Allen & Allen Law Blog Personal Injury Legal News

Author: Attorney Douglas A. Barry

Personal injury attorney Douglas A. Barry

Giving back and serving our communities is a deeply held value at the Allen Law Firm. When I joined the firm in 1996, I came with a strong Government and public service background as well as a commitment to giving back to the community that fit well with the Firm’s values. For the first half of my career, I was an attorney in law enforcement, as a Special Agent in the…

Attorney Nathan J. D. Veldhuis

Author: Attorney Nathan J. D. Veldhuis

Sovereign immunity is the legal principle that the government (and its branches, departments, agencies and employees) cannot be sued or held legally responsible for their actions. This legal principle comes from the old English law that held the king was divinely chosen and therefore could do no wrong. As a result, the king could not be held accountable for his actions nor could his representatives. When the United States was founded,…

Attorney David M. Williams, Jr.

Author: Attorney David M. Williams

How does your vehicle measure up if it is involved in a crash? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded its annual “Top Safety Pick” awards on November 18, 2009, to the following passenger cars and sport utility vehicles:

SMALL CARS

Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional stability control
Kia Soul
Nissan Cube
Subaru Impreza (except WRX)
Volkswagen Golf 4-door

SMALL SUV’S

Honda Element
Jeep Patriot (with optional side torso airbags)
Subaru Forester
Volkswagen Tiguan

MIDSIZE CARS

Audi A3
Chevrolet Malibu (built after November…

Attorney Nathan J. D. Veldhuis

Author: Attorney Nathan J. D. Velduis

Black’s Law Dictionary (7th Edition) (1) defines a “tort” as: “A civil wrong for which a remedy may be obtained, usually in the form of damages; a breach of a duty that the law imposes on everyone in the same relation to one another as those involved in a given transaction.” The word, “tort” is a French word which means a “fault” or a “wrong.” (2) Torts are not claims for breach of…

Claims Consultant Chris Cloude

Author: Christopher B. Cloude, Claims Consultant

Before we can talk about what a personal injury settlement involves, we must first look at what makes a successful personal injury case that leads to a settlement.

In order to have a personal injury case for which you can make a recovery, there are three basic elements that must be present:

1. Liability
2. Damages
3. A source of recovery

Liability is when a person or entity (corporation, association, etc.) is negligent (1) and has caused another…

Attorney Tamara L. Jezic

Author: Attorney Tamara L. Jezic

The U.S. Supreme Court began its 2009-10 term on October 5, 2009 – the first Monday in October – with recently confirmed Justice Sonia Sotomayor as its newest member. The Court’s docket this year includes cases with a number of important and interesting issues, including the following:

Gun laws. Last year, the Court overturned a handgun ban in Washington, DC, ruling that the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution granted citizens of the District of…

Attorney Kathleen Llewellyn-Duncan

Author: Attorney Kathleen Llewellyn-Duncan

Aggressive driving and road rage. We are all susceptible to feelings of frustration and impatience when driving. And that can affect our driving. After all, we are busy people with jobs, kids, errands, family, pets, and it can be tempting to think that if we just got to our destination a few minutes quicker, we’d be happier. (More about that later). But we shouldn’t let the urge turn into habit. Road rage kills. And the…

Attorney David M. Williams, Jr.

Author: Attorney David M. Williams, Jr.

In representing victims of drunk drivers, I have seen firsthand the devastating consequences of drinking and driving. As states across the country continue to pass tougher laws to combat this deadly problem, we have fortunately seen a decline in the number of deaths and injuries from drunk driving. However, the statistics are still alarming: nationally, in 2008, an estimated 11,773 people died in alcohol-related traffic collisions 1. In Virginia, 354 people…

Author: Attorney Douglas A. Barry

Personal injury attorney Douglas A. Barry

I believe it is important to give back, and to be involved in community service. As the President of the Firm, I work to continue the long tradition of the Allen and Allen law firm in helping the community, both in terms of financial giving and volunteerism. As we approach our 100th anniversary, we look back with pride on the support the Allen Law Firm has given to the communities where…

Author: Attorney Tamara L. Jezic

Attorney Tamara L. Jezic

Each year thousands of children are injured or killed in motor vehicle collisions, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Proper use of car safety seats reduces the risk of injury to children in motor vehicle crashes. The AAP has recommendations for selecting and using car safety seats, but Virginia law also has requirements for the use of child safety seats that you should know.

According to the AAP, recent research shows that…