Personal Injury

Article co-written by Matthew Broughton, Jared Tuck, and Summer Associate Emily Brooks Virginia law has seen several recent changes regarding auto insurance, and this trend is continuing. Since July 1, 2023, three major changes have been enacted, with two taking effect in the near future. Here’s what you should know about these recent changes to the law and what impact these changes will have on personal injury cases arising from Virginia motor vehicle accidents.  I.  Change #1: Elimination of the Liability Credit Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) and uninsured motorist coverage (UM) both act as a safety mechanism if you or […]

Tractor-trailer crashes differ from motor vehicle collisions because there are many companies and individuals involved in the transportation and logistics industry, meaning various people or entities may be at fault for causing a catastrophic or fatal truck accident. As Virginia truck accident attorneys, we have noticed that that there are a wide variety of potential defendants in truck crash cases, including, but not limited to: (1) truck drivers, (2) motor carriers, (3) intermodal equipment providers, (4) shippers, (5) brokers, and (6) manufacturers. Generally, federal and Virginia law only require motor carriers to carry $750,000 in liability insurance, except greater limits […]

Clients frequently tell us that everything seemed to move in slow motion during a catastrophic crash with a tractor-trailer. The moments leading up to the crash may be blurry, but the crash itself becomes etched in the victim’s brain and often requires the extensive passage of time to fade into the background. Tractor-trailers can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and are behemoths compared to the average family-owned vehicle. The damage they can cause to a vehicle made of heavy metals is almost incomprehensible. It is therefore no surprise that accidents involving a tractor-trailer frequently result in devastating polytraumatic injuries to […]

Gentry Locke has a long history of associating with other attorneys. Don’t be surprised if/when you call the attorney that represented you in traffic court, drafted your will, or represents your business suggests that he associate Gentry Locke. Over the years, our firm has worked with other law firms who don’t typically handle personal injury cases. Gentry Locke has always associated with other lawyers and law firms in Virginia to give the highest level of service. We often partner with other lawyers in cases involving brain injuries, car accidents, catastrophic injuries, distracted driving accidents, medical malpractice, motorcycle accidents, nursing home […]

Introduction If you have been injured or a family member killed by a defective product, you may have what is known as a “products liability” case and you should contact a Virginia personal injury attorney/Virginia wrongful death attorney as soon as possible. You must file a products liability lawsuit within the statute of limitations which is usually two years of the date of the incident. Types of Product Liability Cases Products liability cases apply to a wide range of items in the marketplace. These include household items, industrial equipment (typically a work-related injury), motor vehicles, all terrain vehicles, drugs and […]

Staying calm and keeping your wits about you during and after an auto accident in Virginia is no easy task. Accidents happen fast, and the events that unfold afterwards can happen just as fast. The situation can also be complicated by any number of additional factors: injuries, anxiety, and answering questions from numerous individuals. There is no one-size-fits-all response that is appropriate in every auto accident. This is why it is vital to consult an experienced Virginia personal injury attorney as soon as possible, so you can get specific and tailored advice that takes into account the specific details of […]

Plaintiff personal injury clients are different than other types of clients because their Virginia personal injury case is generally their first interaction with the civil legal system. Clients sometimes have an expectation that the process moves fast. Television shows, like Suits and Law & Order, may be to blame for such an expectation. Unfortunately, this expectation is mistaken—the legal process is quite slow. It can take anywhere from weeks to several years to resolve a Virginia personal injury case. This can be especially difficult for a plaintiff who is the victim of a trucking collision, motor vehicle collision, slip-and-fall accident, […]

Virginia has recently decriminalized the possession of four (4) ounces or less of marijuana.[1]   Police in Virginia can no longer “stop, search, or seize any person, place, or thing” based “solely” on “the odor marijuana.”[2]  Virginians now frequently encounter the distinctive “skunk-like” odor of marijuana in public places.  Alarmingly, Virginians also encounter that odor, sometimes accompanied by visible smoke, emanating from vehicles operating on public roadways.   This is so even though it remains a crime for any person—driver or passenger—to use marijuana “in a motor vehicle being driven upon a public highway of the Commonwealth.”[3]  Gentry Locke’s personal injury attorneys […]

As Virginia personal injury attorneys, our clients often ask us questions such as: What can I sue for after a car accident in Virginia? Is the defendant liable for the full amount of my medical bills? Does the defendant have to reimburse me for the time I was out of work? What about pain and suffering? Who pays for my vehicle that was totaled? Can I sue for punitive damages? This article is written by a personal injury lawyer in Roanoke who can summarize the categories of damages that are generally available to plaintiffs in Virginia personal injury cases. The […]

If you are looking for the best Virginia personal injury attorney for your case involving a trucking accident with a tractor trailer, the following five important considerations should be made: 1. Find an experienced Virginia trucking attorney who is also a licensed (CDL) truck driver. As you might imagine, there are very few. Why is this so important? Tractor trailers are extremely different than other motor vehicles. A typical car may weigh a couple thousand pounds and be 12’ long. A tractor trailer, on the other hand, weighs approximately 35,000 pounds empty and up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. […]