Author: Attorney Melinda H. South

Congratulations Margaret A. "Meg" Smith of Lynchburg, VA, the 2012 Virginia Teacher of the Year. Meg Smith was honored at an evening reception on Friday October 14 at the Holiday Inn Kroger Conference Center along with the other seven regional Teachers of the Year. Meg Smith is an eighth grade English literature teacher at Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School for Innovation in Lynchburg. She will represent Virginia in the National Teacher of the Year program in Washington.

Richmond injury attorney R. Clayton Allen presented Ms. Smith with a check for $2,500 on behalf of the Allen Law Firm. For many years now the law firm of Allen & Allen has been involved with the…

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Author: Egena Younger

Hurricane season in the Atlantic lasts from June 1 to November 30, which includes all of our summer months, when we are normally focusing on vacationing and finding activities to keep our children busy while they are out of school.  However, that period is also a time to focus on hurricane preparedness.  To avoid the stress of a chaotic rush to  purchase batteries, water, generators, etc., consider completing a few simple tasks that will help you feel somewhat more relaxed during the time of a natural disaster[1].  The following tips are the advice of the experts on how to be prepared:

1. Store water that is specifically set aside…

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The Importance of Prompt Investigation After an Accident

Author: Attorney Trent S. Kerns

How can you prove that a product was defective without the product in a product liability case?  How can you prove that a condition was unsafe if the condition has been altered or removed?  Many personal injury cases become unwinnable because there is not a prompt investigation.

I recently had a case in which the wooden stairs to a second floor deck of my client's home pulled loose and caused her to fall.  As a result, she was severely  injured.  Fortunately her son-in-law suggested that she contact an injury lawyer at Allen and Allen immediately, and she did so.  Knowing that there had to be some defect in…

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Author: Attorney Christopher A. Meyer

Most people know that their motor vehicle insurance policy covers them for accidents due to their fault when they are driving the car on the policy.  Many of us also sometimes  drive someone else's car.  Do you know whether, when you are operating someone else's vehicle, you are covered by either the insurance on that car or by your own insurance at home on your car - or both?

Under Virginia law the answer is almost always both, provided that the driver has the permission of the owner.  If I own a car, I will of course be covered by my insurance when I am operating it.  But if I lend the car to another person, they will be also be covered because the insurance…

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Phase I on law office complete Historical Society will now look toward more upgrades

Source: The Kentbridge Victoria DispatchWednesday August 3, 2011 - Page 1

The Lunenburg County Historical Society met on Sunday, July 31, 2011 to celebrate the completion of Phase I of its project to make the two law offices at Lunenburg Court House available to the public.  When the project is completed, the building constructed in 1842 would become the Lunenburg Visitor Center.  The second would become a museum, with some original furnishings used by Isaac Bonaparte Bell, the illustrious Lunenburg attorney who had his law office constructed in 1888.

Phase I of the project saw the building repaired and preserved for the future,…

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Author: Kathleen M. Smith, Fredericksburg, VA Personal Injury Attorney

Did you know Virginia State Law requires you to follow rules each time you go for a walk? Certain laws - for instance, not stepping into the middle of a highway - appeal to common sense. However, rules like Virginia Law Code 46.2-928 - that requires pedestrians to walk on the sidewalk if one is available - may be less obvious.

Pedestrian regulations apply to the use of sidewalks, crosswalks, roadways, and highways. Pedestrians have the right of way on sidewalks, and are required to walk on them instead of the roadway when a sidewalk is available. If there is no sidewalk, stay to the…

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Every year, the Virginia State Bar[1] holds its Annual Meeting in Virginia Beach in June, and attorneys from around the state gather to meet, discuss legal issues, and go to Continuing Legal Education[2] seminars.   I have attended the Annual Meeting every year since passing the bar examination and receiving my license.   The Annual Meeting features several events sponsored by the Young Lawyers Conference (YLC) which is comprised of new and young lawyers. While the YLC programs are always well-organized, this year's meeting was especially noteworthy due to the impressive number, and quality, of events the YLC hosted during the weekend. These activities included a 5K "Run In the Sun" along the boardwalk, a poolside reception at…

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Law Firm of Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen Showcases Local Acts of Giving

Richmond, Virginia - July 29, 2011 -- The personal injury law firm of Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen has rescheduled the celebration of the 2011 Allen & Allen HOMETOWN HEROES award, showcasing residents of Greater Richmond, to take place on Friday, August 26, 2011 in celebration of local acts of kindness and heroism.

Allen and Allen will celebrate the 2011 HOMETOWN HEROES at CountryFest, featuring Trace Adkins, at Innsbrook Pavilion on the new celebration date.

"The 2011 Hometown Heroes have given to their community in countless ways. Now it's time to say thank you and to celebrate their impact," said Douglas…

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 Author: Attorney P. Christopher Guedri

It can happen in an instant. A puddle you never saw, a ball that bounced the wrong way, or a moment of inattention behind the wheel and you are forced to deal with a serious head trauma. Few things are more frightening than hearing that a loved one has suffered this type of injury. Parents drop everything and rush to schools, spouses hurry to hospitals, and entire families wait and pray. Only to find that most of the time, the victim is alright. A little shaken up and perhaps a bit confused, but starting to feel better and ready to go home. Whew. The crisis is over, right? Wrong.

When a person experiences a head trauma the head decelerates so fast that the…

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Author: Attorney Christopher A. Meyer

On June 21, 2011, and effective immediately, the Virginia Supreme Court adopted a new provision in the Rules of Professional Conduct.[1] This amendment to the Rules changes the ethics in Virginia concerning conflicts of interest and potential new clients.

Under the old rules, when an attorney met with a prospective client and decided not to accept the case - or the prospective client decided not to employ the attorney - there was an ethical risk if later another person involved in the same matter came to the attorney and sought representation.  The concern was that the attorney may have learned something from the interview with the first prospective client…

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