Practice Areas
- Medical Malpractice
- Car / Truck Accidents
- Birth Injuries
- Brain Injuries
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Catastrophic Personal Injuries
Blog 
Medical Malpractice
- Serious But Preventable Medical Injuries On The Rise
- Another Frivilous Lawsuit Myth Debunked
- Website Allows Patients To Compare Hospital Ratings
- Shevlin Smith's Praise for "A Call To Action For Doctors"
- How Can A Medical Malpractice Case Be Called Frivolous When Expert Medical Testimony Is Required Before A Lawsuit Can Even Be Filed?
- Three Virginia Nursing Homes Listed Among Nation's Worst
- Is there too much medical malpractice litigation or is there too much medical malpractice?
Car / Truck Accidents
Catastrophic Personal Injuries
Insurance
General
- It Is The Insurance Industry That Is In Dire Need Of Reform
- New Harvard Study Deals Another Blow To Tort Reform Advocates
- Frivilous Lawsuits Myth Debunked
- Are Insurance Companies Shedding Their Role As Risk-Bearers In An Effort To Become Profitable Financial Institutions?
- Study Finds Type Of Health Care Inusrance Affects The Quality Of Care Patients Receive
- FDA acknowledges loophole that allows non-FDA approved drugs to be prescribed by health care providers
- Is The FDA Doing Its Best To Protect American Citizens From The Risks Of Drug Medications?
News
- Virginia Super Lawyers recognize Thomas G. Smith and Michael J. Shevlin
- Virginia Supreme Court Denies Charitable Immunity For Doctors
- World Health Organization Issues a Checklist to Make Operations Safer
- Brain injuries cause half of seniors' fall deaths
- Experts Worry About Rise in C-Section Births
- FDA Believes That Heparin Contamination Was Likely Intentional
- Tom Smith Named Washington D.C. Metro "Super Lawyer"
- FDA Cautions Use of the Blood Thinning Drug Heparin
- Two Northern Virginia Obstetricians Formally Reprimanded
- Mass General Hospital study finds gaps between doctors' standards and actions
Library
Car / Truck Accidents
Firm News
- The Best Lawyers in America recognizes all three Shevlin Smith attorneys
- Virginia's Largest Verdicts of 2006
- Virginia's Largest Verdicts of 2005
- Shevlin Smith Moves Office
- Tom Smith Named Super Lawyer
Medical Articles
Significant Court Decisions
- Virginia Supreme Court clarifies the foundational requirements for the admissibility of medical literature
- Virginia Supreme Court addresses damages issue in truck accident wrongful death case
- Virginia Supreme Court reaffirms mother's right to recover for her own emotional distress suffered as a result of an in utero injury to her fetus
- Virginia Supreme Court agrees with trial court's decision to fine defense attorney who raised groundless legal defenses
- Trial Court Order Awarding Plaintiff Costs and Attorney's Fees As A Result Of Defendant's Refusal To Admit An Uncontested Fact
Car / Truck Accidents
Tort Reform News
- "The Fairness of Malpractice Settlements"
- Financial Statements From 15 Largest Medical Malpractice Insurers Show Increase In Doctor's Insurance Premiums Not The Result Of Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
- "To Err Is Human: Building A Safer Health System"
- Harvard School of Public Health study: "Claims, Errors, and Compensation Payments in Medical Malpractice Litigation"
- The Ten Worst Insurance Companies in America
General
Spinal Cord Injuries
According to data collected by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, there are over 250,000 people in the United States who are suffering from spinal cord injuries. Each year, approximately 11,000 people sustain a new spinal cord injury, which amounts to thirty new injuries every day.
The majority of spinal cord injuries occur as a result of trauma, with automobile accidents as the leading cause of such traumatic injuries. In some people, the cause may be medical malpractice – for example, surgical errors causing direct damage to the spinal cord or undiagnosed internal bleeding or an abscess that compresses the spinal cord or causes loss of blood flow to the cord.
Regardless of the cause, the impact from spinal cord injuries is both suddden and severe. There is the personal loss from the loss of bodily function, from the pain associated with the injury and from the loss of independence. There is the financial loss from an inability to perform one’s job or perform duties at home. There is the cost of medical care, rehabilitation, and other costs associated with long-term care. A spinal cord injury leads to many questions and issues to face.
One of the challenges that you face may be whether to pursue a lawsuit against the person who was responsible for your injury. If you do, you will need an experienced lawyer on your side. A lawyer who understands spinal cord injuries, and the long and arduous path back to a life as near-normal as is possible under the circumstances. If your case arose in Northern Virginia or in Washington D.C., you will find such experienced lawyers at Shevlin Smith lin Fairfax, Virginia. We have experience handling spinal cord injury cases, helping clients receive compensation for their injuries, and most importantly helping clients receive money to pay for the large range of medical and rehabilitative care they need to survive and get better. We have worked with multi-disciplinary teams of medical and rehabilitative specialists. These specialists will not only educate you as to your injury and your needs for rehabilitation and care; they will also testify in court, if necessary, to explain your situation for a jury.
We are committed to fighting for our clients’ rights and helping them get the justice and the compensation they deserve. Call us for a free consultation.
Web Resources for Spinal Cord Injuries:
- The Miami Project To Cure Paralysis
Description: The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis is the world's largest comprehensive spinal cord injury (SCI) research center. It is dedicated to finding more effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure for paralysis.
- National Spinal Cord Injury Association
Description: Founded in 1948, the NSCIA is the nation's oldest and largest civilian organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Americans living with the results of spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) and their families. Its website is an invaluable resource for health, legal and research issues relating to spinal cord injury and disease.
- Medical Article: "Repairing the Damaged Spinal Cord"
Description: Dr. John W. MacDonald and the Research Consortium of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation write about the significant advances in the understanding of spinal cord injuries and new approaches for the treatment of spinal cord injuries.
- Spinal Research
Description: Spinal Research is the United Kingdom’s leading charity funding medical research around the world to develop reliable treatments for paralysis caused by a broken back or neck. Its website provides valuable information concerning the nature of spinal cord injuries, treatment for such injuries and new areas of research that will hopefully lead to even better treatment protocols.
Let Us Help You
Shevlin Smith
3975 University Drive, Suite 405
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: (703) 591-0067
Fax: (703) 591-1877
FAQs
Car / Truck Accidents
- I have been injured in a car or truck accident and I am now receiving calls or letters from the insurance company of the other person(s), what should I do?
- What information can I provide to an attorney to assist the attorney in the review process of my case?
General Questions
- What are the expenses for bringing a medical malpractice or personal injury case?
- What is the likelihood of my case settling without having to go to trial?
- What should I do if I believe that I have been injured due to medical malpractice or the negligence of another person?
- What fee does an attorney charge for representing a client in a medical malpractice or personal injury claim?
Birth Injuries
- What if I suspect that my child’s injury was caused by medical negligence at birth?
- What are the main types of birth injuries?
- How is negligence proved in cases of birth injuries?
Medical Malpractice
- How does one know if he or she is a victim of medical malpractice or negligence?
- What experience should I look for in a medical malpractice attorney?
- Is a misdiagnosis or the failure to make diagnosis always medical malpractice?
- How is failure to treat infection can become a medical malpractice?
- Will health care providers tell me if a mistake has been?
Brain Injuries
- What are the symptoms of a subtle or mild brain injury?
- How is a brain injury diagnosed?
- What is the frequency of traumatic brain injuries in the United States?
- What is the prognosis for a person who has suffered a traumatic brain injury?