Car Accidents | Richmond, Henrico County & Virginia
Head Injuries After a Car Accident: Guidance for Richmond and Henrico County Families
A blow to the head can change how a person thinks, feels and functions. Here is what to watch for and how the firm approaches these claims.
Published November 8, 2026
After a crash, a head injury can look minor, even when it is serious. A head injury from a car crash can affect work, family life, and daily routines long after the crash itself.
Correll Law Firm represents people hurt in car and commercial truck crashes, including people with brain injuries.
What a Head Injury After a Car Accident Involves
A head injury after a car accident ranges from a concussion to a more serious traumatic brain injury, and it can happen with no visible wound. A concussion is still a brain injury, even when the person feels able to walk away from the scene.
Common symptoms people report after a crash include:
- Headache or pressure in the head
- Dizziness or balance problems
- Trouble with memory or concentration
- Changes in sleep or mood
Some symptoms appear hours or days after the crash, not at the scene. Anyone who hits their head in a crash should get a medical evaluation, even if they feel fine. The treating provider’s records are central to any claim. For background, see traumatic brain injury background.
If a crash left you or someone you love with a head injury, the firm can talk with you about your facts and whether you may have a claim. Talk it through with Correll Law Firm — we can walk you through how a situation like yours is usually handled and what your options are.
Who This Service Is For
This service is for people hurt in a head injury crash and for families who lost a loved one in one. It covers passenger car crashes, including head-on collisions, and truck and commercial vehicle crashes.
- Drivers, passengers and pedestrians hurt in car or head-on collisions in Richmond and Henrico County.
- People hurt in truck or commercial vehicle crashes. The vehicle type and the company involved can affect who may be responsible.
- Family members of someone who died from a head injury in a crash. Wrongful death is covered below.
For the commercial vehicle angle in Henrico County, see commercial vehicle crash injuries.
What a Head Injury Claim Can Cover
A head injury claim can seek compensation for medical care, lost income and the effect of the injury on daily life. The details depend on the crash and the injury.
Losses often include:
- Emergency and ongoing medical treatment
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Lost income and reduced ability to work
- Changes in daily life, such as memory, sleep and mood
A brain injury may need care over a long period. Medical records must show the full picture, and building that picture takes time.
Virginia sets out what a family may recover when a crash causes a death. Virginia wrongful death damages cover the family’s sorrow, mental anguish and loss of the decedent’s companionship, guidance and care; lost income and services; medical expenses from the injury; funeral expenses; and, for willful or wanton conduct, punitive damages (Va. Code § 8.01-52).
Virginia allows punitive damages for actual malice, or for willful or wanton conduct or recklessness showing a conscious disregard for the safety of others, capped at $350,000 (Va. Code § 8.01-38.1).
How a Head Injury Case Typically Moves Forward
A head injury case usually moves from the first conversation to evidence gathering, medical documentation, and then negotiation or a lawsuit. The pace depends on the medical course and how complex the case is.
- First conversation. The reader describes the crash, the injuries and the medical care received. The firm reviews whether the facts fit its practice areas.
- Evidence. The police crash report, photos, vehicle damage details and witness information help show how the crash happened.
- Medical records. Treating providers’ records and imaging show the injury and how it affects work and daily life.
- Responsible parties. Depending on the crash, these may include another driver, a commercial driver’s employer or a vehicle owner.
- Negotiation or lawsuit. Claims are often discussed with insurers first. When needed, a lawsuit is filed in court.
Fault, Reporting and Filing Deadlines in Virginia
The driver of any vehicle involved in any accident resulting in injury to or death of any person, or some person acting for him, shall immediately give notice of the accident to a law-enforcement officer (Va. Code § 46.2-371).
Virginia requires a driver involved in a crash with injury or death to stop and report it to police immediately (Va. Code §§ 46.2-371, 46.2-894). The two-year period below is the deadline to file a lawsuit, not to report a crash (Va. Code § 8.01-243).
Virginia generally allows two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (Va. Code § 8.01-243(A)); the clock runs from the date of injury, not the date of discovery, with narrow exceptions. Some claims carry notice requirements that run out sooner. Virginia’s general personal injury limitations statute, Va. Code § 8.01-243, provides that every action for personal injuries, whatever the theory of recovery, shall be brought within two years after the cause of action accrues, unless otherwise provided in this section or by other statute.
Virginia follows contributory negligence: if you are found even partly at fault, you may be barred from recovering, with limited exceptions. Talk to a lawyer about your facts.
Medical timing matters too. Gaps in treatment can lead insurers to question whether the crash caused the injury, so keeping appointments and records matters.
Why Correll Law Firm Handles These Cases
Correll Law Firm focuses on people seriously hurt in car and commercial truck crashes, catastrophic brain and spinal cord injuries, and wrongful death cases. The firm’s offices are in Winchester and Harrisonburg, and it represents clients from the Shenandoah Valley to Richmond and Henrico County.
In these matters, the firm works to organize medical records and crash evidence, communicates with insurers, and explains each step. A head injury claim often depends on records from several providers, so keeping them in one place helps.
Not sure what your next step is?
Talk it through with Correll Law Firm — we can walk you through how a situation like yours is usually handled and what your options are.
Common Questions About Head Injury Claims After a Crash
Can head injury symptoms show up days after a crash?
Yes. Some symptoms appear hours or days later, so get checked after any head impact.
Does a normal scan end a brain injury claim?
A scan is one piece of evidence. Symptoms, treatment records and testing results can matter too.
Can family members bring a claim after a fatal crash?
A Virginia wrongful death action is filed by the decedent’s personal representative within two years of the death (Va. Code §§ 8.01-50(C), 8.01-244(B)), on behalf of the family members the statute protects. Virginia’s wrongful death limitations statute, Va. Code § 8.01-244, provides that an action under § 8.01-50 shall be brought by the personal representative of the decedent within two years after the death of the injured person.
Do I have to know who was at fault first?
You may wish to describe the crash, and the facts decide how fault is assessed.
Are truck crash claims different?
They can involve more parties, records and regulations, which can change how the crash is investigated.
Next Steps for Someone Injured in a Richmond or Henrico Crash
The most useful steps are getting medical care and keeping records from the start.
- Get a medical evaluation, even if symptoms seem mild.
- Keep a daily note of headaches, sleep, focus and mood.
- Save records of missed work and photos from the scene.
- Write down the crash report number.
- Be careful with recorded statements to insurers until you understand your claim.
You may wish to speak with a lawyer about your own facts, since the rules above apply to the specific crash and injury.