John Ayers | Hanover Personal Injury Lawyer

Born and raised in Hanover County, Virginia, John attended Virginia Tech for his undergraduate degree and The University of Richmond Law School for his Juris Doctor. He is the author of numerous legal publications and is a member of the Hanover and Fredericksburg Area Bar Associations as well as the Christian Legal Society, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, American Association for Justice and the Lewis F. Powell Jr. American Inn of Court. Before starting his own firm, he was General Counsel for the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, which primarily involved lobbying the General Assembly on behalf of personal injury attorneys and their clients. Outside of the office, John's life revolves around his family. He currently makes his home in Ashland, Virginia with his wife of fifteen years and their three girls who keep them busy with their gymnastics, dance, and golf. When people ask his girls what their dad does for a living they say "he is a lawyer so his job is helping people."

Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire

Please describe a case in the last year or two where you made a big difference.
I had a case last year that was turned down by several other attorneys because the insurance company had denied it. My client was run off the road by an unknown driver, had a concussion so she didn't remember the details of the crash, and her right arm had to be amputated. After going do to door to find an eyewitness, I was able to prove that there was a John Doe truck, and the insurance company paid their entire amount of coverage.

How did you build a successful practice?
I am different than most trial lawyers because I always try to be nice. You do not have to be rude or secretive to be successful and an excellent advocate. My opponents actually like working with me, and that greatly benefits my clients.

What should clients look for in a lawyer?
A good trial lawyer speaks at your level. Using legalese and complex words is rarely helpful, and if you can't understand your lawyer's reasoning then a jury won't understand it either.

How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases?
I have found that insurance companies rarely make reasonable settlement offers if the attorney isn't local. They believe an out of town attorney will not know the local court system and will take less than full case value.

What information can you provide in a free phone consultation?
If I can't help you, then I probably know someone who can help.

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Attorney	Law Office of John Ayers	Hanover, VA	Present
Associate Attorney	The Joel Bieber Firm	Richmond, VA	04/2018 - 02/2020
General Counsel	Virginia Trial Lawyers Association	Richmond, VA	08/2015 - 12/2017
Associate Attorney	Marks & Harrison, P.C.	Fredericksburg, VA	02/2005 - 08/2015
Associate Attorney	Goodman, Allen & Filetti, P.C.	Glen Allen, VA	08/2003 - 02/2005

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	Bachelors	History and Political Science	2000

State / Court	Date
Virginia	2003

• Virginia Trial Lawyers Association | Legislative Committee | Co-chair | 2013 - 2015
  Virginia Trial Lawyers Association | Board of Governors | 2010 - 2015
  Fredericksburg Area Bar Association | Member | 2010 - 2015
  Christian Legal Society | Member | 2005 - 2015
  Richmond Bar Association | Member | 2003 - 2012

• AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2013
  Rising Star | SuperLawyers | 2009-2013
  Champion | Trial Advocacy Competition | Regent University School of Law
  Champion | Negotiations Competition | Regent University School of Law

• Available Insurance coverage was $500,000 and verdict was for $487,867.
  The plaintiff was involved in an auto accident, suffering a low back injury that resulted in more than $38,000 in medical bills and more than two years of lost wages. The plaintiff’s neurosurgeon recommended an anterior fusion of his low back that would cost approximately $100,000. Plaintiff sued for $500,000, the total amount of available insurance coverage. The first layer of liability insurance coverage was $25,000. This was an irrevocable offer made under Virginia Code § 38.2-2206(L). The UIM insurer did not participate over the course of the litigation and gave their first and only offer of $175,000 two days prior to trial. The trial judge awarded the plaintiff $487,867.35, and awarded $11,500 in attorney’s fees for the liability carrier under § 38.2-2206(L). Type of action: Personal injury – automobile accident Injuries alleged: Low back injury Name of case: Hulvey v. Overvold Court: Spotsylvania County Circuit Court Case no.: CL12-112 Tried before: Judge Judge: T.J. Markow Date: Dec. 4, 2012 Verdict or settlement: Verdict Amount: $487,867.35 Demand: $500,000 Offer: $25,000 (from liability insurer); $175,000 (from UIM insurer) Attorney for plaintiff: John D. Ayers, Fredericksburg Attorney for defendant: Daniel M. Royce, Richmond Insurance carriers: Grange Mutual Casualty Company (liability); Erie Insurance Company (UIM) Plaintiff’s expert: Jeffrey Poffenbarger, neurosurgeon, Fredericksburg

• Liens in Personal Injury Actions | ERISA Liens | 2013
  Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Journal | Should I Pay This ERISA Claim? | 2006

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 Other hours available by appointment

• Avvo | John Ayers

Change Date	Change Field	Previous Content
2018-07-26	Phone	540-735-1378
2018-07-26	Firm Name	Marks & Harrison
2018-07-26	Address	5440 Jefferson Davis Hwy Fredericksburg VA 22407 US