Mr. Joe Miller
Premium Member
Experience:
38 years
Language(s):
English
Joe Miller | Virginia Beach Personal Injury Lawyer
Premium Member
Verified Highlights
Contact Information Verified
In Good Standing
No Misconduct Found
Free Consultation
Accepts Referrals
Reviews Pro Bono Cases
Main Office
160 W. Brambleton Ave
Norfolk, VA 23510
Office Hours
Monday - Friday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Other Locations
Rutter Mills, LLP
About Joe
Joe has been practicing injury law for over 37 years in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area. He is admitted to practice law in both Virginia and North Carolina. He has also successfully represented injured victims on a ‘pro hac vice’ basis in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Maryland, and Florida. Joe earned his B.A. at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, in 1984. He is a graduate of the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at William & Mary, where he received his Juris Doctor degree in 1987. Joe was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but he has spent most of his life in the Hampton Roads area, having grown up in the Churchland area of Portsmouth and the Western Branch area of Chesapeake. He graduated from Western Branch High School in 1980. He currently resides in Norfolk, VA with his wife, two daughters, and their Australian Shepard, ‘Luna’ Outside of law practice, Joe enjoys engaging in religious studies, playing guitar, writing and recording music in his music studio, mountain biking, snow skiing, and just spending time with his family at home. Joe says his favorite part of practicing law is, “when it is crystal clear that the client you are helping is in dire need of your services. You realize that if the two of you had not been brought together, this person would likely be making choices that would have severe adverse consequences for him or her. It feels really good when you can present an injured client with advice and a plan of action that puts him or her on the right path to a successful future, a new start, and financial security. Just knowing that the client is sleeping better at night—with fewer clouds of worry and doubt that were there before you came along— that helps me sleep better as well." Joe was President of his own firm for over 25 years, until August of 2025, when he made the very wise decision to become part of the outstanding team of attorneys and staff at Rutter Mills, LLP in Norfolk, VA
YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO STROKE A CHECK TO HIRE THE TEAM AT RUTTER MILLS, LLP TO ACQUIRE REPRESENTATION FOR YOUR CASE!
Experience
Attorney
Rutter Mills, LLP
8/6/25 -Present
Norfolk, VA
President
Joe Miller Law, Ltd.
8/6/25
Virginia Beach, VA
Admission
North Carolina
1994
Virginia
1988
Education
William & Mary Law School
J.D.
1987
Recognitions & Achievements
Associations
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North Carolina Advocates for Justice Member1999 - Present
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North Carolina State Bar Member1994 - Present
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Virginia State Bar Member1988 - Present
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Virginia Trial Lawyers Association Member1988 - Present
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American Bar Association Member1988 - Present
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American Association for Justice Member1988 - Present
Honors / Awards
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Super Lawyer Super Lawyers2019 - 2021
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Clients' Choice Avvo2019 - 2020
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Featured Attorney Lawyers of Distinction2018
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Best Business Three Best Rated2018
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Readers Choice WInner Coastal Virginia Magazine2018
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BV Rated Martindale-Hubbell2017
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Top One Percent National Association of Distinguished Counsel2015
Notable Work
Cases
Joe Miller Attains Hard-Won Victory for Car Accident Victim
Norfolk, VA, August, 2013. We won a substantial victory for a retiree client who was rear-ended by a truck. The truck was towing a fishing boat down Independence Blvd in Virginia Beach and failed to stop in time, striking our client’s van with tremendous force, and injuring our client and his wife. The impact knocked the victim’s van into the car in front of them, which then caused a multi-car pile-up. Because the driver of the truck worked in Norfolk, we were able to file the lawsuit there. From the beginning, the liability carrier denied the claim entirely. This was because the police officer who wrote the report wrote down that our client had struck the vehicle in front of him first. In addition, the truck driver insisted that our client had struck the vehicle in front of him first. Our client and his wife, who was riding as passenger, vehemently denied that they had hit anything first, and stated they had come to a complete stop prior to being knocked into the car in front of them. Prior to trial, the offer from the insurance company for the truck driver was $0.00. Utilizing deposition transcripts and cross examination at trial we were able to discredit the truck driver and show that the most likely cause of the pile-up was the negligence of the truck driver, who, pulling a large fishing boat, was simply traveling too fast and could not stop in time before striking our client’s van. He finally admitted under questioning at trial that he didn’t even see our client’s van until he hit them. The Norfolk jury came back with a fair and substantial verdict in favor of our client.
1999, Portsmouth, Va. Joe Miller was co-Counsel in $12 Million FELA Brain Injury Verdict won at trial, –at that time the largest verdict ever won for a single individual in the Commonwealth of Virginia for an FELA case—reduced to $10 Million by Judge, for North Carolina laborer who suffered brain injury and permanent cognitive deficits from his long-term exposure to toxic chemicals used by the railroad on his job.
1998, Roanoke, Va. Joe Miller obtained a $1.4 Million FELA Injury Jury Verdict won at trial for Carman with back injury resulting in a back fusion. The case was later taken over by other counsel after Joe Miller left the law firm of Miller and Bondurant, and was overturned by the Supreme Court of Virginia. The parties later settled for a lesser amount.
Publications
Self-Published Strong Justice For Work Accident Victims: 10 Traps and Lies that will Ruin Your VA Workers Compensation Case
2015
Self Published Strong Justice for Work Accident Victims: The North Carolina Workers Compensation Guide to Settlements
2014
Self Published Strong Justice for Work Accident Victims: The Nine Biggest Myths About North Carolina Workplace Injuries
2014
Self Published Strong Justice for Car Accident Victims: How Much is My Case Worth?
2014
Self-Published Strong Justice for Car Accident Victims: How Long Will My Case Take?
2014
Self-published Strong Justice for Car Accident Victims: 23 Simple Rules to Follow if you've been Hurt in an Auto Accident
2014
Word Association Publishers The Nine Biggest Myths about North Carolina Workplace Injuries
2010
Questions & Answers
Please describe a case in the last year or two where you made a big difference.
A gentleman had fallen off a roof and suffered severe injuries while at work. The Deputy Commissioner denied the claim at hearing, ruling that our client had willfully violated a safety rule, which rule was never writtten downor properly presented to our client before his injury. We appealed the case and won on appeal, and our client was ultimately awarded all of his back benefits as well as permanent impairment money for his severe injuries.
How did you build a successful practice?
You continue to show up for your clients and again and again and demonstrate that you know the law, will fight for their rights, and never give up. In addition, you make it your mission to educate the public on your area of expertise so that your potential clients do not make the citrical mistakes that would prevent them from having a successful claim.
What should clients look for in a lawyer?
First of all, some deomostration, via videos, articles, and of course results, that the attorney is familiar with the law in his area of expertise and has successfully prosecuted numerous cases on behalf of his clients in that area of expertise. In addition, a willingness to explain what can sometimes appear to be difficult concepts to his clients and potential clients so that they understand what is happening and what is likely going to occur in his or her case. This is essential, as it shows the lawyer has the ability and the patience to keep the client informed, and informed in a way that he or she can understand with respect to the progress of his or her case.
How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases?
Extremely important. For instance, if you are not familiar with reputations of the doctors and faclities in your area, you may not realize that your client is being "set up" to have a failure in his or her case by being steered to a horrific insurance doctor, or an extremely biased facility or other health care provider.
What information can you provide in a free phone consultation?
Once the actual attorney consultation is scheduled, assuming we have the information we require such the relevant medical records and pleadings in a case that is already underway, we would be engaigning in a discussion of potential strategies to maximize the potential client's recovery in his or her claim and all the legal ramifications of each potential outcome.
What information do you need in a free phone consultation?
Before any phone consultation with the attorney, it's important that we first make sure that the claim qualifeis as one we can assist with. Not every fact scenario or claim is going to qualifiy. For instance, many people think that just because they were hurt on the job, that automaticcally qualfies them to receive workers compensation benefits and that is certainly not the case. So step one is to see if the matter qualifies as a case that Rutter Mills can assist with. Once that is deternmined, we may either scheduled the potential cleint with myself for a consultation or sign the client and obtain the medical records, so that once the free consultation is scheduled, I will able to intelligently discuss all options regarding the potential progression of the client's case with the client. This is because it is often difficutl to strategize about the best wau to proceed in a workers compensation case without first reviwing the medical records.
What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community?
I have been laser-focused on both Virginia and North Carolina Workers' Compensation for the past 25 years. I don't believe there are too many other attorneys who can match my depth of knowledge and experience in wokers' compensatino law in my geographic area. I have made presentations to my peers on important legal subjects in hte field of workers' compensation and i have an extensive video library designed to educate the public about the pitfalls of moving forward with a workers' compensation claim in both VA and NC.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
#1 woudl have to be obtaining successrul results for our clients, especially those who have unfortunately lost their carerers due to severe injury. The other would be the privilege of working with such a highly comjpetent group of attorneys and staff here at Rutter Mills. They are not kidding. Your lawyer really does matter.
What are your other interests in addition to law?
I enjoy spending time with my wonderful familyt, but alos snow skiing, playing guitar, singing, songwriting, martial arts, and religious study..
Are you involved in your community?
I am past President of my Synogogue and try to stay involved in community activities.
Additional Info
Rutter Mills, LLP Highlights
Accident & Injury, Car Accident, Workers' Compensation, Slip & Fall Accident, Employment
Firm Size:
20+
Firm Locations:
1
Languages:
English
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