Car Accident Attorneys in Chesapeake, Virginia

1. Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, rideshare accidents, wrongful death, slip-and-fall accidents, and railroad accidents.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle pileups, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial truck accidents, Uber and Lyft accidents, hit-and-run cases, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries.

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation and trial representation, settlement negotiations, demand letter preparation, accident investigation, evidence gathering, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, and wrongful death claims.

Background: Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers has represented personal injury clients in Chesapeake and Hampton Roads since 2011. The founding partners John Cooper and Jim Hurley were recognized as Top Lawyers of Coastal Virginia in 2023. The firm has over 128 years of combined legal experience among its attorneys and has obtained the largest single reported car accident recovery of 2020 at $6.5 million. The attorneys have earned designations including Super Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and Lawyers of Distinction for Personal Injury Law.

Location: 512 Albemarle Drive, Suite 102, Chesapeake, VA 23322

Contact: (757) 333-3333 | https://cooperhurley.com

Consultation: Free case evaluation available. The firm operates on a contingency fee basis with no fees unless recovery is obtained.

2. Rutter Mills LLP

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, personal injury, workers’ compensation, wrongful death, maritime injuries, and social security disability.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial truck accidents, maritime accidents, hit-and-run cases, and catastrophic injuries.

Background: Rutter Mills was established in 1959 and has over 65 years of experience representing personal injury clients in Virginia. The firm is based in Norfolk and Newport News and serves clients throughout Hampton Roads, including Chesapeake. Rutter Mills has recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for thousands of clients. The attorneys have been recognized locally and nationally for their expertise in personal injury litigation.

Location: 160 W Brambleton Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510 (serving Chesapeake)

Contact: (757) 777-7777 | https://www.ruttermills.com

Consultation: Free case evaluation available 24/7. The firm works on a contingency fee basis with no fees unless recovery is obtained.

3. Bangel, Bangel & Bangel, L.L.P.

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, wrongful death, and personal injury litigation.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, intersection accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, and product liability cases.

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation and trial representation, settlement negotiations, demand letter preparation, accident investigation, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, and wrongful death claims.

Background: Bangel, Bangel & Bangel was founded in 1915 and is one of Virginia’s oldest personal injury law firms with over 100 years of experience. Keith H. Bangel (joined 1977), Matthew R. Foster (joined 2007), and R. Neal Wilson (joined 2014) are current partners. The firm holds an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and attorneys have been listed in Best Lawyers in America and Virginia Super Lawyers. Members have served as President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association. The firm serves clients in Chesapeake from their Portsmouth office.

Location: 505 Court Street, Suite 300, Portsmouth, VA 23704 (serving Chesapeake)

Contact: (757) 397-3471 | https://www.bangelaw.com

Consultation: Free, no-obligation consultation available. The firm operates on a contingency fee basis.

4. The Virginia Trial Firm (Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci)

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, and personal injury litigation.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial truck accidents, hit-and-run cases, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries.

Background: The Virginia Trial Firm has over 40 years of experience helping clients recover compensation for car accident injuries. The firm serves clients in Chesapeake and throughout Virginia. The attorneys understand Virginia’s pure contributory negligence rule and work to establish clear liability against at-fault drivers. The firm handles cases from initial consultation through trial when necessary.

Location: Virginia (serving Chesapeake and surrounding areas)

Contact: (757) 234-0000 | https://virginiatrialfirm.com

Consultation: Free consultation available. The firm works on a contingency fee basis.

5. Huffman & Huffman Brothers-in-Law, P.L.C.

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, rideshare accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, wrongful death, and personal injury litigation.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, intersection accidents, highway crashes, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, Uber and Lyft accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip-and-fall injuries, and catastrophic injuries.

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation and trial representation, settlement negotiations, demand letter preparation, accident investigation, evaluating injuries and damages, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, and wrongful death claims.

Background: Huffman & Huffman serves personal injury clients in Chesapeake and throughout Virginia. The firm handles a wide range of motor vehicle accident cases and provides personalized attention to each client. The attorneys understand Virginia’s contributory negligence doctrine and develop strategies to overcome this challenging legal standard. The firm offers guidance through the complex claims process.

Location: Virginia (serving Chesapeake and Hampton Roads)

Contact: (757) 599-6050 | https://www.huffmanhuffman.com

Consultation: Free initial consultation available. The firm operates on a contingency fee basis.

Seat Belt Evidence, Underinsured Motorist Coverage and Hit-and-Run Penalties for Chesapeake Car Crashes

A Chesapeake car crash claim can raise how Virginia treats a seat belt violation in a lawsuit, what the injured driver’s own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays, and the duties and felony penalties for a driver who leaves the scene. Claims against the Commonwealth follow a separate notice rule and limit.

Seat Belt Violations in Court

Under Virginia Code 46.2-1094(A), the driver and every other occupant at least 18 must wear a safety belt while the vehicle is in motion on a public highway, subject to the exemptions in (B). Under (D), a violation is not negligence, is not considered in mitigation of damages, is not admissible in evidence and may not be the subject of comment by counsel in any action for damages arising from the operation of a motor vehicle; under (C), it carries a $25 civil penalty, and under (F) an officer may not stop a vehicle for it.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Under Virginia Code 38.2-2206(A), a motor vehicle liability policy must include uninsured motorist coverage equal to the policy’s liability limits unless any one named insured rejects the additional coverage, and that rejection binds all insureds. Underinsured motorist coverage at the same limits is paid without credit for the at-fault driver’s liability coverage, unless the named insured elects a reduction.

A Driver Who Leaves

Under Virginia Code 46.2-894, the driver of a vehicle in an accident causing death, injury or damage to attended property must stop as close to the scene as possible, report name, address, driver’s license number and vehicle registration number to the police and the persons involved, and render reasonable assistance. A violation is a Class 5 felony if the accident causes injury, death or more than $1,000 of property damage, and a Class 1 misdemeanor if property damage is $1,000 or less.

Claims Against the Commonwealth

Under Virginia Code 8.01-195.6(A), a written statement of a claim against the Commonwealth, with the time, place and agency, must be filed within one year after accrual, and under 8.01-195.3 recovery is limited to $100,000 for claims accruing on or after July 1, 1993, or the limits of any applicable liability policy, whichever is greater.

Chesapeake Car Accident Questions

Virginia treats the injured driver’s own negligence as a possible complete defense. In O’Neill v. Windshire-Copeland Associates (2004), the Supreme Court of Virginia answered in the affirmative a certified question asking whether a plaintiff’s contributory negligence is available to the defendant as a complete defense, even where the defendant’s code violation was negligence per se. Ask counsel how that defense fits the facts before relying on a reduced recovery; the court also noted that children under 14 are presumed incapable of contributory negligence.

How long do I have to sue?

Two years after the cause of action accrues for personal injury under Virginia Code 8.01-243(A), five years for injury to property under 8.01-243(B), and two years after the death for wrongful death under 8.01-244(B). A negligence claim against the City of Chesapeake is barred under Virginia Code 15.2-209 unless a written statement with the time and place of the injury is filed with the city attorney, chief executive or mayor within six months after accrual, or one of them or the city’s insurer had actual knowledge of the claim within those six months.

Is there a cap on punitive damages?

Yes. Under Virginia Code 8.01-38.1, total punitive damages against all defendants may not exceed $350,000, and the judge reduces a larger verdict to that amount.

What coverage must a Virginia driver carry?

Under Virginia Code 46.2-472(B), owner’s policies effective on or after January 1, 2025 must carry at least $50,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person, $100,000 for two or more persons and $25,000 for property damage in one accident.