In Virginia, DUI and DWI are commonly used to describe the same general category of impaired-driving offense. A criminal charge against a driver may provide important evidence after a collision, but it does not automatically establish civil liability or guarantee compensation for an injured person. Atkinson Law represents people injured in drunk driving accidents. The …
Filing Nursing Home Lawsuits Due to Neglect in the Age of COVID-19
A nursing-home resident or family may have a Virginia negligence claim when substandard care causes a preventable injury or death. A COVID-19 infection or outbreak alone does not establish liability. The evidence must show that the facility or another health care provider breached an applicable duty and that the breach caused legally recoverable harm. Potential …
How safe are Pitbull and Pitbull Mixed-Breeds as a family pet?
Reviewed by Ed Atkinson, Virginia Personal Injury Attorney Last updated: July 2026 Based on Virginia personal injury law and Atkinson Law case experience Pitbulls and Pitbull mixes can be loyal family pets, but when a powerful dog bites, attacks, escapes, or injures a person, the legal issue is not breed reputation. The issue is injury …
3 Signs of Nursing Home Neglect
Three warning signs of possible nursing home neglect are unexplained injuries or behavioral changes, worsening health or hygiene problems, and unexpected weight loss or dehydration. None of these signs independently proves neglect. Each concern should be investigated in light of the resident’s medical condition, assessed needs, care plan and facility records. Families expect nursing homes …
Most Common Types of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse, as well as neglect, abandonment and improper restraint. Warning signs may include unexplained injuries, sudden behavioural changes, poor hygiene, pressure injuries, missing money or a resident appearing frightened around a particular caregiver. Not every injury or change in behaviour proves that …
Eye Opening Stats on Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing home abuse is a serious public-health and resident-rights concern, but statistics about it are frequently quoted without enough context. Figures may measure different populations, countries, time periods, types of conduct and reporting systems. For example, a statistic about elder abuse among adults living in the community should not be presented as the percentage of …
Nursing Home Ownership, Neglect and Elder Abuse
Nursing-home ownership may affect staffing, budgets, policies, maintenance and other conditions that influence resident care. Ownership alone, however, does not prove abuse or neglect and does not automatically make every parent company, investor, landlord or affiliated business liable for a resident’s injury. A nursing-home claim requires evidence connecting a particular person or entity’s conduct to …
“On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone!” – Atkinson Law in the news
Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome. Every personal injury case depends on its specific facts, evidence, injuries, insurance coverage, applicable law and other circumstances. Atkinson Law was featured in Virginia Lawyers Weekly after two related personal injury claims arising from a serious Eastern Shore car accident resolved through mediation for a …
Adopted Pit Bull Mauls and Kills Elderly Owner
A fatal attack by a recently adopted dog may raise difficult questions about the dog’s prior history, the information provided during adoption, the organization’s records, the adopter’s knowledge, insurance coverage, and Virginia wrongful death law. The fact that a dog was adopted shortly before an attack does not automatically establish liability against the adopter, shelter, …
Norfolk Traffic: New Bike Lanes on Llewellyn
Norfolk’s bicycle lanes on Llewellyn Avenue were installed as part of the city’s original Pilot Bike Loop, which reallocated roadway space to create a more connected route for cyclists. The project also reduced the number of general-purpose vehicle lanes, leading some motorists to question its effect on congestion, turning movements and travel time. The lanes …