Stitches

Is there a time limit to file for compensation for "pain & suffering" for a car accident in VA?

My daughter was involved in a very bad car accident and was in the hospital from Christmas Eve until New Year's Eve, she had extensive internal bleeding from lacerations on her spleen and her left kidney as well as 4 broken ribs, she had to have a procedure to stop the bleeding and then had to have 2 units of blood as well as plasma and developed blood clots in her bladder. Everyone says that I need to make the driver pay or his insurance I guess for what happened, the driver was drinking and he actually pulled the emergency brake, my daughter knows not to ride with anyone that has so much as smelled any type of alcohol and to always wear here seat belt, but of course she is 17 and even though I say it every time she leaves the house she didn't do it that night. I have explained that even sober it only takes a second to end your life or someone else's. I have tried to get her to do the right thing, so please no Mommy bashing, this is pain full enough, I almost lost my daughter. My question is, is there a time limit for me to file for settlement for pain and suffering (I guess that is what it's called) for my daughter, I feel that after what all she endured she deserves something positive out of this, she did tell the guy driving to stop being stupid and slow down and drive like he had some sense that is when he said "I got this" and pulled the emergency brake. The driver is was only 19 at the time and this kid has lived with me and my husband and our other children about 7 months out of the last year, NO he is not my daughter's boyfriend, they are very close or I should say were very close, like brother and sister, not anymore since I am not taking this lying down, he has lived with us because his mother is an addict, she is addicted to Percocet and takes up to 20 Percocet 10's a day, she told me this herself and has been in and out of rehab about 3 or 4 times in the last 7 months, and his father is an alcoholic, so he is following in their footsteps. Anyway, sorry, I just needed to vent and let you all know a little background info. I just need to know if anyone knows if there is a time limit in the state of Virginia in which I need to file for "pain and suffering" or something similar for my daughter. I appreciate any and all of your help in this matter, however, I would greatly appreciate it if any of you with stupid a** answers to keep them to yourself or any advise to further put me down when I am down about this situation enough as it is, so please only serious answers and be nice please, I have been through enough, I almost lost my daughter for Christmas, be civil and nice please. Oh, one last bit of info that might help, the guy that purchased the beer left the accident, never even went to the hospital, his brother got scrapes and scratches on his face, a nose bleed and 5 stitches over his eye, and the driver got scrapes and scratches on his face and 3 stitches in his finger, needless to say, they all left the hospital that night and my daughter was there from Christmas Eve to New Year's.

Public Comments

1. ...consult an attorney. Way too much information !
2. call an injury lawyer