Gig Delivery Drivers Are Everywhere: Who Insures the Crash?
Food and package delivery has exploded in 2020, and so have insurance gaps. Who pays when a gig delivery driver causes a crash in the DMV?
Blog, page 6
Plain-English articles on the court decisions and rules that shape injury cases in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
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.
Nursing Homes and COVID-19: Immunity Orders vs. Accountability in Maryland
Maryland health care providers claim COVID-19 immunity under the catastrophic health emergency law. What it covers, what it doesn't, and families' rights.
Virginia Goes Hands-Free: The New Phone Law and What It Means for Crash Cases
Virginia's new hands-free law bans holding a phone while driving starting January 1, 2021. What changes, and what it means for injury claims after a crash.
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.
Frankeny v. District Hospital Partners: DC's Consumer Protection Law Reaches the Operating Room
The DC Court of Appeals holds the Consumer Protection Procedures Act applies to medical providers: a case argued by our partner Jacob Lebowitz.
Cromartie v. Billings: Virginia's Supreme Court Says Gross Negligence Pierces Police Immunity
The Supreme Court of Virginia revives a teacher's suit against a Petersburg officer: gross negligence defeats sovereign immunity in police misconduct cases.
Maryland's Cap on Noneconomic Damages: The 2019 Figures and How They Apply
Maryland caps pain-and-suffering damages. The 2019 numbers: $875,000 general cap, $815,000 med-mal cap, and how wrongful death multipliers work.
Lead Paint and the DC Housing Code: Children's Exposure Claims in the District
DC law makes lead-based paint hazards illegal in pre-1978 rental housing. What families of lead-exposed children should know about civil claims.
Opioids and Medical Negligence: Overprescription Claims in Maryland
When opioid overprescribing crosses into medical negligence in Maryland: the standard of care, CDC guidelines, and how malpractice claims work.
A.H. v. Church of God in Christ: Institutions Answer for the Abuse of Children in Their Care
The Supreme Court of Virginia held a church that takes supervisory custody of a child assumes a duty to protect her: a landmark for abuse survivors.
Llewellyn v. White: Your UIM Settlement Is None of the Defendant's Business
The Supreme Court of Virginia held a plaintiff's UIM settlement is a collateral source: the at-fault driver gets no credit against the verdict.
Dackman v. Robinson: Maryland's High Court Protects Lost Earning Capacity Experts in Lead Paint Cases
Maryland's Court of Appeals affirmed a lead-paint judgment with over $1M in lost earning capacity, protecting the expert model that proves these damages.
Punitive Damages in DC: What the Clear-and-Convincing Standard Really Requires
Punitive damages in DC require clear and convincing proof of malice or its equivalent. What the standard means, when it applies, and what to expect.
DC's New Law for Abuse Survivors: Extended Deadlines and a Two-Year Window to Revive Old Claims
DC Law 22-311, effective May 3, 2019, extends civil deadlines for sexual abuse survivors and opens a two-year window to revive time-barred claims.
Motorcycle Crashes in Virginia: Bias, Helmets, and Building the Case
Virginia motorcycle crash cases face juror bias, contributory negligence, and helmet questions. What § 46.2-910 actually says, and how riders win.
The E-Scooter Boom in DC: Injuries, Insurance Gaps, and the Contributory Negligence Problem
E-scooters are everywhere in DC, but riders hurt by cars face insurance gaps and the District's harsh contributory negligence rule. Know your rights.
Retail Store Falls in Maryland: Camera Footage, Sweep Logs, and Spoliation
Maryland slip-and-fall cases turn on notice and evidence. How camera footage, sweep logs, and spoliation rules decide retail fall claims.