Serving Richmond Va with Personal Injury Law Offices in: Midlothian - 13303 Midlothian Turnpike, Midlothian, VA 23113 Hopewell - 110 North 2nd Avenue, Hopewell, VA 23860
Burnett & Williams - Experienced Brain Injury Attorney 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
Injury Law News
Personal Injury Law News
Settlement of Mesothelioma Lawsuit Awards $7.5 Million to California Man from Six Companies A California construction worker who developed a highly aggressive form of cancer after exposure to asbestos has received $7.5 million in settlement of legal claims against six companies that manufactured or distributed asbestos-cement pipe, the law firm Weitz & Luxenberg, PC, today announced (docket number 153777, Butte County Superior Court, Chico, Calif.). The man, 57, [...]
Euro Asia Imports Recalls Bicycle Handlebars The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. Name of product: Bicycle Handlebars Units: About 2,000 [...]
Violation of Lead Paint Standard Forces Recall of Mexican Wrestling Action Figures The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. Name of product: Super Luchamania Action Figures Units: About 7,000 packs [...]
Hewlett-Packard Agrees to $425,000 Civil Penalty for Failure to Immediately Report Lithium-Ion Battery Packs The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Hewlett-Packard Company (HP), of Palo Alto, Calif., has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $425,000. The settlement agreement (pdf) has been provisionally accepted by the Commission (3-1). The settlement resolves staff allegations that HP knowingly failed to report immediately to CPSC, as required by federal law, that certain [...]
Giant Bicycle Recalls Two Models; Forks Can Break Causing Fall Hazard The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. Name of product: 2012 Model Year Giant Defy Advanced and [...]
CPSC Posts Recall to Web Site The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that the following voluntary recall alert was posted in cooperation with the firm listed below. Recalls can be viewed at www.cpsc.gov. Company Name Product Name Quantity Hazard Steelcase Inc., of Grand Rapids, Mich. Amia desk chairs About 11,000 The pivot pins installed in the control mechanism under [...]
New Law Would Require Drug Makers to Disclose Fees to Doctors According to a January 17, 2012 article published in the New York Times, under the new health care law, if a company has just one product covered by Medicare or Medicaid, it will have to report all payments made to doctors other than its own employees. The payment information will be posted by the federal [...]
Top AAA State Legislative Safety Priorities Shifted Towards Distracted Driving and Teen Driver Safety in 2012 Recent public attention to distracted driving will likely spur additional legislative activity as states convene their 2012 sessions, according to AAA. Laws that ban texting while driving and that improve teen driver safety again top AAA’s nationwide legislative agenda to improve highway safety. “Last month’s NTSB recommendation will lead state legislatures to consider a range [...]
Serial Bank Robbers Plead Guilty to Multiple Charges RICHMOND, VA—Derek Lamar Tompkins, Age 36, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a bank robbery. His codefendant, David Darnell Lowery, Age 37, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty to the same charges on November 28, 2011, and codefendant [...]
19th Annual James River Parade of Lights at Henricus Historical Park CHESTER, Va., Nov. 21, 2011 – The 19th Annual James River Parade of Lights, sponsored by the regional James River Advisory Council, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 10. A treasured holiday tradition, the parade features boats decorated with holiday lights and attracts thousands of Richmond-area residents each year. In conjunction with the parade, the [...]
Police Seek Suspect in Keswick Court Shooting Police are searching for a suspect who shot a man in the 3900 block of Keswick Court on Wednesday, Nov. 16. Police responded to the area of Keswick Garden Apartments at about 10 p.m. on Wednesday and found a man who had been shot. The victim, 22, had sought help from a nearby apartment resident, [...]
Petersburg Store Owner Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Goods Belal Amin Alsaidi, 30, of Buffalo, N.Y., pleaded guilty today to trafficking in counterfeit goods, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride for the Eastern District of Virginia. Alsaidi pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Hannah Lauck in Richmond, Va., to one [...]
Townhouse on Brimley Place Damaged by Kitchen Fire The Chesterfield County Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded Saturday, Nov. 5, at 9:30 a.m. to 4703 Brimley Place for a townhouse fire. Fire crews arrived to find smoke showing from the front of the home and located the fire in the kitchen. It took crews approximately 20 minutes to bring the fire [...]
Police Arrest Suspect in Oct. 2nd Double Shooting Police have arrested a man in connection with the Oct. 2 shooting of two men in the 2400 block of Alfalfa Lane. Police responded to Alfalfa Lane at about 6:40 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2, and found a man with a gunshot wound to the chest. Another male victim, who had an apparent gunshot wound [...]
Forestry Department Warns Seniors of Timber Scam RICHMOND—The Virginia Department of Forestry has received reports of a man who, posing as a representative of that agency, has approached older landowners about buying the timber on their property. “We have an individual who has been contacting landowners in Goochland and Fluvanna counties, telling them that ‘Forestry’ has asked him to contact them regarding [...]
Chesterfield Police Arrest Homicide Suspect Police have arrested a man in connection with the Oct. 18 murder of Peter J. Ambrister. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, Ambrister’s body was found in a taxi cab in a vacant lot behind the 4800 block of Jefferson Davis Highway near Walmsley Boulevard. Ambrister, 49, was a driver for Boulevard Cab Co. in Petersburg. Chesterfield [...]
Richmond Area Business Snagajob Named No. 1 Small Company to Work For in America Governor Bob McDonnell joined managers and employees at Henrico-based Snagajob, a leading provider of hourly workforce solutions, to celebrate the company being named the No. 1 small company to work for in America on the Great Place to Work annual ranking released today. Snagajob has been named a Top-10 Best Small Company to Work for [...]
Virginia Expands Agriculture Quarantine in Richmond Area Today the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) announced the expansion of the current Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD) temporary quarantine, effective October 14, 2011. In addition to Chesterfield and Henrico counties and the City of Richmond, which were previously quarantined by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Matt Lohr, the quarantine area [...]
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.
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] source
Burnett & Williams is proud to provide Personal Injury Legal Services in Richmond VA, Hopewell VA, Midlothian VA and Chesterfield VA
