Premises Liability: Maryland Court of Appeals clarifies assumption of risk defense in black ice case
December 19th, 2011
In George Poole v. Coakley Williams Construction, Inc., et al., No. 130 Sept. Term 2010 (Oct. 27, 2011), and Mary Thomas v. Panco Management of Maryland, LLC, No. 133 Sept. Term 2010 (Oct. 31, 2011) the Court of Appeals overruled the Court of Special Appeals decision in Mary Thomas v. Panco Management of Maryland, LLC, et a…
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Independent contractor rule in D.C.: WMATA not liable for tuberculosis exposure
December 16th, 2011
In a recent case before the District Court for the District of Columbia, the plaintiff unsuccessfully attempted to invoke two exceptions to the “independent contractor rule.” Andrews v. Wash. Metro. Area Transit Auth., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 119916 (D.D.C. 2011). That rule provides that a principal is generally n…
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Categories: District of Columbia
Federal jurisdiction and venue: New Legislation Takes Effect
December 16th, 2011
On December 7, 2011, the President signed into law the Federal Courts Jurisdiction and Venue Clarification Act. 112 P.L. 63. The Act is applicable to all actions filed on or after January 6, 2012. This new law makes small but important changes to the procedure for removal to federal court and clarifies the scope of diversit…
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Categories: Federal Civil Procedure
Insurer’s Late Notice Defense in Virginia: Dabney v. Augusta Mutual Ins. Co.
November 30th, 2011
In Dabney v. Augusta Mutual Insurance Co., 282 Va. 78, 710 S.E.2d 726 (2011), the Virginia Supreme Court held that the question whether the insured gave the insurer notice of the claim “as soon as is practicable” was a question for the jury, notwithstanding the insured’s 254-day delay in providing notice.…
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Subrogation suit dismissed based on contractual limitations period in arbitration clause
November 22nd, 2011
In Vigilant Insurance Company v. American Mechanical Services of Maryland, LLC, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed a subrogation action by an insurance company against a contractor on the grounds that the claim was barred by a contractual limitations period. Vigilant sued American Mechanical Serv…
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Legal malpractice in D.C.: the common knowledge exception to the requirement of expert opinion
November 17th, 2011
In Carranza v. Fraas, No. 05-0117 (D.D.C. Oct. 31, 2011), Judge Urbina granted summary judgment on legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty claims, due to the plaintiffs’ lack of expert testimony supporting some of their claims, and the plaintiffs’ lack of admissible evidence to support their last remainin…
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Maryland Premises Liability: Nightclub subject to suit for injuries to patron beaten on dance floor
November 16th, 2011
In Troxel v. Iquana Cantina, LLC, No. 820, September Term, 2010 (Md. App. October 3, 2011), plaintiff was a patron at a nightclub, where on a “college night” he was attacked and beaten on the dance floor by several unknown individuals. The Circuit Court granted summary judgment to the defendants, holding that th…
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Categories: Maryland
Confidential Settlements are Discoverable to Determine Joint Tortfeasor Status and Contribution
November 15th, 2011
In Richard Tempel, et al. v. Elena L. Murphy, et al., No. 1199 Sept. Term 2010 (Oct. 28, 2011), the Court of Special Appeals addressed two questions: (1) whether a non-settling defendant has a right to inspect the settling defendants settlement agreements prior to judgment; and (2) whether Plaintiffs’ evidence of the…
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STATUTORY IMMUNITY FOR PROPERTY OWNERS IN LEAD PAINT CASES HELD UNCONSTITUTIONAL
October 31st, 2011
In Zi’Tashia Jackson, et al, v. The Dackman Company, et al., No. 131, Sept. Term 2008 (Oct. 24, 2011), the Court of Appeals declared that the provisions in the Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing Act (Md. Code Ann. Environment sec. 6-801, et seq.) which grant the owners of certain rental properties, under specified cond…
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Maryland Act construed to include loss of overtime pay in loss of “wage earning capacity”
October 31st, 2011
In Montgomery County v. Deibler, ___ A.2d. ___ (Md. Oct. 27, 2011), the Maryland Court of Appeals considered the issue whether the term “wage earning capacity” in L.E. sec. 9-615(a)(1) includes the capacity to earn overtime compensation so that the Commission may include such compensation in the determination of…
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