Auto Accident Attorneys in Richmond & Tappahannock, Virginia

At Wind Law, LLC, our auto accident lawyer in Richmond & Tappahannock represents individuals and families throughout Virginia whose physical, emotional, and financial well-being has been impacted by negligent drivers.

Our law firm founder, managing partner, and native Virginian, Ryan E. Wind, knows all too well that injurious and deadly collisions happen every day throughout the commonwealth.

According to the latest Virginia Traffic Crash Statistics, last year alone there were 122,434 traffic collisions throughout the state, resulting in 59,404 injuries, and 1,005 fatalities. That is the equivalent of one crash every 4.3 minutes per day, 163 persons injured per day, and 2.8 lives lost per day.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a vehicle collision caused by negligence anywhere in Virginia, we want to hear your story, so we can provide the legal insight you need to make informed decisions about pursuing the negligent driver who is responsible for the crash.

From rural communities to the inner city, our car accident attorney and his support staff focus on providing compassionate, dedicated, and effective partnerships with our clients — no matter where they live or work in Virginia — so everyone we represent has a genuine opportunity to seek and obtain real results.

At Wind Law, LLC, we represent real people, who need real legal help. Call us today to learn more.

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Leading Causes of Auto Accidents in Richmond & Tappahannock, Virginia

According to the 2021 Traffic Crash Facts prepared by the Virginia Highway Safety Office, 24,620 traffic crashes that year involved speeding, and 20,918 involved a distracted driver. Over 6,700 were alcohol-related. Other leading causes included:

  • Following too close
  • Failure to yield
  • Improper lane changes
  • Disobeying traffic controls
  • Improper turns

As you can see, auto accidents are often caused by intentional actions, reckless driving, and negligent mistakes made by other drivers. In all of these situations, it is possible to hold the at-fault driver liable for the damages they’ve caused. In some cases, such as drunk driving accidents, punitive damages might be appropriate as well to punish particularly wrongful conduct and deter such conduct in the future.

Richmond car accident attorney Ryan Wind and his team at Wind Law, LLC, have the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to hold negligent drivers accountable to you for the harm they’ve inflicted on you by their wrongful misconduct. Call our office for a free consultation to let us know what happened and find out how we can help.

Virginia Auto Accident Insurance Law

Auto liability insurance is coverage that pays whenever the insured driver is at fault. If you get hit by a negligent driver who is at fault for the accident, their insurance policy should cover all your expenses, from car repair to medical expenses to payment for work you missed because of the accident. You should also be compensated for harm such as your pain and suffering or if the accident caused a permanent disability that will keep you from working at full capacity or otherwise impact your quality of life.

The auto insurance requirements in Virginia are currently in a state of flux. The law requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of insurance, but the minimum required amount is in the process of being upgraded. The minimum amounts of liability coverage required are as follows:

  • For policies effective before January 1, 2022, $25,000 for personal injury per person and $50,000 per accident, plus $20,000 for property damage
  • For policies effective between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2024, $30,000 for personal injury per person and $60,000 per accident, plus $25,000 for property damage
  • For policies effective on or after January 1, 2025, $50,000 for personal injury per person and $100,000 per accident, plus $25,000 for property damage

These are only the minimum required amounts. Some drivers carry higher policy limits or have other insurance policies that might apply, including umbrella liability policies and commercial policies if they were driving for an employer at the time of the crash.

Additionally, Virginia is unique in that it allows drivers to lawfully drive without insurance provided they pay a $500 annual uninsured motorist fee to the DMV. If you are hit by an uninsured driver, you’ll either make a claim with your insurance company if you have uninsured motorist coverage or pursue a claim against the at-fault driver directly. Either way, Richmond car accident lawyer at Wind Law, LLC, can help you prove your claim and recover the full amount of compensation due to you.

To get compensated by the other driver or their insurance, they must admit fault and agree to cover your losses. This is often disputed, however, and could require you to file a lawsuit and prove your claim in court. In any dispute, a skilled and experienced Richmond personal injury lawyer will be needed to prove the other driver is liable to you and to prove the full amount of compensation due. At Wind Law, LLC, we are experienced both in negotiating full and fair settlements out of court as well as obtaining court judgments and jury verdicts that fully compensate car accident injury victims.

What Happens If I Am Injured in a Richmond, Virginia Car Accident as a Passenger?

Traveling in a vehicle as a passenger is as common as getting behind the wheel yourself. Just as most drivers assume they will make it to their destination safely, passengers do too. The difference is, passengers have no control over the operation of the vehicle, or the dangerous actions of other drivers on the road.

When the car they are in is involved in a crash, they have the same rights as other injury victims, including the right to pursue the negligent driver for their complete damages. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence.

Last year, the Virginia Traffic Crash Statistics reported 10,877 passengers were injured in vehicle collisions throughout the state — 1,270 of them seriously. In addition, 149 passengers were killed in Virginia vehicle crashes.

If you were injured as a passenger in a vehicle collision in Virginia, our car accident attorney will take the lead in pursuing the negligent driver who caused the crash. This may include the driver of the vehicle you were in, or another third party.

Keep in mind, our Richmond auto accident attorney will directly pursue the driver’s insurance coverage for your full financial recovery — and not your friend or relative who was driving at the time of the crash. This allows our clients to preserve their personal relationships while pursuing the compensation they need to get their lives back on track.

What Happens If I Am Hit By An Uninsured Driver in Richmond, Virginia?

Virginia Code § 46.2-706 requires all Virginia registered motor vehicle owners to have motor vehicle liability insurance or enough money to pay for any losses that may result from an automobile accident.

To accommodate drivers who wish to go uninsured, and assume the liability for a crash themselves, Virginia is unique in that it allows drivers to lawfully drive without insurance provided they pay a $500 annual uninsured motorist fee to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (VDMV).

The acting commissioner of the VDMV reported more than 5,000 people paid the $500 fee to avoid being insured in the last fiscal year.

Currently, new legislation has been introduced that is designed to eliminate the option to register an uninsured vehicle in Virginia. The bill would allow uninsured drivers who have paid the $500 fee to continue driving uninsured until July 1, 2024.

In the meantime, if you have been involved in a crash with an uninsured driver in Virginia, our auto accident lawyer can help you pursue your vehicle’s insurance coverage if you carry uninsured motorist coverage or pursue the individual directly for your complete damages.

Contact Wind Law, LLC today to learn more about your full recovery options.

Hit By An Uninsured Driver In Virginia

What Type of Compensation Can I Pursue During a Richmond & Tappahannock, Virginia Car Accident and Injury Claim?

Our car accident attorney represents individuals and families from all walks of life, because we believe everyone deserves equal access to legal representation that will help make them whole again after suffering personal injuries or losing a loved one in a crash caused by negligence.

When we pursue a negligent driver for each of our client’s unique financial recovery needs, it is important to understand that we are technically pursuing their insurance coverage for the damages, when applicable.

That may include:

  • Current and future medical expenses, including surgeries, prescriptions, and physical therapy.
  • Current and future lost wages.
  • Diminished earning capacity.
  • Scarring and disfigurement, including burns, amputations, or dismemberment.
  • Pain and suffering caused by physical discomfort, inconvenience, and emotional distress.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder impacting the injured party’s ability to maintain gainful employment and personal relationships.

Virginia’s state law requires all drivers to carry a minimum of $30,000 car accident liability coverage per person, $60,000 per accident, and $20,000 for property damage through December 31, 2024. For policies effective on or after January 1, 2025, the minimum coverage requirements increase to $50,000 car accident liability coverage per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.

These are just the minimum insurance requirements. Most Virginia drivers carry additional coverage with higher policy limits. In all cases, we will pursue the negligent driver’s insurance coverage for each of our client’s damages up to the negligent driver’s policy limits.

If you have been injured by a negligent driver in Virginia, contact our dedicated auto accident attorney today for help.

Why are Traffic Crashes, Injuries, and Fatalities Increasing in Virginia?

Like everyone else who gets behind the wheel each day, we travel our Virginia roadways and see all the same negligent actions other drivers see, including distracted, speeding, and seemingly impaired drivers endangering the lives of everyone nearby.

Unfortunately, the Virginia Traffic Crash Statistics back up the terrible feeling we get when we witness negligence in action.

Last year alone, throughout Virginia, there were:

  • 20,679 distracted driver-involved crashes resulting in 10,676 injuries, and 95 fatalities.
  • 24,877 speed-related crashes resulting in 13,051 injuries, and 441 fatalities.
  • 6,910 alcohol-related crashes resulting in 4,174 injuries, and 274 fatalities.

Additional Virginia car accident causes involve drivers who are:

  • Disobeying traffic controls.
  • Failing to yield.
  • Following too close.
  • Improperly changing lanes.
  • Making improper turns.

As long as negligence is a factor on our roadways, people are going to continue getting injured or killed. If you or someone you love has been hurt or lost their life in a preventable vehicle collision in Virginia, contact our experienced auto accident attorney in Richmond today to learn how we can help you pursue the negligent driver for your full financial recovery.

Experienced Car Accident Attorney in Richmond & Tappahannock, Virginia

The 2021 Virginia Traffic Crash Facts report reveals that car accidents in the Commonwealth have been trending upward for over a decade, including rising again after a brief drop during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 there were 118,498 crashes in Virginia, resulting in 968 fatalities and 58,786 injuries, including 7,397 injuries classified as “serious.” The City of Richmond saw 5,656 of those crashes, including 2,665 injuries and 17 deaths. Richmond was second only to Virginia Beach as the city with the most car accidents.

If you or a loved one were hurt in a crash caused by another driver, they can be held legally obligated to pay for your medical bills, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and other damages you incurred. Holding the negligent driver accountable is critical to obtaining justice and making sure you aren’t further victimized by having to shoulder the financial burden of another’s negligent, dangerous or distracted driving.

Helping Richmond & Tappahannock car accident victims hold negligent drivers accountable is what we do at Wind Law, LLC. Learn more about Virginia car accidents and personal injury law below, and call our office at 804-773-3815 if you have any questions or need immediate assistance with an auto accident claim.

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Contact Our Skilled Car Accident Attorney in Richmond & Tappahannock, Virginia For Help Today

Our clients, in their own words, applaud our Richmond auto accident attorney, Ryan E. Wind, not just for his work ethic and the results he attains, but also for his honest, caring, and supportive nature. We can help produce the same meaningful results for you and your family.

Ryan is licensed to practice law in all courts throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, including the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia. He is a member of multiple trial lawyer professional organizations at the local, state, and national levels, which allows his legal knowledge and resources to continuously evolve to not only meet but surpass our clients’ expectations.

Contact our dedicated car accident lawyers today by calling 804-773-3815 or online to discuss your important case during a free consultation. We want to hear your story, so we can ensure your voice is heard, and work diligently to see that you are treated fairly and get justice in your case.

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