Richard C. Armstrong

Richard C. Armstrong

Meet Richard

Richard is an experienced and skilled attorney working in the Charlottesville, Virginia office of Allen & Allen. He has dedicated his career to fighting for justice for his clients, guided by a singular philosophy: the case belongs to the client. Richard focuses on a variety of personal injury matters, including wrongful death, automobile and tractor trailer accidents, and accidents involving drunk drivers.

After receiving his law degree from the University of Virginia, Richard worked as a public defender in New York City for 13 years. He returned to Virginia in 2000 and continues to litigate cases in the Commonwealth.

Richard is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating available. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an honor reserved for attorneys who have achieved trial verdicts of $1 million or more. He has been honored by the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association for work on friend of the court briefs to the Supreme Court of Virginia. He has presented at various seminars and has published several articles in the Journal of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association.

Richard is very involved in the Charlottesville community. He currently serves as the Chair of the Board of the Albemarle County Service Authority. Richard has also served on the boards and as past President of the Jefferson Swim League and Madison House.

Richard is married and has two children. His wife, Andrea, is also an attorney and works for UVA as the Director of Virginia Status. Richard has traveled extensively and has visited several countries including Vietnam, Bali, Turkey, Nicaragua, and Cuba. In his spare time, he can be found swimming, biking, traveling, and dining out with his wife.

Experience

  • Shareholder, Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen (2023-Present )
  • Trial Attorney, Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen (2017-Present )
  • Attorney, Lenhart Pettit (2008-2017)
  • Attorney, Richmond and Fishburne (2004-2008)
  • Attorney, Wyatt & Armstrong (2001-2004)
  • Supervising Attorney, Criminal Defense Division, New York (1994-2000)
  • Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society Criminal Defense Division, New York (1987-1994)

Bar Admissions

  • Licensed to practice law in Commonwealth of Virginia, New York

Court Admissions

  • Supreme Court of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

Education

  • J.D., University of Virginia School of Law (1987)
  • B.A., Political and Social Thought, University of Virginia, with distinction (1984)

Honors

  • AV Preeminent rated by Martindale Hubbell
  • Virginia Trial Lawyers Association amicus curiae honor roll (2006, 2017)
  • Virginia Lawyers Weekly, Largest Verdicts of 2006, $4.5 million
  • Virginia Lawyers Weekly, Million Dollar Settlements of 2015

Professional Affiliations

  • Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, Member and Past Co-chair of Amicus Curiae Committee
  • Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association
  • Thomas Jefferson Inn of Court, Past President
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Speaking Engagements

  • VTLA May Tort Law Seminar: “Reasonableness of Medical Bills: Combatting Defense Strategies to Reduce the Value of Your Case” (2021)
  • Virginia CLE Seminar: “Tort-Related Damages” for VACLE (2020)
  • Virginia CLE Seminar: “Tort-Related Damages” (2012)
  • Thomas Jefferson Inn of Court: The 5th Amendment in Civil Litigation (2011)
  • Virginia CLE Seminar: “Evaluating and Settling Personal Injury Claims” (2010)

Published Works

  • VTLA Journal: “Duties of a Landlord post-Isbell” (2019)
  • VTLA Journal: “A Primer on the Fifth Amendment in Civil Litigation” (2010)
  • VTLA Journal: “How to Recover When the Treating Physician Won’t Get on the Bus” (2009)
  • VTLA Journal: “HIPAA Regulations and Client Privacy” (2007)
  • VTLA Journal: “The Myth of the Charitable Physician” (2006)

Notable Cases

  • Volpe v. City of Lexington, 281 Va. 630 (2011)
  • Hollingsworth v. Norfolk S. Ry., 279 Va. 360 (2010)
  • UVA Health Serv. Foundation v. Morris, 275 Va. 319 (2008)
  • Sanchez v. Medicorp Health Sys., 270 Va. 299 (2005)
  • Gray v. Rhoads, 268 Va. 81 (2004)
  • Brake v. Payne, 268 Va. 92 (2004)

Community Service

  • Albemarle County Service Authority Board Chair (2023 – Present)
  • Albemarle County Service Authority Board member (2016 – Present)
  • Jefferson Swim League, Past Board Member, and Past President
  • Madison House, Past Board Member, and Past President

Personal Injury Resources

Exploring different types of car accidents

  • February 23, 2024
  • Blog

The sound of crunching metal, the jolt of impact —a car accident can leave you shaken, injured, and unsure of next steps. Understanding different types of car accidents and potential...

The verdict is in! Allen & Allen attorneys rate legal shows and films

  • January 17, 2024
  • Blog

What is your favorite legal movie or TV show of all time? My favorite legal movie is The Verdict.  It is far more realistic than most and tells a gripping...

Wrongful death – $1,700,000

On September 13, 2021, in Albemarle County, the defendant lost control of his vehicle. He hit a guardrail, careened across the median, and T-boned the plaintiff’s vehicle. This sent her...

Attorney Richard Armstrong elected as Shareholder

  • July 28, 2023
  • News

We are thrilled to announce that attorney Richard Armstrong has been elected as the newest Shareholder at the Allen Law Firm. “We are very excited for Richard to join us...

Are self-driving cars really the answer to safety on the roads?

  • April 18, 2023
  • Blog

At around 10:00 p.m. on March 18, 2018, Elaine Herzberg was killed while walking her bicycle into the roadway on a street in Tempe, Arizona. The “driver” of the car...

Pedestrian accident: $1,400,000

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving of 2020, our plaintiff attempted to cross the street at West Broad toward Short Pump Town Center. A resident of China, she was in the...

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