Understanding Contributory Negligence in Virginia: What It Means for Your Personal Injury Claim
Virginia is one of a handful of places where being even slightly at fault can bar your recovery entirely. What contributory negligence means for your claim, and how insurers try to use it against you.
The Child Victims Act Survives: Maryland's Highest Court Upholds Survivors' Right to Sue
Maryland's Supreme Court held 4-3 that the Child Victims Act's revival of time-barred abuse claims is constitutional. What the ruling means for survivors.
The $7 Million Verdict That Came Back: Al-Saray v. Furr and the Power of Circumstantial Evidence
Virginia's Supreme Court reinstated a $7M brain-injury verdict, holding circumstantial evidence of causation need not rule out every other possibility.
A $2 Million Verdict Stands: Virginia's Dead Man's Statute Tamed in Bon Secours-DePaul v. Rogakos-Russell
The Supreme Court of Virginia affirmed a $2M wrongful death verdict, holding the Dead Man's Statute did not silence the patient's own account of his fall.
Porter v. Howard University Hospital: The Bankruptcy Trap That Almost Ate a Med-Mal Case
The DC Court of Appeals reversed dismissal of a med-mal case the plaintiff forgot to list in bankruptcy — and gave lawyers the playbook to save such claims.
The Crash Data in Your Car: EDR "Black Box" Evidence in Virginia
Most cars record crash data. What Virginia's EDR privacy statute and federal rule 49 CFR Part 563 mean for proving your crash case.
The Key Bridge Collapse and the 1851 Law That Could Cap the Families' Recovery
The Dali's owners have invoked an 1851 law to cap all Key Bridge claims at about $43.7 million. What the Limitation of Liability Act means for the families.
Rodrigue v. Butts-Franklin: $1.18 Million Malpractice Verdict Affirmed — Mitigation Is Not a Backdoor to Contributory Negligence
Virginia's Court of Appeals affirmed a $1.18M med-mal verdict, holding a failure-to-mitigate instruction can't smuggle in contributory negligence.
Coming Forward as a Survivor in Maryland: Anonymity, Process, and What Suing Actually Looks Like
For Maryland survivors considering a civil case: how anonymity works, what the process really involves, and how much control you keep. A plain guide.
Maryland's High Courts Get New Names: The Supreme Court of Maryland, Explained
As of December 14, 2022, the Court of Appeals of Maryland is the Supreme Court of Maryland. What the voter-approved renaming changes — and what it doesn't.
The New Court of Appeals of Virginia Opens for Business: Every Civil Case Now Gets an Appeal
Effective January 1, 2022, every Virginia civil litigant has an appeal of right to an expanded Court of Appeals. What SB 1261 changes for injury cases.
Jury Trials Are Back in DC — But the Backlog Will Shape Injury Cases for Years
DC Superior Court jury trials resumed in 2021 after a year-long pandemic pause. What the backlog means for injury case timelines and settlements.
Every Civil Case Gets an Appeal: Virginia's Historic Appellate Expansion
Virginia's SB 1261 gives every civil litigant an appeal of right to the Court of Appeals starting January 1, 2022 — ending a national outlier.
Rochkind v. Stevenson: Maryland Adopts Daubert — What Changes for Injury Trials
Maryland's highest court retires the Frye-Reed test and adopts the Daubert standard for expert testimony. What the change means for injury cases.
DC Deadlines in the Pandemic: Emergency Orders, Emergency Legislation, and Your Claim
DC has tolled legal deadlines during the COVID-19 emergency. What the court orders and Council legislation mean for injury claims in the District.
Virginia's Judicial Emergency: How the Tolling Orders Affect Your Injury Deadline
The Supreme Court of Virginia has declared a judicial emergency and tolled statutes of limitations. How the COVID-19 orders affect Virginia injury claims.
Maryland Courts and COVID-19: Tolled Deadlines, Remote Hearings, and What Claimants Should Do
Maryland's judiciary has tolled statutes of limitations while courts are closed for COVID-19. What the orders say and what injury claimants should do now.
The Nonsuit: Virginia Plaintiffs' Unique Do-Over (and Its Limits)
Virginia's nonsuit statute gives plaintiffs one voluntary dismissal as of right — strict timing rules and a six-month refiling window explained.
Hurt on Metro: WMATA Injury Claims, the Immunity Wrinkles, and Your Deadlines
Injured on a WMATA train, bus, or station? Why Metro cases are unlike any other injury claim: sovereign immunity, federal court, and strict deadlines.
Summer on the Water: Who Is Liable After a Maryland Boating Accident?
Maryland boating accident liability explained: operator negligence, alcohol on the water, maritime law's surprising role, and what victims should do.