Candidate Can Run from 87th District

Noncompete Case Prompts Second Look

By Deborah Elkins
Published: March 1, 2012
Tags: Employment, Judge Thomas D. Horne, Loudoun County Circuit Court, Virginia Circuit Courts

A Loudoun County Circuit Court reconsiders its earlier decision in this franchisor/franchisee contest, in light of the Home Paramount case, and decides the noncompete and nonsolicitation provisions in the parties’ agreement cannot be enforced. Central to consideration of the instant motion are the noncompetition provision of the Area Franchise License Agreement entered into by the [...]

Loudoun jury: $15M for death

By Sarah Rodriguez
Published: February 20, 2012
Tags: Loudoun County Circuit Court, Million-Dollar Verdicts, Wrongful Death

A man facing a life sentence for the murder of his wife has been hit with a record-setting civil verdict arising from the same crime. Last Monday, a Loudoun County jury awarded $15 million to the family of Catherine Ann “Cacey” Combs-LaFleur, a woman who died after Steven Combs-LaFleur, her husband, struck her on the [...]

Woman ejected from wheelchair on airport boarding ramp – $315,000 Settlement

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: February 13, 2012
Tags: Loudoun County Circuit Court, Personal Injury

The 56-year-old plaintiff was being pushed down the boarding ramp in a wheelchair at a major Virginia airport. Instead of transporting the victim down the ramp by facing the wheelchair towards the airport terminal, the airline employee admitted he was in a “hurry” when he pushed the wheelchair down the ramp facing the airplane door. [...]

Association Can Collect for Litigation Costs

By Deborah Elkins
Published: January 30, 2012
Tags: Judge Thomas D. Horne, Loudoun County Circuit Court, Real Estate, Virginia Circuit Courts

Although defendant homeowners challenge plaintiff homeowners association’s right to collect dues assessment to support litigation by the association, the Loudoun County Circuit Court upholds action by the association board of directors that led to the assessments, and enters judgment for the association against the individual homeowners, except for the association’s request for 18 percent interest. [...]

No Fees for Conspiracy Defense Win

By Deborah Elkins
Published: January 30, 2012
Tags: Judge Thomas D. Horne, Loudoun County Circuit Court, Tort, Virginia Circuit Courts

Although counterclaim-defendants won on Diamond Information Systems’ counterclaims alleging misappropriation of trade secrets and business conspiracy, a Loudoun County Circuit Court says they are not entitled to attorney’s fees, nor are they entitled to $13,599 in transcript costs; the court awards only $414 in costs to the winning parties. Plaintiffs Neeraj Bhagat and Peak State [...]

Noncompete Suit Goes Forward

By Deborah Elkins
Published: January 27, 2012
Tags: Employment, Judge Burke McCahill, Loudoun County Circuit Court, Virginia Circuit Courts

In this litigation over a noncompete clause, the Loudoun County Circuit Court declines to reconsider its decision overruling demurrers to two counts of plaintiff employer’s complaint, in light of the recent ruling in Home Paramount. Defendants asked the court to reconsider its ruling with respect to two counts of plaintiff’s complaint in light of the [...]

Claim against ER doc in death case struck – Defense Verdict

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: November 28, 2011
Tags: Judge James H. Chamblin, Loudoun County Circuit Court, Medical Malpractice, Million-Dollar Defense Verdicts, Wrongful Death

This was a medical malpractice case involving emergency medical treatment provided to the plaintiff, at the Loudoun Hospital Center on Oct. 30, 2004. At the time of presentation, the ER physician defendant was told that the plaintiff had recently had an artificial insemination procedure. Originally this was the only information the family could give him. [...]

ER doc prevails in claim over shock following dogbite – Defense Verdict

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: November 21, 2011
Tags: Judge Thomas D. Horne, Loudoun County Circuit Court, Medical Malpractice

This was a medical malpractice case involving emergency medical treatment provided to the plaintiff at the Loudoun Hospital Center by the defendant E.R. physician. Plaintiff presented on Dec. 25, 2004, at 5:40 a.m., for emergency medical treatment with complaints of achiness all over, low back pain, severe headaches, nausea and vomiting. She had been bitten [...]

Jury needed only 20 minutes to find for doc in med-mal case – Defense Verdict

By Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Published: October 24, 2011
Tags: Judge James H. Chamblin, Loudoun County Circuit Court, Medical Malpractice, Million-Dollar Defense Verdicts

Plaintiff’s wife underwent surgery to remedy blocked fallopian tubes and remove abdominal adhesions. Defendant physician recommended the surgery to improve the wife’s chances of success with IVF therapy. Another physician, who was not a party to the case, performed the surgery. After the surgery, plaintiff’s wife was discharged home. She then developed a bowel perforation [...]