Edwin J. Rafal | Attorney

Edwin J. Rafal is of Counsel to the Law Firm. Having practiced with a firm which he co-founded for over thirty years, he came to Shuttleworth, Ruloff, Giordano & Swain in 2001. He was attracted to the firm by the commitment of excellent people to the rights of patients injured as a result of physician/health care provider negligence.

Having practiced for over 50 years, during the last 35 Ed Rafal has devoted his career to the cause of the medically injured realizing that those clients need an advocate who is familiar with the medical issues and who is willing to visit the best doctors both locally and in other areas to gain support for their cause.

Ed Rafal was educated at the University of Virginia where he received his Undergraduate Degree in 1956 and his Law Degree in 1959. At the conclusion of his schooling, he worked for eleven years with Frederick T. (Bingo) Stant who was regarded by many in our area as one of the premier local attorneys ever to address a jury in our Courts. After mentoring with Bingo, Ed Rafal practiced for some years as a general practitioner.

After a catastrophic injury came to his attention, an injury caused by medical error, he has devoted himself to representing the medically injured. Medical errors are a leading cause of death and injury in America.  A study published approximately 10 years ago, made this information available to health care providers.

In 2009, a second study was published which revealed that in the 10 years since the initial publication, little has been done to correct a completely unacceptable circumstance. 

The latest investigation documented medical error as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, exceeding the toll on our roads.

Medical mistakes were found to kill approximately 200,000 people a year and injured many more.

The study concluded that secrecy built into the medical system has kept both the scope of the crisis and particular problem areas out of the public view. 

Often the only way to find the truth is through the litigation process.  Because the health care industry appears to be incapable of policing itself, it remains the duty of committed lawyers and dedicated judges and juries to find the hidden truth. 

Ed Rafal's challenge for many years is to help in finding the truth for his clients and he is challenged to even the field between health care providers and patients who are harmed rather than helped by care or a lack of care.

In addition to his concerns for patients harmed by medical negligence, Ed Rafal has been increasingly concerned for those injured and made severely ill by impurities in our Nation's food supply.  His background in medical negligence cases has caused Ed Rafal to become a willing advocate for those severely hurt by foods that all of us have a right to believe will nourish us rather than causing us to become ill.

Responsible malpractice lawyers and lawyers who have gone the extra step to learn the medicine:, have provided check on those who would continue to cause harm to a believing and trusting citizenry.

Ed Rafal has for years been listed in the Best Lawyers in America. He has the highest rating afforded by Martindale Hubbell Lawyers Directory, an AV rating. He served many terms as Chairman of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Medical Malpractice Committee and he has lectured to lawyers and physicians/health care providers in his field of practice.

Ed Rafal has succeeded on behalf of many injured patients and other persons who have entrusted their cases to him. That success is a source of great personal and professional pride.