Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers Blog
by actuate | May 17th, 2021
Accidents are the third-leading cause of death in the U.S., and many of those occur on the nation’s roadways. 38,000 people are killed annually in auto accidents in America, and around 3 million people are injured in crashes each year. And while many of those injuries are minor bumps and bruises, some people suffer catastrophic injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
TBIs can have profound effects on victims and their loved ones. They can render victims helpless to care for themselves and live independently, and they can make it difficult or impossible for them to work. Many victims also need extensive, frequent medical care, including live-in nurses and caretakers.
How do car accidents cause these debilitating and disabling injuries? There are a few ways, including:
- Direct impact—Some TBIs are caused when victims hit their heads on their vehicles’ steering wheels, dashboards, or headrests. They also may be struck by loose objects inside their vehicles.
- Sudden deceleration—TBIs can occur even when there’s no direct impact. That’s because the sudden deceleration of a crash can cause the brain to move violently inside the skull, resulting in a serious injury.
Both of these causes of TBIs aren’t always immediately obvious. Sometimes victims may think they’re okay at the scene and after going home, but their symptoms may worsen, especially if they have a brain bleed. That’s why it’s vital for auto accident victims to get full examinations after crashes.
At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Virginia brain injury attorneys stand up for the rights of all car crash victims, especially those who suffer such profound injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation.
by actuate | May 10th, 2021
When you’re looking for a nursing home for your loved one, your top priority is to find one where they’ll be safe and well taken care of. Unfortunately, some nursing homes not only fail to provide adequate care to residents, but they put them in harm’s way due to abuse and neglect.
While looking for a nursing home, always be on the lookout for these warning signs before moving your loved one into a care facility:
- Staff turnover—Ask about average staff tenure. Do most caretakers stay at least a few years, or is there a constant revolving door of caretakers with short tenures? Significant and frequent turnover means unhappy staff and an inability for caretakers to get to know residents.
- Facility cleanliness—Is the nursing home clean and orderly, or is it dirty and unorganized? The cleanliness of a nursing home can tell you a lot about how the management treats residents. Also, dirty nursing homes can also put residents at risk of infection, as germs spread more easily.
- Residents’ moods—Do the residents seem happy and engaged, or are they depressed and withdrawn? It’s not uncommon for a few residents to be down, but most residents should be cheerful. If you notice that most residents seem to be in bad spirits, it could be a reflection of poor care.
Even if you find a great nursing home for your loved one, it’s important to never let your guard down. A new caretaker or management team can significantly impact resident care and wellbeing, so stay vigilant. And if you do suspect abuse or neglect, contact the Virginia nursing home abuse lawyers at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
by actuate | May 3rd, 2021
Riding a bicycle means exercise, fresh air, and NO visits to the gas station! There are plenty of perks to riding a bicycle, whether it’s for fun or to get around town, but there’s also a huge drawback: safety. When you share the road with big cars, trucks, and SUVs, you’re at significant risk of suffering a serious injury.
Avoiding a painful, disabling, and potentially life-threatening crash is all about riding as cautiously and defensively as possible. And doing so requires knowing the biggest threats you face on Virginia’s roads, which include:
- Intersections—Intersections are extremely dangerous for bicyclists, especially when drivers run red lights, don’t stop at stop signs, or turn right into the paths of bicyclists.
- Impatient drivers—Bike lanes allow riders a chance to share the road without slowing down traffic, but when they don’t exist, drivers may get impatient and dangerously overtake cyclists.
- Distracted drivers—Drivers must give the road their full focus and attention, but many drivers are distracted. Drivers who aren’t paying attention can drift into bicyclists.
- Vehicle doors—Cyclists who ride through downtown or urban areas often ride near parked vehicles. Open car doors are a huge threat to bicyclists and they must always be accounted for.
- Slick and uneven roads—The road surface can put cyclists at risk, especially when they ride over potholes, loose gravel, and wet leaves. Riders must always scan the road ahead for hazards.
When cyclists are injured because others were negligent, we work hard to help them get full compensation. Contact the Virginia bicycle accident lawyers at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
by actuate | April 26th, 2021
The dietary supplement industry is huge in the U.S. Americans spend billions of dollars every year on vitamins, minerals, and other supplements that promise to improve health and well-being. However, dietary supplements aren’t approved or tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That means they end up on store shelves without undergoing any rigorous testing.
It’s no surprise that many dietary supplements end up being recalled by the FDA or their manufacturers after it’s discovered that they are contaminated with foreign substances, contain undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients, or pose serious threats to patients’ health. But when that happens, can the people who take those supplements and are harmed by them sue their manufacturers?
Yes—people harmed by dietary supplements can sue for any damages they incur as a result of using those products. Although these products don’t require FDA approval to be stocked on pharmacy or health store shelves, they are required to be safe for usage. When they aren’t, the manufacturers can and should be held liable, the same way that the manufacturers of defective consumer products can and should be held liable when their products harm innocent people.
However, getting compensation from a dietary supplement manufacturer isn’t always easy. Many of them are based in other countries, or they may be uncooperative and unresponsive to injury and illness claims. That’s why having an experienced Virginia drug injury lawyer on your side is so important.
Contact the legal team at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation if you or someone you love was harmed by a defective and dangerous dietary supplement. We want to help you get the money you’re owed.
by actuate | April 19th, 2021
If you were recently bitten by a dog, you may be looking at big expenses related to the bite. It’s common for dog bite victims to need extensive medical care for complications ranging from bleeding and infection to nerve damage and pain. Some victims may even be hospitalized for days, while others may become temporarily or permanently disabled.
The expenses you’re facing can push you towards filing a compensation claim, but you may be worried about who or what will pay for your damages—especially if the dog owner is a friend, family member, or even a stranger you don’t want to burden. Thankfully, many dog bites are covered by homeowner’s insurance policies.
Although these policies are created to cover home-related expenses, they also cover many aspects of life that go beyond domestic life, including dog bites that happen on or off the policyholders’ property. That means that if you get bitten by a dog while walking through your neighborhood or at a park, there’s a good chance the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance will kick in if you file an injury claim.
But what if the dog owner doesn’t have homeowner’s insurance? In this case, you may be eligible to claim compensation through their animal insurance if the owner has purchased it. If they haven’t, you can still file an injury claim, but it will likely be paid from the dog owner’s pocket. It’s common for bite victims to feel bad about doing so, but when they don’t pursue compensation, they have to bear the burden of those costs alone for a bite that wasn’t their fault!
Need more info or assistance with a dog bite claim? Contact the Virginia dog bite lawyers at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
by actuate | April 12th, 2021
When Virginia workers get hurt and can’t do their jobs, they have two options for replacing their income: filing for disability or filing for workers’ comp. Some people think these are the same thing, but they two separate income replacement methods for people who are too hurt or sick to work.
Disability insurance is:
- Provided by private insurance—Many employers offer disability insurance as part of their benefits packages, but it’s typically optional. Employees who don’t purchase it don’t have access to it if they can’t work.
- For all injuries—Injured or sick workers can apply for their disability insurance benefits regardless of where their injuries occurred. That means they can get benefits even if they were injured at home.
- For short- and long-term injuries—Disability insurance is available as both short-term and long-term coverage, the latter of which can cover employees for many years or even decades after they get hurt or sick.
Workers’ compensation is:
- Provided by state-mandated insurance—Virginia requires that almost all employers purchase workers’ compensation for their workers. Applications are reviewed and approved by a state board called the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission.
- For work-related injuries only—Workers’ comp only kicks in for workers when they get hurt or sick at work or during work-related activities. If their disability occurs at home or while on vacation, they won’t be covered.
- Typically for short-term injuries—Although workers’ compensation benefits can pay out for a maximum of 500 weeks, most people go back to work much sooner than this. Workers’ comp benefits end when a worker’s doctor says he or she is recovered enough to go back to work.
At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Virginia workers’ compensation attorneys have helped many injured workers throughout the state get benefits. Contact us for a free consultation if you were hurt at work and have questions about or need assistance with your claim.
by actuate | April 5th, 2021
Everyone loves a beautiful spring day, but they are heaven sent for motorcyclists, especially after a long winter. There’s nothing better than suiting up and hitting the open road on one of the first nice days of the year. But when you dust off your bike after several months of storage, it’s important to remember that your risks may be higher during the first few weeks of riding than at any other time of year.
Why? Because other drivers aren’t used to being around motorcyclists, and they may be even less likely to look out for you while you’re riding. The biggest risk factor for all riders is inattentive and distracted drivers. When drivers don’t see riders, those riders face enormous risks. All it takes is making a left turn into the path of a biker, drifting into their lane, or failing to slow down or stop to seriously injure or even kill a motorcyclist.
Whether you’ve already started riding again or are planning on doing so soon, be sure to focus on safety. That means wearing full riding gear, including a helmet, jacket, pants, boots, and gloves. Cover every square inch of your body in protective gear, and ride cautiously and defensively. Although you can’t control the movements and behaviors of other drivers, you can reduce your risks of being involved in a preventable crash and reduce the severity of any injuries you might suffer.
And because the injuries associated with motorcycle accidents can be so expensive, our Virginia motorcycle accident lawyers are here to help if you do get hurt. Contact the legal team at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
by actuate | March 29th, 2021
Wrongful death lawsuits are among the most emotionally difficult types of legal action we take on behalf of our clients. Losing a loved one is always devastating, and we share in the pain of the families we assist. But we also know that helping those families get compensation for their losses can make their paths forward a little easier.
However, some grieving families may forego filing wrongful death lawsuits, especially if their loved ones suffer injuries that aren’t immediately fatal but that ultimately result in their deaths. For example, medical malpractice and car accidents can cause victims to suffer serious injuries, but they may live for weeks, months, or even years afterward. But eventually, they succumb to their injuries.
Thankfully, their surviving family members can still file wrongful death claims, even if it has been years since their accidents or injuries occurred. That’s because Virginia’s wrongful death statute of limitations is two years from the date of the person’s death—not the date of the accident.
However, even if it has been years since the injury occurred, many families are still unprepared for the grief and turmoil after their loved ones’ death. That means that it’s common for the two-year statute of limitations to expire, as they may be busy with other things or simply too grief-stricken to take matters into their own hands.
That’s why it’s important to have an experienced Virginia wrongful death lawyer on your side. At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our legal team will build your family’s wrongful death claim while you focus on being together, grieving your loss, and working towards your future one day at a time. Contact us today for a free consultation.
by actuate | March 22nd, 2021
Virginia is one of around 20 states that requires drivers to purchase uninsured/underinsured driver insurance. This insurance kicks in when drivers are involved in crashes with other motorists who either don’t carry enough insurance to cover their crash-related costs, or they don’t have any insurance coverage whatsoever.
However, the minimum amounts of coverage associated with uninsured/underinsured driver insurance are the same as the minimum amounts of liability coverage. That means that if you’re hurt in a crash, you may be eligible to receive only $25,000 for your injuries and medical bills. And when you factor in costs such as an ambulance ride to the hospital, an overnight stay in the hospital (or longer), physical rehabilitation, and even surgery, you’re looking at a bill that will be much higher than $25,000.
That’s why it pays to have more coverage than the minimum, whether it’s your own liability insurance or your uninsured/underinsured driver coverage. You can also supplement your insurance policy with Medical Payments coverage. This coverage, also known as Med Pay, kicks in after any injury-causing crash, regardless of who was at fault, and it’s paid out in addition to any other compensation you receive.
You can also add lost income benefits coverage, which will help you replace lost paychecks while you’re too hurt to work. This insurance maxes out at $100 per week, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but can make a big difference when you’re waiting for your injury claim to settle.
Need help with an injury claim after an auto accident? The Virginia auto accident lawyers at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers are here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
by actuate | March 15th, 2021
One of the most common pitfalls that injury victims face when pursuing compensation is accepting settlements that simply aren’t big enough for all of their expenses. That’s because it can be difficult to accurately gauge how much an injury will cost you over the course of your lifetime when you factor in medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
All injury victims are susceptible to this pitfall, but people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are especially vulnerable to accepting lowball settlements. TBIs can affect every aspect of life, and many victims recover only partially—while some don’t recover at all. But because it can be difficult to determine how impactful a TBI may be, and because money may be needed right away, victims are often tempted to accept settlements without thinking of the future.
Having an experienced Virginia brain injury lawyer on your side can give you peace of mind knowing that your expenses have been fully calculated, both in the short-term and years down the road. In addition, you’ll have experienced negotiators on your side who won’t let the insurance company take advantage of you or deny you full compensation.
Without a law firm working on your claim, it can be difficult to get the money you’re owed, especially when you’re dealing with the day-to-day challenges associated with a TBI. You’ve got enough on your mind already. Let the legal team at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers help you get money to pay for your medical bills and lost wages. Contact us today for a free consultation.
