In workers’ compensation cases, many parties try to get their fingers into the proverbial pie. Often this leads to confusion as to who has the power to order what, or who must follow directives from whom. In Virginia’s system, the roles typically played by the various parties may be summarized as follows: The Insurance Company…
On occasion a Virginia-based medical provider will accept a patient who is receiving workers’ compensation benefits under a case pending in another state. This can happen not only in areas that border other states, but also when a previously injured worker moves into Virginia. The Virginia-based medical provider may assume that reimbursement for treatment should…
Some years ago, the television series “Ed”, began with the titular character losing his job at a Wall Street law firm. The firm fired Ed after it suffered a multi-million dollar malpractice liability, supposedly caused by his misplacing a comma in a large contract he had drafted. But such things only happen on television, right? …
Often a few friends want to start a business together. Before signing on the dotted line, before renting office space and buying furniture, before ordering business cards, ask yourself how your relationship with this new company might end. Often businesses begin like marriages—with romantic hopes and rose-colored glasses. Entrepreneurs often fail to plan for contingencies…
There are several ways that construction disputes can be resolved: Refereeing by the architect as the project proceeds; Negotiations and compromise; Law suits in the court system; Mediation; and Arbitration. In this section, we will discuss the pros and cons of each option. I. Law Suits in Court Litigation through the courts system is how…
Most business owners have probably found themselves wishing they had less competition. But serious fears arise when the competitors are former employees or even former owners of their businesses. In Western Insulation LP v. Moore, a Virginia federal court re-emphasized the expanded allowable scope of “non-compete” agreements when those agreements are found in the sales…
In the wake of the Great Recession and diminished corporate employment opportunities, many people are considering whether to become business owners as a way to provide for themselves and their families. As with franchises versus independent business operations, there are advantages and disadvantages to acquiring an existing business versus going the start-up route.
Pete Goergen of MeyerGoergen PC will speak on “The Perfect Storm: When Divorce, Bankruptcy and Real Estate Collide” to the Real Estate Section of the Richmond Bar Association. The program is designed to help domestic relations, bankruptcy and real estate attorneys deal with the many issues involved when a client facing divorce and/or bankruptcy and…
Millions of Americans are members of the various social networking websites, and the popularity and prevalence of this phenomenon shows no signs of slowing. Services like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter allow individuals and businesses to communicate with the world instantaneously by simply posting a status change or uploading a picture. But while users flock…
A recent ruling from the Massachusetts Supreme Court sent Wells Fargo stock falling on Wall Street, as the court ruled that the bank had failed to prove that it actually owned the promissory notes which it had already used to foreclose on homes – resulting in the properties being returned to the owners. A Massachusetts…