Jury trial experienced attorneys. Highest quality staff. Direct access. Limited caseload. Call us today if you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed.
Decades of success holding wrongdoers accountable.
We are attorneys with trial-tested experience representing those seriously injured or killed through no fault of their own. We take fewer cases so we can focus more on you and your path to recovery. We have a unique understanding of the law and skills needed to succeed in personal injury, medical malpractice, and nursing home abuse and neglect claims. We build value by building relationships with our clients. We use years of experience trying complex cases to juries to achieve fair settlements out of court when possible and to obtain full and fair compensation in the courtroom when necessary.
We handle a variety of injury-related cases in Richmond, VA
We dedicate ourselves to helping people seriously injured and the families of those killed by negligent drivers, healthcare providers, property owners, and corporations. We only pursue meritorious cases that are supported by the facts and the law. We limit our practice to serious cases because we do our best work when we know our clients. If we accept your case, you will have direct access to your attorneys.
Unlike many lawyers representing injured people and the families of those killed, we have significant jury trial experience that insurance companies respect. We will take your case to a jury if the insurance company is not willing to settle on fair terms considering the facts and the law.
We can help you with the following types of cases:
Our team of experienced injury related trial attorneys are ready to help.
Rand Robins
Trial Attorney
Rand Robins represents everyday people who have been seriously injured or killed by careless drivers, unsafe medical practices, and other dangers that could and should be avoided and prevented.
Michael Lantz has over 30 years of experience in representing injured people and fighting for justice. His specialties include medical malpractice, automobile accident cases, nursing home negligence cases and premise liability cases.
Mr. Robins,
I want to personally thank you for your excellent professionalism in both of my cases. As you know 2017 was a horrible year for me. But the positive of it, I've learned + grown so much since then. Thank you, thank you, thank you. From my family to yours.
Sincere appreciation!!
The Adams Family
You are good people who get the job done. Thank you. I will get you over and over again. You know your job. And I love you for the good work you did.
- E.F.
"Dear Attorney Robins, I thank you for taking the time to pursue my case for the car accident. The service was excellent. May you continue to fight for justice."
- D.P.
"I am so glad that this was the firm that I decided upon. Mr. Lantz, Mr. Robins, and Ms. Follett are the greatest team one could work with. You are not just a client with this team, but you are treated like family. They are concerned about you as a person during the whole process and even beyond. I am truly grateful for all this team did for me and most importantly not making me feel awkward at any point during this process. I cannot thank them enough for all they did. Plus, the major bonus is that they are a winning team! You cannot make a mistake with this firm. If you are looking for knowledge, a personable atmosphere, and a winning combination, they are the perfect choice."
- Anonymous
“I would like to thank everyone at Lantz & Robins, P.C., for the excellent job done on behalf of my son. Attorneys Lantz and Robins went above and beyond in protecting his interests and their staff (Lee, Pat and Rita) truly care.”
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Car Accident in Virginia?
Aug 18, 2021 | By Rand Robins | Read Time: 4minutes
A serious car accident represents a traumatic and life-changing experience for many people. You may be overwhelmed at the prospect of pursuing a personal injury claim against the other driver. The good news is that an injured person has two years to file a claim in court for personal injuries. However, it is critical to contact a personal injury attorney promptly after a serious car wreck for two important reasons: 1) the insurance company for the at-fault driver will begin working against you immediately with the goal of convincing you to take a low-ball settlement and 2) evidence of the crash must be obtained as soon as possible because vehicles get repaired and memories fade. Read on to learn more about the statute of limitations on car accidents in Virginia. You are entitled to recover compensation for your injuries and damages following a car accident and you don’t want to forfeit that right by pursuing your claim too late. What Is a Statute of Limitations for a Virginia Car Accident? Virginia code § 8.01-243 dictates the statute of limitations for a Virginia car accident. However, a few separate statutes of limitation may play a part after your Virginia car accident. Personal Injury Statute of Limitations Under the umbrella of personal injury claims, Virginia law permits individuals to bring a claim within two years of the date of the accident. Two years may seem like a long time, but it goes by quickly if you have sustained a serious injury. It is important to promptly contact an experienced personal injury attorney to protect your interests from the earliest possible juncture. Insurance company adjusters will try to buddy up to an injured person, hoping to talk them into taking a low-ball settlement before it is even possible to know the extent of the injuries or amount of medical bills. INSURANCE ADJUSTERS ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS. Their job is to pay as little as possible to get your signature on a release. They do not care if you get stuck with big medical bills or needing surgery several months after a crash. They will call you as soon as they get your number, which an attorney cannot do under Virginia ethical rules. Just like speaking to law enforcement, remember that “anything you say to an insurance adjuster can and will be used against you.” Vehicle Damage Statute of Limitations The statute of limitations for recovery of compensation related to vehicle damage following a car accident in Virginia is five years. Claims under this section also include damage to property resulting from a car accident in Virginia. Wrongful Death Statute of Limitations The surviving family members of a deceased person have the option to file a wrongful death claim. If a Virginia car accident caused the death of a loved one, a surviving spouse, child, or another family member may bring a wrongful death claim against the driver. The statute of limitations for a wrongful death claim after a Virginia car accident is two years from the date of death. Few exceptions exist for the extension of this statute of limitations. However, in certain situations, your claim may not be barred despite filing past this two-year mark. For instance, if a surviving child was a minor at the time of the death, the statute of limitations does not begin running until the child reaches the age of 18. Other than very limited exceptions, court extensions to the statute of limitations are rare. This will get the ball rolling sooner rather than later, and help you avoid the dismissal of your claim. There are procedural steps that must be followed before filing a lawsuit for a deceased person. This means it is even more important to contact an attorney as soon as possible after someone is killed as a result of carelessness or worse. How Is Fault Determined in a Virginia Car Accident? After a car accident in Virginia, it’s vital to call a police officer to respond to the scene. Virginia law requires a police officer to file a car accident report if a car accident causes more than $1,500 in property damage. Law enforcement officers interview involved parties, witnesses, and vehicle occupants. Additionally, the responding officer may provide observations in the report of their understanding of the cause of the car accident. In addition to the car accident report, other factors aid in the determination of fault in a car accident in Virginia, including: Evidence gathered at the scene, Photographs, Witness statements, and Videos, particularly from body worn cameras, security cameras, and even dash cameras. Additionally, write down your immediate recollection of the car accident, if possible. Memories fade quickly; however, recording an accurate diary of the events leading up to the accident assists in your claim. A personal injury attorney can assist you in gathering this supporting evidence. An attorney also aids in ensuring you do not miss the statute of limitations after a car accident in Virginia. What Is Contributory Negligence? In addition to the strict statute of limitations laws after a Virginia car accident, Virginia also exercises a policy of contributory negligence in personal injury cases. Contributory negligence provides that one must be without fault to recover. In other words, if you were negligent, even if your negligence was relatively nothing compared to the defendant’s, and your negligence was a proximate cause of the crash, you may lose your case and you can be sure the insurance company will deny your claim. For this reason, it’s vital to retain an experienced personal injury attorney to assist in your claim for damages. What Can I Recover in a Virginia Car Accident? Under Virginia law, after a car accident, you are entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic Damages Economic damages are quantifiable monetary losses. Common examples of economic damages include: Past and future medical expenses, Loss of past and future earnings, Loss of use of property, Costs of repair or replacement, Loss of services. Retain all documentation of expenses. Economic damages […]
What Is the Average Settlement Amount for Car Accidents in Virginia?
Aug 17, 2021 | By Rand Robins | Read Time: 3minutes
There are no two ways about it: car accidents are painful. They aren’t just physically painful either. Car accidents often also cause mental pain and anguish and can hurt our financial situation as well. Despite our best efforts as drivers, car accidents are sometimes unavoidable. In Virginia, a fault state, you typically seek compensation for car accidents through the at-fault party’s insurance provider. When clients come to Lantz & Robins for help with their car accident claim, we often find ourselves answering similar questions. One of the most common questions we get from our clients is, what do you think my case is worth? The question seems like a relatively simple one, but the answer is not. Unfortunately, there are no typical car accident settlement amounts. Thus, without looking at your case specifically, including how the crash happened, what injuries you had, whether the other driver was properly or adequately insured, what medical treatment you get or may need in the future, we can’t provide an accurate estimate of your claim’s worth. Why Is There No Average Car Accident Settlement? There is no typical or average car accident settlement because there is no typical car accident. Every car accident has numerous factors that impact what any final settlement will look like. Even if the exact same accident occurs between the same people, a different settlement may arise in different circumstances. Add to that the fact that non economic damages, such as those for pain and suffering, can depend upon the factors that make each human being and case unique, and you can see how the same accident might produce different results. Different judges, attorneys, insurance providers, and jurors can also have an impact on a final settlement amount. In sum, there are simply too many different factors that go into car accidents to come up with any sort of average car accident claim. What Factors Impact the Amount of a Car Accident Settlement? One of the biggest factors that impacts a given car accident settlement is the damages that arise. The severity of each type of damage also impacts final settlement amounts. The following list shows some of the types of damages that can arise out of a car accident: Emergency medical transport, Emergency medical care, Surgery, Rehabilitation, The loss of the use of a bodily function, The loss of a loved one, Physical pain and anguish, Mental pain and anguish, Treatment for psychological issues arising from the accident, Property damage (usually damage to your vehicle), Requiring in-home care permanently or temporarily, and Permanent or temporary disability. Essentially, the more of these damages that apply to your specific case, the greater your eventual settlement will be. Furthermore, the more severe each of these damages are, the more it will amplify your settlement. Please note, however, that this is not an exhaustive list. There are many other relevant damages that may apply to your case. While there are other factors that may come into play, the type and severity of damages is often the most consequential. How Can I Make an Estimate of My Virginia Car Accident Settlement’s Worth? Some websites offer car accident settlement calculators. These tools cannot factor everything relevant into their calculations and you can bet your bottom dollar that these tools are not trial experienced attorneys who practice in the jurisdiction where your case would be filed. Thus, instead of using such a calculator for your estimate, it’s best to consult with a personal injury attorney who is familiar with judges and juries in your area. To help your attorney estimate your damages, you will first need a record of any economic damage that you suffered. You can estimate these damages by looking at the applicable bills, payments, or invoices. Once you have that information, add it up, and you have the value of your economic damages. Unfortunately, because they are intangible and subjective, non economic damages like mental anguish and physical pain and suffering are far more difficult to place a value on. But an experienced attorney can help you do so. Better than any settlement calculator, your attorney knows how to take the numerous relevant factors into account. Things like future medical bills and the cost of non economic damages are difficult to place a value on yourself. However, drawing on their experience from previous cases, your car accident attorney can help you make an accurate estimate. Ready to File a Virginia Car Accident Claim? If you are ready to file your Virginia car accident claim, Lantz & Robins is here to help you. Our team of car accident attorneys has the experience necessary to get you the settlement you deserve. We are proud to say that we limit our attorneys’ caseloads so that we can give your case the attention it deserves. In doing so, we get better results for our clients than some of the other law firms that take on any case that comes their way. Lantz & Robins is proud to be a member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, The American Association for Justice, and Super Lawyers. Our consultations are always free, so there is no risk in giving us a call. Let us take care of your Virginia car accident claim. Call Lantz & Robins today!
Why a Personal Injury Attorney in Richmond, VA, Will Not Take Your Case
May 26, 2021 | By Rand Robins | Read Time: 5minutes
It might discourage you if a Richmond personal injury attorney does not take your case. If someone rejects your case, no one can blame you for thinking that there is something wrong with it. However, don’t let a lawyer not taking your case dissuade you from pursuing your claim. The rules are pretty cut and dry: if someone else’s negligent actions injure you, they are liable for the associated damages. This fact remains unchanged regardless of whether a given attorney decides to take up your claim. There Are Many Reasons to Not Take a Case If a lawyer rejects your claim, your claim might have a flaw. But there could be other reasons. Lawyers have to assess each claim that prospective clients bring them to determine whether to take it. The number of reasons lawyers have to accept or reject a given claim is practically infinite. Many of the reasons have little, if anything, to do with the quality of a claim. To figure out why your claim was rejected, your best option is to ask the lawyer. Barring that, however, consider a few of the many reasons why personal injury attorneys do not take certain claims to see what might apply to your case. You Are Liable for the Injury This reason not to take a given case has everything to do with the quality of a claim. If a personal injury attorney looks into the facts and circumstances around a given claim and believes the claim has little or no chance of success in court, they will likely reject it. For example, a lawyer might reject your personal injury case because you are trying to hold someone else liable for an accident that you are at fault for. Lawyers, particularly personal injury lawyers, are reluctant to take on losing cases. Many personal injury attorneys work on the basis of contingency fees. This means they only receive payment if they win or otherwise settle a case. Thus, if a case has a very limited chance of success, a personal injury lawyer who works on that case has a very limited chance of seeing payment. Law firms are businesses like any other; without revenue they cannot continue to operate successfully. There Was No Negligence or Intent Involved A person who causes someone else to injure themselves is not always liable for the relevant damages. In fact, there are four cumulative requirements to demonstrate civil liability in personal injury cases: A duty of care exists at the time of the incident; Someone breaches that relevant duty of care in the incident; There is a causal link between the breach of duty and subsequent injury; and The injury/incident leads to real damages. Essentially, the first two elements represent one concept as a whole: negligence or intent. Someone acts negligently when they fail to uphold a duty of care that they owe to someone else. A duty of care, for example, exists between all drivers on the road. All drivers have a duty of care to follow the rules of the road and avoid driving in an unsafe manner. Someone breaches that duty of care when they are careless or disobey traffic laws. Without negligence or intent, a personal injury case falls apart. Thus, if a lawyer listens to your story and determines that the at-fault party did not act negligently, they will likely reject your case. They Have a Full Caseload If a Richmond personal injury lawyer will not take your case, they may have a full caseload already. Like other businesses that provide services, there is a limit to the amount of services law firms can provide. Each lawyer has a finite amount of time, so they cannot take every case that a client brings them. Having a full caseload may be the only reason a personal injury attorney in Richmond, VA, rejects your case. Your Damages Are Insufficient Some personal injury lawyers only take cases that involve damages that exceed a set number. If the estimated damages fall below that number, they will not take the case. Some personal injury attorneys use this practice to maximize profit, while others use it because their expertise lies with catastrophic injuries specifically. In addition, some lawyers will use this strategy to elevate their law firm’s reputation. By only taking big cases, these firms hope to differentiate themselves from others in the area by demonstrating their ability to litigate the biggest cases around. If the total damages in your personal injury case are below a certain amount, some personal injury attorneys will reject your claim. The Lawyer Has a Conflict of Interest Sometimes a personal injury lawyer will reject your claim due to a real or potential conflict of interest. A conflict of interest arises when someone has a vested interest in one outcome that conflicts with their vested interest in another outcome. The American Bar Association prohibits its members from allowing their own interests to adversely affect their representation of a given client. The best way for attorneys to avoid conflicts of interest is to avoid any situations with potential conflicts of interest. Thus, if you consult with a personal injury attorney and they foresee a potential conflict of interest, they might reject your case. Such a situation may arise, for example, if the attorney you consult with already has the responsible party as a client. It Is Too Late to File a Claim If you can no longer file a claim for your personal injury, any lawyer you consult with will likely reject your case. There is always a time limit to recover damages after a personal injury. Once the time limit, known as a statute of limitations, expires, you cannot legally file a claim to recover damages. If the claim goes to court, a judge will reject it. The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Virginia is two years. Thus, you have two years from the date of your personal injury to file a claim to recover damages. Virginia’s […]
