Legal

The law affects every part of daily life. Our legal section offers clear, practical explanations of new laws, court rulings, and local and national legal developments. Whether you’re following a major lawsuit or seeking to understand how a new law impacts you, this section keeps readers informed about what’s happening in Virginia’s courts and legislature.

Head-On Crashes and Vehicle Safety Ratings

Vehicles come in all shapes and sizes, from big monster pickup trucks to the mini Coopers many people zip around town in. When a person is shopping around for a new vehicle, there are many factors they may consider, including the age of the vehicle,…

By Eric Washburn

/ 3 Feb 2019

Head-On Crashes and Vehicle Safety Ratings

Who Pays for Injuries Caused by the Driver of a Stolen Vehicle?

Google any combination of the phrase “Virginia stolen car crash,” and you will find dozens of news stories from all over the state. For just this month. You may not think too much about these incidents beyond considering them action movie scenes come to life.…

By Eric Washburn

/ 31 Jan 2019

Understand Your Rights When an Uber Driver Hits and Injures You

Virginia requires drivers who work for what state laws call transportation network companies (TNC) to carry full auto insurance liability and collision coverage. Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft require this of their drivers, as well, and the companies also offer separate liability insurance.

By Randy Appleton

/ 18 Jan 2019

Who Is Responsible for Injuries in a Pedicab Accident?

There’s a different mode of transportation that many people who live or visit Virginia and other states around the country are trying – pedicabs. Pedicabs are tricycle shuttle services. They are essentially bicycle rickshaws because they are like the early Japanese rickshaws that were developed…

By Eric Washburn

/ 12 Jan 2019

Who Is Responsible for Injuries in a Pedicab Accident?

It’s Past Time to Remove Virginia’s Cap on Punitive Damages

A federal appeals court decision in a case out of Tennessee could invalidate unjust statutory caps on punitive damages in many other states, including Virginia. My Virginia Beach-based personal injury and wrongful death attorneys would welcome that result. LEARN MORE When Can a Virginia…

By Richard Shapiro

/ 9 Jan 2019

Does Disability Insurance Coverage Affect the Amount I Can Receive From a Personal Injury Case?

Negotiating an insurance settlement is almost always complicated. One consideration is whether injured person has sources of income and financial support other than what he or she may receive through the at-fault party’s insurance policy. So, yes, receiving disability insurance benefits while pursin

By Randy Appleton

/ 4 Jan 2019

What Animal Attack Victims Should Know About Dog Bite Laws in Virginia

According to one recent estimate, 1 in every 69 Americans suffers a dog bite or an attack by a canine each year. The overwhelming majority of these incidents result in no serious injury, but hospitalizations and deaths do occur. One particularly shocking dog attack occurred…

By Eric Washburn

/ 20 Dec 2018

Surgical Mistakes and Informed Consent: Everything You Don’t Know but Should

Imagine you are recovering from surgery. A doctor you don’t recognize tells you, “unfortunately, there were complications.” You and your family begin wondering if your selected surgeon did the surgery or whether a resident or intern may have done the part that went wrong. These…

By Richard Shapiro

/ 10 Dec 2018

How a Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer Establishes Loss of Earning Capacity for a Client

Personal injury victims often survive with permanent disabilities that limit or eliminate their employment prospects. Some people have to end personally rewarding and well-paying careers; others must give up any hope of ever working again. Helping such individuals secure insurance settlements or civ

By Randy Appleton

/ 29 Nov 2018

Can I Still File an Insurance Claim After a Crash if My Young Child Was Not in a Safety Seat?

Yes. I’ll explain why in detail, but Virginia parents need to know that forgetting to secure their young children in safety seats will not prevent them from holding other drivers accountable for inflicting injuries in car or truck crashes. LEARN MORE The Problem With Virginia’s…

By Randy Appleton

/ 27 Sep 2018

Legal

Head-On Crashes and Vehicle Safety Ratings

Who Pays for Injuries Caused by the Driver of a Stolen Vehicle?

Understand Your Rights When an Uber Driver Hits and Injures You

Who Is Responsible for Injuries in a Pedicab Accident?

It’s Past Time to Remove Virginia’s Cap on Punitive Damages

Does Disability Insurance Coverage Affect the Amount I Can Receive From a Personal Injury Case?

Top 10 Civil Justice Stories for 2018: Part Two (i.e. the Top Five)

What Animal Attack Victims Should Know About Dog Bite Laws in Virginia

Top 10 Civil Justice Stories for 2018: Part One

Surgical Mistakes and Informed Consent: Everything You Don’t Know but Should

How a Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer Establishes Loss of Earning Capacity for a Client

Can I Still File an Insurance Claim After a Crash if My Young Child Was Not in a Safety Seat?