Burnett & Williams
Experienced Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Midlothian VA, Richmond VA, Petersburg VA, and Colonial Heights VA

How long does a personal injury case take?
(video transcript)

Before I joined forces with Peter and Don I had my own law practice, and I was practicing predominantly in the south-eastern portion of Virginia - Hopewell, Prince George, that area. It's interesting how our collective experiences when we came together really made a difference in the results all the way around. When I was by myself as an attorney I really couldn't pick up the phone and call somebody and bounce ideas off of them. I mean, I could, but whether I would get somebody on the phone or not would depend on whether that attorney was busy or had another case or was in court, where as now we basically have a hotline through all four of us and if I call Don and ask him a question I know that Don's going to call me right back; he's going to take the time to talk to me about the cases to make sure that our client that I'm representing is getting the best result possible through the collective wisdom of all the attorneys involved. By the same token, Peter, Don and Morgan do the same thing with me, they call me up and say, "hey, you had this issue down there that we don't have up here, how do you address that? What are your thoughts?" I think the result is the team effort gets the best result possible.

So, collectively, all four of us now bring together for the firm and for each individual client a much better result. I think part of the reason we're able to settle is as many cases as we do favorably for our clients is that the other side knows that we bring this collective experience of having as many trials together and bringing the collective experience of Burnett & Williams to the table, that they know we're a formidable adversary.

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

Were you involved in an accident or crash in the Richmond VA Area? Burnett & Williams can help. Our experienced staff can assist you in understanding your rights. Accidents on I-95 can have tragic consequences. Contact us today.

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.

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.

Statistics on fatal injuries from the federal government
Internet address: http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm Thursday, August 9, 2007

NATIONAL CENSUS OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES IN 2006

There were 5,703 fatal work injuries in the United States in 2006, down slightly from the revised total of 5,734 fatalities in 2005. The rate of fatal work injuries in 2006 was 3.9 per 100,000 workers, down from a rate of 4.0 per 100,000 in 2005. The numbers reported in this release are preliminary and will be updated in April 2008.

Key findings of the 2006 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:

- The overall fatal work injury rate for the U.S. in 2006 was lower than the rate for any year since the fatality census was first conducted in 1992.
- Coal mining industry fatalities more than doubled in 2006, due to the Sago Mine disaster and other multiple-fatality coal mining incidents.
- The number of workplace homicides in 2006 was a series low and reflected a decline of over 50 percent from the high reported in 1994.
- Fatalities among workers under 25 years of age fell 9 percent, and the rate of fatal injury among these workers was down significantly.
- The 937 fatal work injuries involving Hispanic or Latino workers in 2006 was a series high, but the overall fatality rate for Hispanic or Latino workers was lower than in 2005.
- Fatalities among self-employed workers declined 11 percent and reached a series low in 2006.
- Aircraft-related fatalities were up 44 percent, led by a number of multiple-fatality events including the August 2006 Comair crash.

Profile of 2006 fatal work injuries by type of incident

While fatal highway incidents remained the most frequent type of fatal work-related event, accounting for nearly one out of four fatal work injuries, the number of highway incidents fell 8 percent in 2006. The 1,329 fatal highway incidents in 2006 was the lowest annual total since 1993. Nonhighway incidents (such as those that might occur on a farm or industrial premises) remained at about the same level in 2006. Work-related pedestrian fatalities were lower.

Aircraft related fatalities increased sharply in 2006 after decliningin 2005. The 215 fatalities involving aircraft in 2006 represented a 44 percent increase over the 149 in 2005. Overall, there were 44 multiple-fatality aircraftincidents claiming 137 workers in 2006, including one (the August 2006 Comair crash) that resulted in 23 fatalities. The annual number of aircraft fatalities tends to be volatile and has ranged from a high of 426 fatalities in 1994 to a low of 149 in 2005.

Fatal work injuries involving falls increased 5 percent in 2006 after a sharp decrease in 2005. The 809 fatal falls in 2006 was the third highest total since 1992, when the fatality census began. Fatal falls from roofs increased from 160 fatalities in 2005 to 184 in 2006, a rise of 15 percent.

Workplace homicides decreased 9 percent to 516 in 2006, the lowest annual total ever reported by the fatality census. Overall, work place homicides have decreased more than 50 percent from the series high in 1994.

The number of workers who were fatally injured from being struck byobjects was lower in 2006, after increasing for the last three years. The 583fatalities resulting from being struck by objects in 2006 represented a 4 percent decline from the 2005 total.

Fatalities involving fires and explosions increased by 26 percent in 2006, rising from 159 in 2005 to 201 in 2006. Fatalities resulting from exposure to harmful substances or environments were also higher in 2006, led by a 12 percent increase in exposure to caustic, noxious, or allergenic substances (from 136 in 2005 to 153 in 2006).

Profile of fatal work injuries by demographic characteristics

Fatal work injuries involving female workers increased 5 percent in 2006 after declining the past two years. Despite the increase, the 428 fatal work injuries involving female workers was the third lowest annual total for female workers in the 15 years of the fatality census. The number and rate of fatal injury among male workers were both lower in 2006.

The 937 fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers in 2006 was up from the 923 fatal work injuries in 2005 and represented the largest annual total since the fatality census began in 1992. Due to increased employment, however, the fatality rate for Hispanic or Latino workers was lower (4.7 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2006 versus 4.9 per 100,000 in 2005). Among foreign-born Hispanic or Latino workers, fatalities decreased slightly after reaching a series high in 2005. Fatalities among White workers, Black or African-American workers, and Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander workers were all lower.

The number of fatal work injuries among workers younger than 25 years of age decreased 9 percent (516 in 2006 versus 568 in 2005). Fatality rates were also lower, especially for workers 16 to 17 years of age, whose fatality rates declined 40 percent. Fatal work injuries among workers 55 years of age or older were slightly higher in 2006, but the fatality rate for this group of workers was lower, reflecting the growing number of older workers in the workforce.

Fatalities among self-employed workers were down for the second straight year and represented the lowest annual total in the history of the fatality census. The rate of fatal injury among self-employed workers fell to 9.4 fatalities per 100,000 workers, down from 10.7 per 100,000 in 2005. Fatalities among wage and salary workers rose 2 percent in 2006, but the rate of fatal injury for wage and salary workers was unchanged from 2005.

Profiles of fatal injuries by industry

Of the 5,703 fatal work injuries in 2006, 5,202 occurred in private industry. Service-providing industries in the private sector accounted for 47 percent (2,693 fatalities), while private goods-producing industries accounted for 44 percent (2,509 fatalities). Government workers accounted for 9 percent (501) of fatalities in 2006. The fatality rate for goods-producing industries was unchanged in 2006, while the fatality rate for service-providing industries and for government were both lower in 2006.

Construction accounted for 1,226 fatal work injuries, the most of any industry sector. The total for construction represented an increase of 3 percent over the 2005 total. Fatalities among specialty trade contractors rose 6 percent (from 677 fatalities in 2005 to 721 in 2006), due primarily to higher numbers of fatal work injuries among building finishing contractors and roofing contractors. Fatalities in building construction and in heavy and civil engineering constructiondecreased in 2006.

Transportation and warehousing fatalities decreased from 885 in 2005 to 832 in 2006, a 6 percent decline. The decrease was due in large part to a sharp decline in fatal injuries in general freight trucking. Rail and water transportation fatalities were also lower, but air transportation fatalities rose sharply.

Mining fatalities increased 19 percent in 2006. Fatal work injuries in coal mining more than doubled in 2006 due in part to theSago mine disaster and other mining incidents. A total of47 coal mining fatalities were recorded in 2006, up from 22 in 2005,due in part to 4 multiple-fatality incidents in coal mining in 2006,claiming a total of 21 workers. The fatality rate for coal mining jumped 84 percent in 2006 to 49.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers, up from 26.8 in 2005. Oil and gas extraction fatalities were also higher in 2006.

Fatalities in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector decreased 10 percent in 2006, and the rate of fatal injury dropped from 32.5 per 100,000 in 2005 to 29.6 per 100,000 in 2006. Crop production, which reported the highest number of fatalities in agriculture, had 14 percent fewer fatal work injuries in 2006 than in 2005. The rate of fatal injury in crop production fell from 38.2 in 2005 to33.0 in 2006.

Manufacturing fatalities were up 14 percent in 2006. The fatality rate in manufacturing rose from 2.4 fatalities per 100,000 manufacturing workers in 2005 to 2.7 per 100,000 in 2006, an increase of 13 percent.

Fatalities in wholesale trade also increased, while fatalities in retail trade decreased 12 percent. The decline in retail trade fatalities was led by a drop of close to 25 percent in both the rate and number of fatalities in the food and beverage stores industry. Homicides in retail trade decreased 25 percent in 2006 (from 184 in 2005 to 138 in 2006).

The number of fatal injuries in professional and business services decreased 7 percent in 2006, and the rate of fatal injury was also lower. However, the number and rate of fatal injury in both educational and health services and in leisure and hospitality services were higher.

Overall, fatal work injuries decreased 4 percent among government workers. The rate of fatal injury was lower for local government workers in 2006, but higher for federal government workers. The rate for State government remained about the same as in 2005.

Profile of fatal work injuries by occupation

Two occupational groups (construction and extraction occupations and transportation and material moving occupations) together accounted fornearly half of all fatal work injuries in 2006 (48 percent).

Construction and extraction worker fatalities rose 6 percent in 2006 (from 1,184 in 2005 to 1,258 in 2006), though the rate of 13.2 per 100,000 in2006 was not significantly higher than the rate in 2005. Construction laborers accounted for the highest number of fatal work injuries among construction and extraction occupations, accounting for 360 fatal work injuries, up 5 percent from 2005. Fatalities among electricians, roofers, painters, and drywall and ceiling tile installers also rose. Fatalities decreased among carpenters, construction trade helpers, and among plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.

Transportation and material moving worker fatalities decreased 6 percent in 2006, primarily as a result of a 7 percent decline in motor vehicle operator fatalities (from 1,100 in 2005 to 1,021 in 2006). The overall fatality rate for transportation and material moving occupations decreased 8 percent in 2006 to 16.5 per 100,000 workers. Fatalities among air transportation workers rose by 22 percent in 2006, but fatalities decreased among rail transportation, water transportation, and material moving workers.

Farming, fishing, and forestry worker fatalities decreased 11 percent in 2006, from 325 in 2005 to 289 in 2006, though the fatality rate was not significantly lower. Fatalities were lower among agricultural workers and among forest conservation and logging workers, but slightly higher among fishing and related fishing workers, such as captains and mates.

Fatalities in protective service occupations increased 6 percent in 2006, led by a rise in fire fighter fatalities (from 28 fatalities in 2005 to 42 in 2006). There were fewer work-related fatalities among law enforcement workers in 2006 as compared to 2005. Military fatalities (domestic only) were slightly higher in 2006.

Background of the program

The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, part of the BLS occupational safety and health statistics program, compiles a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. in each calendar year. The program uses diverse State and Federal data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. Information about each workplace fatality (industry, occupation, and other worker characteristics; equipment being used; and circumstances of the event) is obtained by cross-referencing source documents, such as death certificates, workers’ compensation records, news accounts, and reports to Federal and State agencies. This method assures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. For the 2006 data, over 21,000 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process.

This is the 15th year that the fatality census has been conducted in all 50 States and the District of Columbia. The BLS fatality census is a Federal/State cooperative program in which costs are shared equally. Additional State-specific data are available from the participating State agencies listed in Table 6.

Another BLS program, the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, presents frequency counts and incidence rates by industry and also profiles worker and case characteristics of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses that result
in days away from work.

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