What we do for victims of negligent property owners

Virginia property owners and tenants have a duty to provide a reasonably safe environment for visitors.  When they fail to, Tucker Griffin Barnes will hold them accountable.  Contact us today for a free consultation.

Yvonne Griffin, our Charlottesville personal injury lawyer, handles premises liability issues, including slip-and-fall accidents and dog bite cases, which may occur in a wide variety of settings including homes, apartments, construction sites, stores, shopping malls, parking lots, hospitals, and nursing homes.

Recent Awards and Recognition:

• Voted Charlottesville's "Favorite Law Firm," 2011 Daily Progress.
• Voted Charlottesville's "Best Of" Law Firm, 2011 C-Ville.
• Voted Charlottesville's "No.1 Family Lawyer," 2010 Albemarle Family Magazine.
• Recognized in BestAttorneyOnline.com for "Best Accident & Injury Law Firms" in Va.
• Recognized in Guaranteed Lawyers for our "Personal Injury Practice."
• Recognized in the Super Lawyers "Virginia Rising Stars" list.
• Listed in Martindale-Hubbell's 2011 "Directory of Distinguished Attorneys."

Frequently asked questions about Virginia premises liability

What should I do if bitten by a dog?

Vicious dogs are not the only dogs who bite.  Sometimes the family pets who are loved by their owners are the dogs who bite.  Either way, being bitten by a dog can be traumatic, not to mention painful.  Dog bits can cause infections, nerve damage, disease,and physical and emotional scars.  If you are bitten by a dog, you should immediately seek medical treatment by your primary care physician or the emergency room.  You do not want to take chances with your health.  After you have recieved treatment, talk to a lawyer who handles dog bites.  You need to know what your rights are regarding your injuries.  Yvonne Griffin has handled numerous animal bite cases, and she knows the state and local laws that will affect your case.  Call her for a free consultation.

• Be sure to take pictues of your injuries shortly after you are attacked.  You also need to take pictures of these injuries 30 days out, 90 days out, and six months out.  Many of your wounds will take months to heal.  You want to keep a pictorial record that can be used to persuade an adjustor or a jury about the serioiusness of your injuries.
• Make sure to call animal control to report the bite.  No only will they make a record of the events, including important information abou the dog and its owner, they will do the investigation necessary to determine if you have been exposed to any diseases for which the dog has not been vaccinated.  Animal control is also a valuable witness as to whether or not the dog has bitten before.  The information animal control has access to can be invaluable to help win your case.
• Get the names of any witnesses to the attack.  Also, talk to the neighbors of the dog owner.  The neighbors may have witnessed the dog attack others or act in a menacing manner.  The neighbors also may have heard the dog owner make statements about the dog's behavior.
• Ask the dog owner about any insurance, e.g., homeowner's insuance, that will cover the injuries you sustained in the dog attack.  Many times you will find medical expense coverage available in addition to the liability coverage.
• Fnally, if you choose to hire Yvonne Griffin to pursue your claim for you, she and her staff can take care of all of these tasks for you.  You need to focus on getting well.

I fell and was injured. Can I sue someone?

If you fell while working, your injuries may be covered by your employer’s workers compensation insurance.  Visit our Workers Compensation page for further information.

If your injury occurred in a store or a building, you can sue to recover damages to compensate you for your injuries.   Be aware, however, that a building owner is not liable for every injury that occurs on the property.  To receive compensation for an injury, the owner or operator of the business must have breached his or her duty to keep the premises reasonably safe and to warn of known dangers.  An attorney can provide you with additional details about premises liability.

What types of hazards may trigger premises liability?

How long do I have to file suit?

Generally speaking, the statute of limitations in Virginia for personal injury from legal injury is two years from the date of the accident.  For injured persons under the age of 18, the statute of limitations is generally two years from the date of the18th birthday.  Contact an attorney as soon as possible to determine the statute of limitations in your case.  In addition, certain conditions or events may change the length of the statute of limitations; so again, you should contact an attorney about your particular case.

What is your fee structure?

We handle accident cases on a contingency fee basis.  We do not get paid a legal fee until you receive a settlement or jury verdict award.  We offer a FREE one-hour, no-obligation consultation.

Tucker Griffin Barnes - Where deep insight equals powerful advantage.

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Please contact Tucker Griffin Barnes in Charlottesville, VA, or Lake Monticello, VA, when you need legal advice.  We have helped people in many areas of the law, including those injured in an automobile accident, car accident, tractor trailer accident and on the job.

We are a full-service law firm and represent clients in matters ranging from personal injury, workers compensation, and Social Security Disability to criminal law, divorce, and real estate.

Our geographic reach is broad.  We provide legal services all over the state of Virginia, but especially to locations in our immediate area:  Charlottesville, Crozet, Ruckersville, Earlysville, Scottsville, Lake Monticello, Palmyra, Stanardsville, Barboursville, Gordonsville, Waynesboro, Albemarle Co., Greene Co., Madison Co., Culpeper Co., Orange Co., Fluvanna Co., Louisa Co., Nelson Co. and Augusta Co.

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