Legal

This section highlights updates on Virginia laws, important court rulings, and consumer protection issues. We also analyze how state and local legal developments impact individuals and families. From new legislation to high-profile cases, our goal is to keep readers aware of how the legal system shapes life across Virginia.

Do I Have to Pay a Lawyer Upfront for an Injury Case?

It’s common to assume that you’ll have to pay thousands of dollars upfront for experienced legal representation. We'll explain how paying for a personal injury lawyer works and why you can afford one.

By Andrew R. Stover

/ 11 Sep 2025

Do I Have to Pay a Lawyer Upfront for an Injury Case?

Understanding the Four Classifications of Injuries

Injury classification is crucial in determining the extent of harm caused by accidents or incidents, enabling both medical professionals and legal experts to assess the severity and impact of injuries accurately. Injuries can be classified in various ways based on their nature, cause, and effects…

By James St. Clair

/ 30 Jul 2025

Understanding the Four Classifications of Injuries

A Guide to Common Personal Injury Legal Terms

When you’re dealing with a personal injury case, the legal language can be overwhelming and confusing. Whether you’ve been involved in a car accident, slip-and-fall incident, or medical malpractice case, understanding key terms is essential for navigating the legal process. The following is an overv

By Richard Shapiro

/ 22 Apr 2025

A Guide to Common Personal Injury Legal Terms

Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers Working for You

It is not uncommon for the Norfolk personal injury lawyers at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp to work with other law firms on cases that begin with their firm to help their client successfully recover on a personal injury case. When this happens, the relationship with…

By Richard Shapiro

/ 3 Dec 2024

Norfolk Personal Injury Lawyers Working for You

What Is Lost Income in a Personal Injury Claim?

When valuing a personal injury claim in Virginia, one of the key factors to consider is lost income or wages and reduced earning capacity. These are significant components of damages that a plaintiff can seek compensation for to help recover the financial losses suffered as…

By Andrew R. Stover

/ 27 Aug 2024

What Is Lost Income in a Personal Injury Claim?

Pursuing Damages for Scarring and Disfigurement

The purpose of a personal injury claim or lawsuit is to make the victim “whole” again, the way they were before the accident. This means the at-fault party is liable for any medical expenses for injury treatments and lost wages if the victim cannot work…

By Kevin D. Sharp

/ 22 Jun 2024

Pursuing Damages for Scarring and Disfigurement

Pursuing Damages for Lost Wages in a Norfolk Personal Injury Claim

When pursuing a personal injury claim in Virginia, lost income and reduced earning capacity can be crucial components of the damages sought by the injured party. Personal injuries can have a significant impact on a person’s ability to work and earn a living, leading to…

By Kevin D. Sharp

/ 18 May 2023

Pursuing Damages for Lost Wages in a Norfolk Personal Injury Claim

Financial Compensation for Emotional Injuries

Over the last several decades, advancements in science and human behavior have created entirely new standards for the way we look at mental health. Emotional and behavioral issues that were once ignored or written off have become increasingly recognized as legitimate medical concerns, often treatabl

By Eric Washburn

/ 12 Apr 2023

Financial Compensation for Emotional Injuries

Despite What Insurance Adjusters Say, Low-Impact Car Accidents Can Cause Serious Injuries

It seems so intuitively obvious. A low-speed crash that does little or no damage to the vehicle should allow the occupants of the vehicle to walk away unscathed. Physics, and extensive research going back decades, proves otherwise. To cite just one review of medical records,…

By Richard Shapiro

/ 1 Apr 2020

Despite What Insurance Adjusters Say, Low-Impact Car Accidents Can Cause Serious Injuries

Don’t Send Danger Down the Line: Report Safety Issues on Trains and in Rail Yards

Having spent decades advising and representing railroad employees who suffered injuries on the job, I know that accidents rarely just happen. Safety problems usually build up over time. Inspections go undone. Repairs go unmade. Then, suddenly, an engineer, conductor, brakeman, trackman, mechanic or

By Randy Appleton

/ 26 Feb 2020

Don’t Send Danger Down the Line: Report Safety Issues on Trains and in Rail Yards

Singer Meatloaf Files Premises Liability Lawsuit Against Hyatt Corp.

A premises liability lawsuit recently filed in Texas against Hyatt Corp is a good example of how business owners can be held liable when they are negligent in keeping visitors to their property safe. The victim’s real name may not be familiar to readers –…

By Eric Washburn

/ 7 Feb 2020

Singer Meatloaf Files Premises Liability Lawsuit Against Hyatt Corp.

Railroads Must Protect Employees From Injuries by Inspecting, Properly Equipping Locomotives and Rail Cars

Working on and around trains was so dangerous during the second half of the 1800s that Congress, in 1893, passed one of the first national occupational safety laws specifically to lower the number of deaths and dismemberments from crashes, derailments, rollback accidents and falls from…

By Randy Appleton

/ 20 Jan 2020

Railroads Must Protect Employees From Injuries by Inspecting, Properly Equipping Locomotives and Rail Cars