VIENNA CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER

Fighting for Accident Victims in Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia has some of the most congested roadways in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. In 2019, Fairfax County had the highest number of automobile collisions in the Commonwealth of Virginia. These collisions resulted in 827 total deaths and an average of 180 people suffering injuries every single day.

All too often, car accident victims find themselves at the mercy of insurance companies who refuse to provide fair financial compensation. This can add an immense amount of stress on victims who are already struggling to deal with their injuries, obtain proper medical treatment, and keep up with their mounting medical bills and daily expenses while they are out of work.

Accordingly, if you were involved in a car accident in Virginia, it’s important that you seek an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you fight back against the insurance company’s unjust tactics. At Portner & Shure, P.A., our Vienna car accident lawyers stand out among their peers, as seen by our numerous five-star reviews on Google and Facebook. We are known for the significant successful results we have obtained in past cases, both in the form of settlements and judgments.

Injured in a car accident? Learn how Portner & Shure, P.A. can help! Call us at for a free, confidential consultation.

Understanding Virginia’s Car Accident Laws

In Virginia, a person who make a personal injury claim has to prove their case by a preponderance of the evidence, i.e., 51%. Specifically, the victim has to prove that the other driver caused the crash and that they suffered injuries as a result of the accident.

Additionally, Virginia has a strict two-year statute of limitations for most civil cases. This means that if you fail to bring your car accident claim within two years of the date of the collision, you will almost certainly be forever barred from recovering compensation for your damages caused by the accident.

What to Do After a Car Accident

Being involved in any motor vehicle accident is a frightening event. You may feel some degree of shock and, in some cases, you may need immediate medical attention. If you are able, however, there are certain things you should do in the aftermath of the accident to protect yourself and your future ability to bring a personal injury claim.

After a car accident, take the following steps (if possible and appropriate):

• Call 9-1-1/Get Medical Attention: First and foremost, if you or anyone else was injured, call 9-1-1 and have paramedics arrive at the scene. If emergency medical attention is not needed, see a doctor immediately after the accident even if you do not believe you suffered serious injuries. Your injuries may take hours or even days to appear; only a medical professional can accurately diagnose your injuries and determine their extent and severity.
• Call Police and File a Police Report: In any crash involving bodily injury or significant property damage, you should contact local police and have them come out to the scene of the accident. There, they can take and file a police report detailing the accident. Be honest and clear about what happened, but avoid making any statements that could imply your guilt. Remember, only the law can determine who was at fault for the accident, regardless of what happened.
• Document the Scene of the Accident: If possible, document the scene of the collision. Take pictures of your vehicle, the other driver’s vehicle, and your injuries. Take pictures that show the angle of your vehicles and the accident as a whole.
• Get the Contact Information of the Other Driver: Make sure to take down the other involved driver’s contact information, such as their name, phone number, and email address. You will also want to write down their insurance information.
• Talk to Witnesses: If possible, obtain the names and contact information of any potential witnesses. If possible, write down a brief statement of what they saw or heard regarding the crash.
• Contact an Attorney: If you were injured in the accident, it is important that you contact an experienced attorney in order to learn more about your right to seek compensation for your damages. We recommend that you do this before speaking to anyone from the other person’s insurance company. An insurance adjuster may attempt to contact you and get you to provide a statement—you do NOT have to provide a written or verbal statement to anyone after the accident other than the police officer at the scene. In fact, it is in your best interests to refrain from providing such a statement to the insurance adjuster, as they will likely try to use your statement against you to dispute or devalue your claim.

Injuries & Medical Treatment for Car Accident Victims

Depending on the type and severity of the collision, victims’ injuries can vary widely.

Some of the most common car accident injuries include:

• Contusions and sprains
• Bone fractures
• Brain injuries
• Back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries

These injuries often require medical treatment and follow-up care with a physical therapist. Additionally, severe injuries may require emergency medical treatment and surgery. Depending on the care needed, medical treatment can be obtained at a hospital, a primary care provider, or an urgent care center. Sometimes, car accident victims forgo or decline medical treatment because they don’t have health insurance and are unaware that they may have medical payment coverage available through their own car insurance. This benefit can be used to pay for all or a portion of any medical or physical therapy bills.

In addition to needing to find (and pay for) proper medical treatment, some car accident victims find themselves unable to work due to their injuries. When this is the case, it’s important that victims obtain proper medical authorization or documentation regarding any days missed from work.

How Insurance Companies Dispute Car Accident Claims

Car accident victims often find themselves at the mercy of insurance companies who use every available tactic to devalue, dispute, or outright deny claims.

Insurance companies deny claims for a variety of reasons, such as:

• Lack of proof
• Insufficient property damage
• Disputing victim’s injuries

Additionally, insurance companies routinely invoke contributory negligence as a reason to deny a claim. Virginia is one of four states that continues to follow the defense doctrine of contributory negligence. This defense allows an at-fault party to avoid being found liable by claiming that the victim’s own negligent actions contributed to their injuries. Such denials force victims to take their cases to court in order to seek relief and the rightful compensation they are owed.

How a Vienna Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You

The attorneys at Portner & Shure, P.A. make regular appearances in Fairfax County and Northern Virginia courts. As a result, we know what it takes to build a successful case. We know how to properly investigate a collision, gather the relevant facts, and present those facts in the most favorable light for our clients. Our award-winning reputation comes from successfully representing car accident victims in Virginia courts for more than 30 years. Our seasoned litigators know how to successfully overcome common legal defenses in order to obtain favorable results.

Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation

With our decades of experience, record of success, and many five-star reviews from past clients, we are well-equipped to help you navigate the personal injury process. We are proud of our reputation for success, both among our clients and our peers. Our Vienna, VA car accident attorneys have earned many awards and accolades for their commitment to providing effective, client-focused legal services that meet the highest ethical standards.

We provide all of our personal injury representation on a contingency fee basis. This means that you do not owe any attorneys’ fees unless we are able to recover compensation in your case. Portner & Shure, P.A. represents clients in Vienna, Fairfax County, and throughout Northern Virginia.

Call our office at or contact us online to schedule a complimentary case evaluation.