Virginia · Maryland · District of Columbia · New Jersey · New York
Representation for injured people throughout Virginia. Practicing since 1997.
Virginia is one of a small number of states that still applies contributory negligence. If a jury finds an injured person even slightly responsible for the incident, recovery can be barred entirely. That single rule shapes how an injury claim in Virginia has to be built, from the first medical visit forward.
Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. represents people injured in motor vehicle, commercial truck, motorcycle and premises incidents in Virginia, and represents families bringing wrongful death actions.
The rules that govern your claim
Five provisions decide more Virginia injury claims than any argument made at trial.
Virginia has not adopted comparative fault. A finding that the injured person contributed to the incident, in any measurable degree, can defeat the claim. Defense counsel and insurance adjusters are aware of this, and questions asked in the first days after an incident are frequently directed at establishing it.
Most personal injury actions in Virginia must be filed within two years of the date of injury (Va. Code § 8.01-243). Wrongful death actions carry their own two-year period (§ 8.01-244). Limited statutory tolling exists, including where the injured person is a minor or under a disability (§ 8.01-229). Claims against the Commonwealth or against a Virginia locality carry separate and considerably shorter notice requirements. Whether any deadline or exception reaches a particular claim is a question for counsel, not a website.
There is no obligation to give a recorded statement to another party's insurer. What is said in one is transcribed, retained, and used.
Economic damages cover documented losses — medical care already received, care reasonably anticipated, wages lost, and diminished earning capacity. Non-economic damages address pain, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium. Both require evidence; neither is presumed.
Civil actions of this kind are filed in the Circuit Court of the appropriate Virginia jurisdiction.
Practice areas
Collisions involving commercial motor vehicles are governed by a federal regulatory layer that ordinary auto claims are not. Hours-of-service records, electronic logging data, maintenance history, driver qualification files and cargo securement records are all potentially discoverable, and several are subject to retention periods that begin running immediately. Liability may extend past the driver to the motor carrier, a broker, a shipper or a maintenance contractor.
Riders face two problems at once: the physical severity of the injuries, and the assumption — made by adjusters and sometimes by juries — that the rider caused the collision. In a contributory negligence state, an unrebutted assumption of rider fault can end a claim. Reconstruction evidence, sight-line analysis and independent witness accounts often carry substantial weight in these matters.
Virginia's wrongful death statute defines who may bring the action and who may recover (Va. Code § 8.01-50). The action is brought by the personal representative of the decedent's estate, and any settlement or verdict is subject to court approval and statutory distribution. The firm handles the probate qualification steps alongside the liability claim.
Rear-end, intersection, lane-change and chain-reaction collisions on I-95, I-66, I-64, I-81 and the Commonwealth's arterial roads. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can be a significant source of recovery in these matters.
Traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation and severe burns. These claims turn on life-care planning and economic projection as much as on liability, and the damages model has to be built by qualified professionals rather than estimated.
Slip-and-fall, negligent security and animal attack claims. Virginia premises law requires proof that the owner or occupier knew, or in the exercise of reasonable care should have known, of the hazardous condition. Preservation letters for surveillance footage need to go out early; retention cycles are short.
Six stages
The firm reviews the incident, the reported injuries, available reports and coverage. Not every incident supports a viable claim, and the firm's assessment is discussed with you at that stage.
Scene documentation, witness statements, records collection, preservation demands, and, where warranted, retention of reconstruction or medical professionals.
Treatment records and billing are assembled into a documented account of the injury. Gaps in treatment are among the most common evidentiary problems in these claims.
A demand package setting out liability and damages goes to the carrier, and negotiation follows. Under the rules of professional conduct that govern the firm, settlement offers are communicated to the client, and the decision to accept or refuse is the client's.
If the matter does not resolve, a Complaint is filed in the appropriate Virginia Circuit Court.
Interrogatories, document production, depositions, expert disclosures and dispositive motions. Matters that do not resolve proceed toward trial.
Attorneys
Admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and New York. A former prosecutor, practicing since 1997.
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Admitted in Virginia. Practices in personal injury and traffic law.
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The firm accepts personal injury matters throughout Virginia. The regions below are areas in which the firm accepts matters; they are not statements that the firm maintains a location in each.
Virginia locations
Verified street addresses and local direct-dial numbers to be inserted before publication. Reach the firm at (888) 437-7747.
Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Arlington County and the City of Alexandria.
Richmond and surrounding counties, including matters arising on the I-95 and I-64 corridors.
Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Newport News, including port-adjacent commercial vehicle matters.
The I-81 corridor.
Frequently asked questions
Virginia bars recovery where the injured person's own negligence contributed to causing the injury. There is no percentage reduction as there is in comparative fault states. This is why statements made to adjusters early matter so much, and why establishing the other party's negligence cleanly is the central task in a Virginia injury case.
Generally two years from the date of injury for personal injury actions under Virginia Code Section 8.01-243, and two years for wrongful death actions under Virginia Code Section 8.01-244. Statutory tolling provisions exist for minors and persons under a disability. Deadlines vary by claim type and by defendant, and claims against governmental entities carry separate notice requirements. Have the deadline confirmed by counsel rather than assumed.
There is no obligation to give a recorded statement to another party's insurer. Speak with counsel before you do.
No one can answer that from a website or a phone call. Valuation depends on liability evidence, the medical record, permanency, wage loss, available coverage limits and the venue.
Personal injury matters are handled on a contingency fee basis under a written fee agreement. Case costs and expenses are separate from the fee and are addressed in that agreement.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations apply, the evidence set is larger and includes logs, telematics, maintenance and driver qualification files, and there are often multiple potentially responsible parties. Evidence preservation demands need to be sent early.
Yes. The firm accepts personal injury matters throughout Virginia.
That is a wrongful death action, brought by the personal representative of the estate under Virginia Code Section 8.01-50. Qualification of the personal representative is a probate step that has to happen before the action can proceed.
Virginia's limitations periods are strict, and physical evidence and witness recollection degrade over time. Request a consultation with Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C.
Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
The information on this website is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Viewing this website, or contacting the firm through it, does not create an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship is formed only by a signed written agreement. Do not send confidential information through this website.
Case results depend on a variety of factors unique to each case.
Attorneys other than Mr. Sris are Of Counsel and contract directly with Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C.
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