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.

Know Your Rights When a Railroad Company Fails to Inspect and Repair Tracks and Switches

A broken, damaged, misaligned or inappropriately opened track switch can easily cause a train crash or derailment that leaves workers or passengers badly injured or dead. Such avoidable accidents are more than headlines to my Virginia-based law firm colleagues and I, as we have spent…

By Richard Shapiro

/ 20 Jan 2020

Keyless Car Dangers

Keyless cars indicate an evolution in vehicle manufacturing. This evolution is exciting, however, it is also leading to new problems and safety concerns. The trend of keyless cars is relatively new, therefore, people are learning about the adverse effects of this technology the hard way.…

By Randy Appleton

/ 16 Jan 2020

TJX Companies Caught Selling Recalled Items

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced that various TJX Companies sold at least 19 different products that had previously been recalled because of safety issues. Recalls for these products had taken place between 2014 through 2019. Countless numbers of consumers purcha

By Randy Appleton

/ 20 Dec 2019

TJX Companies Caught Selling Recalled Items

When Should You Request an Autopsy in Virginia?

As wrongful death attorneys in Virginia, my law firm colleagues and I often find it necessary to answer tough questions from potential clients. One of the toughest situations involves advising grieving family members who think they might have a medical malpractice claim on whether to…

By Richard Shapiro

/ 2 Dec 2019

The Dangers Patients Face While Going Under Anesthesia

The Cleveland Clinic opens its webpage on anesthesia safety by asking readers, “For some people, anesthesia is one of the scariest parts of surgery. Do you wonder about the risks?” Farther down the page, the clinic probably misses the mark in attempting to give patients…

By Eric Washburn

/ 17 Oct 2019

What You Must Know When You Suffer a Lumbar Sprain in a Car Accident

Car crashes frequently inflict back and spine injuries that range from whiplash to herniated discs and paralysis. Lumbar strains, which occur when the muscles and tendons of the lower back twist suddenly and violently, are among the most commonly diagnosed conditions in victims of traffic…

By Eric Washburn

/ 30 Aug 2019

FMCSA Considers Lowering Commercial Truck Driver Age Requirement to 18

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teenagers in this country. According to national statistics, approximately 2,500 teens between the ages of 16 and 19 are killed in crashes each year, and another 221,000 are injured. For many, the injuries they receive are…

By Randy Appleton

/ 19 Aug 2019

FMCSA Considers Lowering Commercial Truck Driver Age Requirement to 18

Detached Trailers Become Missile Aimed at Innocent Victims in Other Vehicles

Towed trailers detach and create deadly highway hazards more frequently than most people realize. And negligent tractor-trailer operators are not the only individuals to blame. In 2016, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) published statistics showing that over the prece

By Richard Shapiro

/ 15 Aug 2019

Exactly What Is a Certificate of Merit for a Medical Malpractice Claim in Virginia?

During the three decades that my personal injury and wrongful death law firm colleagues and I have spent helping victims of medical malpractice in Virginia, we’ve seen state lawmakers pass numerous laws making it harder to hold negligent health care providers and facilities accountable for…

By Richard Shapiro

/ 22 Jul 2019

New Virginia Laws Could Affect Safety on the Roads

In an annual tradition, hundreds of new laws came into effect in Virginia on July 1, 2019. My Virginia personal injury law firm colleagues and I pay close attention to these updates because seemingly small changes to what drivers and state residents can legally do…

By Eric Washburn

/ 9 Jul 2019

Birth Injuries to the Brachial Plexus Can Slow Children’s Development and Inflict Lifelong Limitations

Newborns who suffer brachial plexus injuries during delivery face partial paralysis and months or years of physical therapy. Corrective surgery may also be required, but an attempted repair will not always succeed. As Virginia medical malpractice attorneys, my colleagues and I have focused on helpin

By Eric Washburn

/ 6 May 2019

Spotting Signs of Nursing Home Neglect

Locally and nationally, the neglect of seniors and disabled people in long-term care facilities causes extreme suffering. The National Council on Aging estimates while as many “as 5 million elders .. abused each year … only 1 in 14 cases of abuse are reported to…

By Seth D. Scott

/ 24 Apr 2019