The Library

There’s no doubt that social media has changed our daily lives – for the better and for the worse. We post important life updates, photos from joyous occasions, and even videos of the latest dance trend. Sure, when you’re only being “followed” by friends, family, and colleagues, these posts are relatively harmless. But when you’re pursuing personal injury attorneys in Virginia, you should think twice whether or not to hit that “Post” button. When you file a personal injury claim, you’re inviting the defendant or defendants to scour and scrutinize every post from that moment forward. As the plaintiff, you’re […]

Article co-written by Matt Broughton and Investigator Danny Brabham Introduction A private investigator is an essential part of a Virginia personal injury attorney’s team. The private investigator and everyone involved in the investigation of a Virginia truck or car accident must have a “go team” mentality. When a crash occurs, every minute that passes allows for the opportunity for crucial information to disappear. Some of the information disappears simply by the weather conditions. For example, skid marks can be washed away or faded by the sun. Debris in the roadway will gradually move away from its initial location – either […]

Article co-written by Nicholas Beck, Paralegal Tara Barnett, and Paralegal Jan Dillon When your personal injury case (motor vehicle crash, medical malpractice, products liability, etc.) settles, you will receive a settlement statement that references the total settlement amount with line-item required payments: Attorney’s fees (a percentage of a recovered amount, agreed upon at the beginning of representation); costs associated with your case (filing fees, medical record fees, expert retainer fees, copying, mailing, etc.); and possible reimbursement to lien holders associated with your treatment. After fees, costs, and other payments are accounted for, the remainder becomes your net amount, which is […]

In the workplace, an employee is considered “exempt” or a “non-exempt” based on the employee’s specific job duties, and the manner and amount of compensation paid.  Only non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FSLA”).  The Department of Labor’s (DOL) has announced that the minimum salary to qualify for overtime exempt status will increase to $58,656 effective January 1, 2025. For some businesses the only option will be to comply by raising employee salaries to at least this new minimum level.  However, it is not the only option and businesses should consider carefully […]

Cody’s chance to live a normal life ended at birth when a maternal infection went undiagnosed by doctors. His birth ushered in the beginning of a crushing legal and medical battle for his parents to get the assistance he was owed.  The family initially sought relief from the Virginia Birth Injury Fund (VBIF) — a no-fault insurance system that is supposed to cover expenses for victims of birth-related injury in Virginia. The General Assembly created the program in 1987 as a tort-reduction effort designed to keep malpractice lawsuits out of courts and cap awards for plaintiffs. The fund pays claimants […]

Mattawoman Energy, LLC v. Cove Point LNG, LP (August 6, 2024) Discovery can be a time-consuming, costly, and laborious process. In many cases, discovery requests seek information that is sensitive, confidential, or difficult to produce. The party on the receiving end of a voluminous set of discovery requests can hardly be blamed for wanting to avoid responding wherever possible. But when is it appropriate for a trial court to narrow the scope of discovery to specific issues in the case? In August, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals of Virginia issued a new memorandum opinion reversing a circuit […]

Gone are the days when intellectual property was consigned only to the scientific inventors, artists, and advertising agencies of the world. Now, over thirty years have passed since the public was introduced to the world wide web, and the internet has permanently changed societal, cultural, commercial, and legal norms. Computer software and technology falls squarely under the vast umbrella of U.S. intellectual property (IP) law, but those laws affect far more than software developers and tech companies. Most businesses encounter numerous intellectual property concerns every day, and, yet many remain unaware of the benefits and pitfalls they face. Here are […]