the measuring stick for both the plaintiff's side of the case, the claimant's side of the case, and the insurance companies side of the case, is what a jury would do with a case if it should go to a jury trial. In the end, if you can't get along and you can't find a way to settle a case, you're going to trial. So, the measuring stick is always ultimately: how will this case present to a jury? So, things that folks might not think about - whether or not a particular claimant has any kind of a criminal record; whether or not they come across as honest or dishonest in the way they speak; unfortunately whether or not they are articulate or have a thick accent; how their appearance is. All these things are very important in evaluating how a jury is going to respond to someone. Juries, as is common sense, but we sometimes forget that we're more inclined to be generous with people that we like and who we perceive have been sincere and honest with us about the loss they've suffered than we are to be with someone who appears to be exaggerating, or who worse yet appears to be not forthright and honest with us. We're not going to be inclined to help that person as much as someone who is really telling it straight. We work very hard to find each individual's real story, and that goes a lot further than trying to puff up a case, because almost always that puffed up piece comes back to haunt you.

Specialization and Experience work for you
Burnett & Williams was founded as the result of personal injury law becoming increasingly complex and in a time when general practitioners were finding it increasingly difficult to provide quality representation to personal injury clients. To overcome these challenges, Peter Burnett limited his general law practice of 10 years to personal injury cases and started Burnett & Williams in 1988.

How the Process Works
One of the most common questions we hear from people interested in pursuing a personal injury case is, “So, how does this whole process work?” Most people are not familiar with how legal claims work, either because they have never been involved in a legal case before or simply because the process and procedure of the law is complicated, to say the least.

We understand that it is important for you to know what to expect when you decide to pursue a personal injury case. Although no two cases are the same, we have outlined a typical case process to guide you through a typical case. We want you to understand what is happening every step of the way.

If You've Been Injured
Choosing a lawyer can be time consuming, stressful, and confusing. If you've been injured, you need compassionate, experienced legal asistance. The attorneys at Burnett & Williams have extensive experience in all types of personal injury law. Contact us for more information and a free consultation. Having difficulty traveling? We will be happy to visit you at home or meet with you in a location that is convenient for you.

Serving : Richmond VA, Midlothian, Hopewell, Petersburg and Colonial Heights

Burnett & Williams is proud to serve residents of Richmond VA, Hopewell VA, Midlothian VA and Chesterfield VA

Brain Injury

BrainTraumatic brain injury (TBI), also called acquired brain injury or simply head injury occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. A person with a brain injury may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking. The effects of brain injury are devastating to your health and livelihood. If you suspect you may be the victim of brain injury we encourage you to seek immediate medical attention and do not hesitate to seek legal counsel when dealing with insurance issues.

Do I really need a lawyer?
We receive hundreds of personal injury inquiries every year. We carefully review the facts of each potential claim and often suggest that the services of our firm are not warranted, usually because there is no case or the claimant would do better by not hiring a lawyer.

We are not helping ourselves or you by taking a meritless case. While it may be true that you were harmed by someone's action, being right is not enough. You have to be able to prove your case and if we think that is impossible or unlikely, we are going to tell you so. We stake our reputation on our integrity - we are going to tell you the truth even when it is not what you want to hear. We are not in the business of filing frivolous lawsuits. If you come to our office, you are obviously injured enough; we won't inflict further injury by leading you to believe you have a case if you don't.

In cases with relatively minor injuries, insurance companies make computer-generated, take-it-or-leave-it offers, secure in the knowledge that juries have little sympathy for claimants with minor injuries. Claimants in this type of case often net more money without hiring a lawyer. In these kinds of cases, we frequently educate the claimant about sources of coverage and how to present their claim. We call it "coaching" and we do it for FREE. If these claimants or their friends are later involved in serious injury cases, they call us because they have learned first hand that they can trust us with their case

You don't always need a lawyer. At Burnett & Williams, we will give you the information you need to decide whether to hire a lawyer in Richmond Virginia.

How is the lawyer paid?
We are a contingency fee firm, meaning you do not pay legal fees unless you receive money. Our fees are based on a percentage of the amount recovered. You are responsible for the expenses associated with your case such as costs for securing records, experts, depositions, filing fees, and serving subpoenas. Many times, however, we advance these expenses and then deduct them from the award. Costs vary depending on the complexity of the case.For instance, a medical malpractice case usually involves expert testimony and much more examination and retrieval of records than an automobile accident case. We will discuss these matters with you in detail when you come into the office.

How much are these costs, usually?
The total amount of your estimated case expenses is usually based on the complexity and longevity of your case. For a straightforward accident case that is settled without having to file suit, the costs would include fees to obtain medical records, a copy of the accident report, postage, long distance calls, and copies. We will consult with you prior to advancing any substantial costs, such as filing suit and retaining an expert witness.

How much is my case worth?
As you probably know, every case that comes through our door is different. Factors that influence the value of a case include the facts of the accident and the liability of the other driver, the extent of your injuries, and the medical treatment you have received and will have to receive in the future for those injuries. It takes time to determine the value of your case, as there are many unknowns at the beginning, such as the extent and cost of the treatment you need. As your case progresses, we will be better able todiscuss with you what your case is worth.

Age related outcome in acute subdural haematoma following traumatic head injury.

Hanif S, Abodunde O, Ali Z, Pidgeon C.

Department of Neurosurgery, Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9. shahidhanif786@hotmail.com

Acute subdural haematoma (ASDH) is one of the conditions most strongly associated with severe brain injury. Reports prior to 1980 describe overall mortality rates for acute subdural haematomas (SDH's) ranging from 40% to 90% with poor outcomes observed in all age groups. Recently, improved results have been reported with rapid diagnosis and surgical treatment. The elderly are predisposed to bleeding due to normal cerebral atrophy related to aging, stretching the bridging veins from the dura. Prognosis in ASDH is associated with age, time from injury to treatment, presence of pupillary abnormalities, Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) or motor score on admission, immediate coma or lucid interval, computerized tomography findings (haematoma volume, degree of midline shift, associated intradural lesion, compression of basal cisterns), post-operative intracranial pressure and type of surgery. Advancing age is known to be a determinant of outcome in head injury. We present the results of a retrospective study carried out in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland's national neurosurgical centre. The aim of our study was to examine the impact of age on outcome in patients with ASDH following severe head injury. Only cases with acute subdural haematoma requiring surgical evacuation were recruited. Mortality was significantly higher in older patients (50% above 70 years, 25.6% between 40 and 70 years and 26% below 40 years). Overall poor outcome (defined as Glasgow outcome scores 3-5) was also higher in older patients; 74.1% above 70 years, 48% between 40 and 70 years and 30% below 40 years. Poor outcome in traumatic acute subdural haematoma is higher in elderly patients even after surgical intervention.

PMID: 19873866 [PubMed - in process]
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Does gender influence cognitive outcome after traumatic brain injury?

Moore DW, Ashman TA, Cantor JB, Krinick RJ, Spielman LA.

Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, USA.

The aim of this study was to determine whether males and females differ in post-acute cognitive outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Performances of 83 men and 75 women with mild to severe TBI were compared on measures of cognitive functions typically impacted by TBI (i.e., processing speed, executive functioning, and memory). Participants completed selected subtests of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Among the participants with mild TBI, women scored significantly higher than men on a test of visual memory. There were no other significant gender differences in cognitive outcomes. These findings overall suggest that cognitive outcome after TBI does not differ according to gender, with the possible exception of memory functioning. Further research is needed to replicate this finding and determine which moderating variables may impact on the relationship between gender and cognitive outcome after TBI.

PMID: 19859853 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Burnett & Williams is proud to provide Personal Injury Legal Services in Richmond VA, Hopewell VA, Midlothian VA and Chesterfield VA