The Thomson Law Firm

Frequently I am asked my opinion as to the absolute worst automobile insurance company.  I can tell you, without any hesitation or question, that in my opinion, that company is State Farm. I have been involved in one form or another with auto insurance since 1989. Back in the late 1980s and early 90s, State Farm was hated for their hard-nosed negotiations and top-notch adjusters.  They would comb through the medical records looking for pre-existing conditions, inconsistencies in injury complaints or accident accounts, and then they would offer you a figure that was not fair value, but close enough that many lawyers or injury victims would not want to take the risk of a trial.  For cases that went into litigation or trial, they hired very competent trial counsel.  State Farm was not liked then but they were respected.   Fast forward to today and I can tell you based on firsthand experience, that in my opinion, they do not have competent adjusters evaluating cla...

Car Accidents can cause a wide array of serious and sometimes fatal injuries.  If you or someone you love has sustained an injury in a car accident , call The Thomson Law Firm for a FREE case evaluation. Individuals who have suffered serious injuries in car accidents often require medical diagnostic imaging, hospital stays, physical therapy, in-home care, rehabilitative care, and long term follow-up visits with specialists such as neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, and pain management.  All of these services are very expensive and can mean thousands of dollars in lost wages for the victim. Injuries commonly sustained in a car accident can include but are not limited to: Brain Injuries:   Traumatic brain injuries or TBI are often sustained in vehicle crashes when the body is propelled forward and the occupant’s head strikes the windshield, the steering wheel, the dashboard, or when riding in the backseat, the seat in front of them. When a vehicle is T-boned, passen...

Ride-Sharing is an ever popular and growing industry that is changing the way people think about transportation.  Instead of driving your own vehicle, bumming a ride from a friend or relative, or calling a cab, two innovative companies have transformed the transportation landscape. Uber and Lyft offer transit service in one of the most convenient ways possible. Users are able to summon a driver by simply using an app on their smartphone.  Yes, simply by “swiping” with your fingertip, you, too could order a ride to well, anywhere… for a fee that is charged through the app. The idea, first introduced in the United Sates in 2009 by Uber, now provides in excess of 15 million rides per day worldwide.  Lyft also boasts impressive statistics with at least 1 million rides per day in the United States and Canada. Due to the regular use of the service, car accidents involving Lyft and Uber services occur frequently.  The company also inadvertently rewards its drivers for en...

In Virginia, if the at fault party has liability insurance, you or your attorney, will need to contact that insurance carrier and provide them with the location of the vehicle. You need to remove all personal items from the vehicle, including the license plates.  The insurance company is going to want to get your car removed from the storage lot as soon as possible as the storage costs on these tow lots are very, very expensive.  If you don’t hear from the at fault’s insurance company very quickly or if they put you on notice there is a problem with their insured’s coverage, then you need to consider having your auto insurance pay the claim under your collision coverage so you don’t get stuck with a month or two of tow lot storage costs which can be anywhere from $20-$100 a  day or more! “How long do I get to keep the rental vehicle, to shop for a new car?”  There is no hard and fast rule.  I would expect about 3 days to a week from the date that they make yo...