If you live in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and have suffered an injury through no fault of your own or been diagnosed with a disabling medical condition that keeps you from working, you can turn to Marks & Harrison’s personal injury law office in Harrisonburg to receive the professional and compassionate legal services you deserve.
Our Harrisonburg personal injury lawyers have long served this region from our Staunton office. We recently opened an office in the 
Our personal injury law firm proudly supports the efforts of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. We also salute the organization for its work in getting the downtown recognized as a 2014 “Great American Main Street” award winner.
Recently, Marks & Harrison was named a Tier 1 “Best Law Firm” in the area of personal injury litigation by U.S. News – Best Lawyers®, marking the seventh consecutive year that we have received that honor based on the reviews from our peers in the legal profession.
Harrisonburg Legal Information
If you are a Harrisonburg resident, it will be helpful for you to know more about the local courts and offices where your case may be pursued. Harrisonburg falls within the 26th Judicial Circuit, which has seven Circuit Courts that hear personal injury, wrongful death and other civil law cases.
The Rockingham Circuit Court is located at Court Square in Harrisonburg. The other Circuit Courts in the 26th Judicial Circuit are in Clarke (Berryville), Frederick (City of Winchester), Page (Luray), Shenandoah (Woodstock), Warren (Front Royal) and Winchester (City of Winchester).
If you are seeking Social Security Disability benefits, your claim would be processed by the local Social Security Administration field office in Harrisonburg, which is located on North Mason Street. A hearing would be held at the nearest Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, which would likely be in Charlottesville.
Accidents in Harrisonburg, Virginia
Motor vehicle traffic can be dangerous in Harrisonburg and other areas throughout the Shenandoah Valley. According to a report issued by the Harrisonburg Police Department, five intersections, in particular, have the area’s highest number of accidents:
- Burgess Lane and Harrisonburg Crossing
- Port Road and South Main Street
- Neff Avenue and Reservoir Street
- Burgess Lane and East Market Street
- Port Road and Interstate 81
The reality is that many crashes in Harrisonburg are completely preventable. They result from drivers’ careless and reckless decisions and actions.
For instance, many crashes are caused by speeding, aggressive driving (such as tailgating or failing to yield), distracted driving, driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, and driving while fatigued.
Our Experienced Harrisonburg Accident Attorneys Will Fight for You
If you have been injured by the negligence of another driver or lost a loved one in such a crash, you should get help today from our experienced Harrisonburg accident lawyers.
In no case should you try to deal with the insurance company on your own? This is because the insurance company will be out to protect its profits and will seek every way possible to deny or minimize your claim.
Our goal, on the other hand, will be to use our experience and knowledge to pursue the maximum amount of compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and all other damages caused by your accident.
We can help to ease the burdens you are feeling by handling your case with the careful attention and professionalism you deserve. You can count on us to:
- Thoroughly investigate your accident
- Review all of your medical records
- Consult with highly qualified experts about the cause of your crash and the extent of the harm you have suffered
- Deal aggressively with the insurance company and pursue an insurance settlement that fully and fairly compensates you
- If necessary, present a strong case in court on your behalf.
We know how important it is to get your life back on track as quickly as possible after you have been in a crash. That is why we will get to work on your case right away.
Types of Accident Cases Our Firm Handles
We have experience handling a wide range of car accident claims and other types of motor vehicle accident cases in Harrisonburg, including those that involve:
We represent Harrisonburg accident victims and their families on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will pay no costs or attorney fees unless and until we obtain a settlement or verdict in your favor.
It all starts with a free and confidential consultation. Simply call or reach us online today to discuss your case at our Harrisonburg office or at a location that is most convenient for you.
How a Harrisonburg Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You
If you believe that you or a loved one has been harmed by another person’s careless, reckless or intentional acts, you should seek help from an attorney at our Harrisonburg office.
An attorney will work with our experienced investigators to determine why your injury occurred and who should be held legally responsible, or liable, for the harm you have suffered.
Additionally, a lawyer can deal with the insurance companies and seek a timely and just settlement or, if needed, take your case to trial.
The attorney can also make sure that you receive medical care while your case is pending and resolve any health care or other liens that may be attached to your verdict or settlement. If you were hurt at work our Harrisonburg workers compensation lawyers can help
What To Expect at Your Free Consultation With a Personal Injury Attorney at Our Harrisonburg Office
It all starts with a free consultation, which we can do by phone or in person at our Harrisonburg office. There is no reason to be nervous or intimidated by this consultation.
We simply would ask you basic questions about your case in order to get a better understanding of it and to help us begin our investigation. We also would give you an opportunity to ask questions about our law firm and how we serve clients.
What Steps Should You Take After an Accident in Harrisonburg?
The aftermath of a serious accident can be confusing and, at times, a little frustrating. The following are some steps you can take to protect yourself and your legal rights after an accident in Harrisonburg.
- See a doctor.
If you have not seen a doctor yet, you should get medical attention as soon as possible. A doctor can examine you for injuries, including those which may not be immediately apparent, and start you on a course of treatment. If you file a legal claim, it will be important to document your injuries as well. You should see your regular doctor or go to the emergency room at a nearby facility such as:
Sentara RMH Medical Center
(formerly Rockingham Memorial Hospital)
2010 Health Campus Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
(540) 689-1000 - Get a copy of accident report.
If you were involved in a car accident, the law enforcement agency that responded to it should have a crash report available within a few days. In the Harrisonburg area, those agencies include:
Harrisonburg Police Department
101 N. Main Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
(540) 437-2600
Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office
25 South Liberty Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
(540) 564-3800
You can also order a crash report through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles website. This report can help us to launch our investigation of the accident.In many other types of incidents, reports may be available. For instance, you can contact the store where a slip and fall occurred or the animal control agency that responded to a dog bite or other animal attack. - Gather your evidence and documents.
You should gather and hold on to as much evidence from your incident as possible, including any photos you took, eyewitness contact information you collected and the clothes you wore. Additionally, you should collect and store any medical bills, receipts, vehicle repair invoices, insurance company letters and other documents related to your accident. - Write it down.
When you the opportunity, you should take some time to write down everything you can recall about the incident that led to your injuries. It is good to do this while your memory is still fresh.You should also write down how your injuries have impacted your ability to work and other aspects of your life. - Don’t talk with the insurance company.
The company that insures the other party involved in your incident likely will contact you within days after it occurs. An insurance company adjuster may ask you to give a statement, request permission to your medical records or even offer a settlement. You should decline to speak with the adjuster and, instead, refer the adjuster to your lawyer at Marks & Harrison. Your lawyer can deal with the insurance company and make sure your rights are protected.Even if you have failed to take all or a few of the above steps, don’t let it stop you from seeking legal assistance. Remember: Marks & Harrison is here to help you.
We Can Help with Your Harrisonburg Disability Claim
If a physical or mental condition prevents you from working in Harrisonburg, you owe it to yourself and your family to learn more about your right to seek disability benefits. These benefits can help you to get the medical care you need and cover a portion of the income you would have otherwise earned if you were healthy.
Our experienced attorneys can help you to review and pursue all of your options, including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, Virginia workers’ compensation benefits – or both.
The federal government provides SSDI benefits to individuals who suffer from a condition that meets the Social Security Administration’s definition of a “disability” and who have a sufficient work record.
If you lack a work record that makes you eligible for SSDI benefits, you may still qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
Unfortunately, many people run into problems when seeking the SSDI benefits they deserve. Often, the SSA informs a claimant that he or she does not have a qualifying “disability.”
Our Harrisonburg legal team can help you to avoid and overcome such problems.
For instance, we can assist you with preparing a thorough, accurate application. If your claim is denied, we can help you to appeal the decision, including representing you in a hearing before an administrative law judge.
Our goal will be to make sure that Virginia Disability Determination Services (DDS) or an administrative law judge has your complete, up-to-date medical information, which can help to establish your right to receive benefits.
In some cases, your family members may be eligible for SSD benefits as well based on your disability. We can work with you to explore all of those options. Contact our Harrisonburg social security disability lawyers today.
Harrisonburg Workers’ Compensation Claims
In contrast to SSD benefits, workers’ compensation benefits are part of a state-based system. Workers who suffered a job-related injury or illness may be eligible to receive these benefits.
Workers’ comp can pay for all of your necessary medical care and cover roughly two-thirds of the wages you cannot earn due to your disability or two-thirds of the difference between what you earned before your injury and what you can earn now.
As with SSDI benefits, people often run into obstacles when seeking the workers’ compensation benefits they are due. For instance, an employer and/or its workers’ compensation insurer may:
- Refuse to pay for certain medical treatment
- Claim that an injury or illness is not work-related
- Insist that a person is healthy enough to work.
Our Harrisonburg workers compensation lawyers stand up for the rights of injured and ill workers in Harrisonburg. We can help you to file a workers’ compensation claim and/or appeal a denied claim.
We will strive to resolve your case through a settlement. However, if a hearing is necessary, you can count on us to present a compelling, persuasive case on your behalf.
We can also assist you with managing your benefits if you qualify for both SSDI benefits and workers’ compensation payments.
Do not let financial concerns stop you from pursuing the disability benefits you are entitled to receive. Our Harrisonburg disability claims lawyers will charge no costs or legal fees unless we secure the benefits you are owed. Contact us today to get started.
How We Are Paid
The lawyers of Marks & Harrison can represent you on a contingency fee basis. This means that we will charge no upfront costs for investigating and litigating your case, and we will charge no attorney fees unless we obtain a financial recovery for you.
Our payment, in this sense, is contingent on our ability to secure a result for you. We assume the risk of pursuing your case. If we obtain a settlement or verdict in your favor, we will be paid a percentage of that amount. We will agree on that percentage at the outset of our representation.
Types of Compensation in Harrisonburg Personal Injury Claims
The amount which you may recover in a personal injury claim will depend on a variety of factors, including the nature and extent of the injuries you have suffered and the available sources of compensation.
A Harrisonburg personal injury lawyer at Marks & Harrison can carefully analyze all of the factors in your case and assess the amount that should be pursued on your behalf. Generally, speaking, the types of damages that we would seek for you would include:
- Medical expenses
Compensation for all past medical bills arising from your injuries as well as for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses that you are likely to incur in the future. We can review your medical records and consult with experts in life-care planning and other fields in order to determine this amount. - Lost income
Payment for all wages that you have been unable to earn due to your injuries, including salary, bonuses, commissions and other income. You should also seek a recovery of income you will lose in the future due to a diminishment in your earning ability. Again, experts may be called on to arrive at the amount you should seek. - Pain and suffering
The physical pain, emotional anguish and diminishment in your enjoyment of life should all be considered when seeking damages in this category. Family photos, videos and other evidence of your life before the accident can be presented in support of these damages.
If you lost a loved one due to the negligence of another, we can help you to pursue wrongful death damages, which may include compensation for the loss of your loved one’s financial support as well as medical and funeral expenses.
In some situations, punitive damages may be sought. Unlike the other damages discussed above, these damages are not aimed at compensating you for your losses but, instead, to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct in the future.
Common Injuries in Car Accidents
Our lawyers have experience working with clients who have suffered injuries such as fractures and cuts as well as more life-changing, or catastrophic, injuries such as:
- Whiplash – This injury often occurs to drivers and passengers in the lead car when rear-end collisions occur. The impact from the collision can cause a person’s neck to snap violently forwards and backwards, causing damage to muscles, ligaments and other soft tissue. A victim may need extensive medical treatment to address issues such as chronic pain.
- Burn Injuries – A car accident can result in a fire and explosion that causes severe burns to the face and to the rest of the body. In many cases, a car accident victim may sustain friction burns, which can be serious as well. Burn injuries can require emergency treatment and, perhaps, surgery that is aimed at addressing scarring and disfigurement or complications such as infections.
- Traumatic Brain Injury – The head is highly susceptible to being severely injured in motor vehicle accident. A victim who suffers traumatic brain injury (TBI) may suffer long-term or permanent cognitive deficits, loss of motor control and behavioral issues. Even a mild form of TBI such as a concussion can be highly disruptive to a person’s life.
- Back and Spine Injury – Car crashes frequently result in slipped discs or herniated discs, which can be painful and possibly require surgery. In the worst situations, an auto accident may cause a victim to suffer paralysis, preventing the victim from working again, requiring lifetime medical car and placing a significant burden on family members.
The Harrisonburg car accident lawyers of Marks & Harrison will be committed to seeking just compensation for all of the injuries you have suffered.
