Fighting each day for your peace of mind.
An accident can leave you with expensive medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and uncertainty about your future. Our goal is to obtain the maximum financial reward possible to help you get your life back on track. Our success can bring you peace of mind.
Insurance companies have massive amounts of resources at their disposal, and from the moment an accident is reported they have one goal in mind — to minimize their financial exposure. That means paying as little as possible on your claim, or denying it entirely. The insurance companies have teams of investigators, adjusters, experts, and attorneys at their side who will work tirelessly to build a case against you. You need someone in your corner who can level the playing field.
At Merrick Brock, we know how insurance companies operate, because we used to work for them. We have a sharp understanding of how they evaluate, defend, and settle cases. From our past experience, we can anticipate their strategies, find their pressure points, and expose their weaknesses. You need attorneys who can beat the insurance companies at their own game.
We handle all types of personal injury cases, including:
By car insurance industry estimates, over the course of a typical driving lifetime, a person will have three to four accidents, approximately one every 18 years. We can’t stop you from being in a car accident, but we can help put your life back together.
If you have been in an auto accident because of someone else's negligence, contact Merrick Brock for a free consultation. We would like the opportunity to meet you, to hear the circumstances of your case, and to convince you why Merrick Brock is the right choice.
When an auto accident involves a bus or a truck, particular issues come into play that can have significant consequences on the outcome of your case. The operation of these types of vehicles is governed by various state and federal laws that may impact the driver’s liability or determine the types of information available to you in discovery. Did the vehicle have on-board surveillance cameras or a data recorder, such as an Electronic Control Module (i.e., a black box)? If so, this information needs to be promptly extracted by a qualified expert before critical evidence is lost or destroyed.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in 2016 truck driver fatigue was a larger contributing factor than alcohol and drugs in fatal truck crashes. Many truck drivers are required by law to keep detailed logs showing how many hours they have been on the road. You need an attorney experienced in handling these types of cases who knows what type of information to look for and where to find it.
Vehicles are required to share the road with bicyclists and pedestrians, but the playing field isn't equal. An accident involving a bicyclist or pedestrian can easily turn catastrophic. There are specific laws that apply to how bicyclists and pedestrians share the road, and just because a vehicle hits you does not mean it is the driver’s fault. In Virginia, an injured person who is just 1% at fault for an accident can be completely barred from recovery. You need an attorney who understands the laws specific to bicyclists and pedestrians and can advise you of your rights and whether you have a claim.
Industrial accidents come in all shapes and sizes, and each type of accident requires an attorney capable of understanding the unique issues involved. Often times, industrial accidents require the assistance of outside engineers to assist in evaluating the cause of the accident and in determining whether any industry standards were violated. Whether your case involves a forklift, crane, boiler, tractor, conveyor, fire, explosion, or any other type of industrial accident, we will thoroughly investigate the specific circumstances of your accident and find the right experts to prepare your case for success.
Assault, battery, defamation, false imprisonment, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution, trespass, etc. These types of torts are particularly difficult to prosecute, since most of them require an element of intent that must be proved. Where separate criminal proceedings arise from the same act, the cases can be especially confrontational. Merrick Brock is knowledgeable and experienced in handling these types of cases and we are sensitive to the emotional impact these types of torts can have on the victim.
When you seek treatment from a medical provider, the last thing you expect is to be made worse off. Proving medical malpractice, however, can be intricate and complex and requires both medical and legal acumen. It requires a trained eye and an understanding of medical procedures, literature, and standards. In Virginia, medical malpractice claims differ from other tort claims in that a trained medical expert must hold the opinion that malpractice occurred before a lawsuit is even filed. We can help you find medical experts necessary to evaluate your claim and determine liability, and we will work together with those experts at every stage of the case.
The elderly and the infirm are among the most vulnerable in our society and they deserve our greater protection. Nursing homes are supposed to be safe and clean facilities, where nurses and caregivers provide our loved ones with the treatment and care they would hope to receive themselves. Nursing Homes serve an important function in our society, and typically provide excellent care for those who need it most. Unfortunately, some nursing homes lose sight of their critical mission and instead focus more and more on their business profits. When nursing homes put profits over people, are understaffed, or hire the wrong people, the end result can be catastrophic.
Common signs of potential abuse and neglect are falls and broken bones, bed sores and pressure ulcers, malnutrition, unexplained bruising, unexplained weight loss or gain, poor hygiene, unexpected or wrongful death, medication errors, dropping a resident during a transfer, and more. When those entrusted with the elderly or the infirm are derelict in their duties, causing harm and disrespect to you or a family member, you need an attorney experienced in nursing home law. If you know or suspect that a family member has been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, we are here to help you.
Premises liability encompasses far more than the common “slip and fall." Injuries arising from building code violations, defective construction, deck collapses, misplaced (or missing handrails), improper risers on steps, poor lighting conditions, protruding objects, uneven floors, and holes in the ground are all examples of potential premises liability cases.
Premises liability cases can be quite complex. While all property owners have a duty to maintain their premises, different standards apply to different types of establishments, such as grocery stores, shopping centers, hotels, a private residence, and office buildings. Standards also differ depending on the age of the building and whether it is grandfathered into prior building codes. It is often difficult to determine whether the property owner violated his duty under a particular set of facts, and proving that the property owner had notice of a dangerous condition is often key to success in a premises liability claim.
If you are injured by a dangerous or defective condition on someone else's property, you may have a claim against the property owner, property manager, a tenant, or a third-party maintenance contractor. However, it is imperative that you retain an attorney who understands the nuances of premises liability law and who will thoroughly investigate and evaluate the facts and issues in your case.
Good and safe products make our lives easier, and often safer. However, some products are simply not safe. A product may be unsafe if it is defective in assembly or manufacture, unreasonably dangerous by design, or accompanied by inadequate warnings. Unfortunately, maximizing corporate profits often comes at the expense of consumer safety. If you are injured by a defective or unreasonably dangerous product, you may have a claim against the manufacturer, distributor, or seller of that product.
As you might expect, corporations rarely like to admit their product is dangerous for fear of hurting their corporate image or encouraging additional claims. Big corporations have high-priced attorneys and a seemingly endless budget to fight your claim. You need an attorney who is experienced taking on some of the biggest corporations and their Wall Street law firms.
Product liability actions can be complex. Proving the nature of the defect and that the defect violates legal or industry standards is a central issue, and product liability actions also involve serious and complex injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries or TBI’s are a type of personal injury, but they fall into a category of their own because of the complex nature of the case. Often times, a person will suffer a TBI and either ignore the signs and symptoms or simply not appreciate the seriousness of them. Identifying TBI’s and getting the right treatment is critical for the best possible physical and mental recovery. Hiring the right attorney is critical to achieving the best possible financial recovery.
Unfortunately, TBI’s often require extensive and expensive treatment, on top of missing large amounts of work. Usually a person who suffers from a TBI in an accident has other physical injuries as well. These cases can present difficult and complex issues, which require the help of experienced attorneys. They can be difficult to prove, particularly in the absence of serious trauma to the head. The average juror is skeptical of TBI’s without an accompanying visual injury, even though this is a common occurrence. These cases require medical experts who are qualified to offer their opinions and who make compelling witnesses at trial. A good lawyer knows how to prove these difficult cases in a simple and concise manner, and a good lawyer can persuade any skeptical jurors about the reality and legitimacy of these injuries. If you or someone you know has experienced a TBI in an accident, we are here to help.
Any type of accident can result in death. However, when death ensues from an accident, a host of different laws come into play that affect the manner in which the case must be pursued and the damages that may be recovered. A failure to fully appreciate the intricacies of these laws can have disastrous results on your case. If you have a claim for the wrongful death of a family member, you need an attorney who is capable of maximizing the value of your case to the full extent of the wrongful death statutes.