Blacksburg Law Blog

What is a joint venture and why would I want to enter one?

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. posted in business formation & planning on Friday, September 13, 2019.

A joint venture is a type of business association. It is a little bit different, though, from other business structures, like corporations or conventional partnerships, since it is for a limited purpose and may also be limited in time and in scope.

Basically, a joint venture is a contractual arrangement between two or more businesses that are committed to engaging in a common project. The businesses have every intention of maintaining their independence in all other respects and may even wind up competing against each other in different markets.

Parental tips for protecting college kids from a DUI

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. on Wednesday, September 4, 2019.

The fall semester at college may already be underway, but it is not too late to have important discussions with your young adult children about college life. One big aspect of these years is partying, where alcohol consumption is often excessive.

Regardless of how you feel about your kid drinking, whether to the level of intoxication or not, you need to arm your son or daughter with the knowledge of how to avoid drunk driving charges and what to do if they occur.

One dead, 1 seriously injured in chain reaction accident

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. posted in truck accidents on Saturday, August 31, 2019.

An accident on Interstate 66 in Northern Virginia left one person dead and a young woman, the deceased person's wife, recovering from critical injuries. The family of the couple has begun raising money to cover medical bills and funeral expenses.

According to authorities, the accident involved a chain reaction on the freeway in the middle of the day. Apparently, the driver of a luxury vehicle rear-ended the vehicle in front of it. Ultimately, the BMW also hit a large truck. The large truck hit several other vehicles and eventually rolled over. One of the vehicles the truck hit left the road and caught fire.

About 20% of serious medical conditions misdiagnosed

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. on Thursday, August 29, 2019.

Regrettably, medical misdiagnosis is far more common than you may want to believe, and an entirely too large percentage of American patients who visit their primary care doctors are getting incomplete or downright inaccurate information when they seek diagnoses. Because so many patients do not get the full story when visiting their doctors, seeking a second opinion from a separate physician is wise anytime you receive a serious diagnosis or a recommendation for a highly invasive form of treatment.

According to AARP, medical misdiagnosis happens so frequently nowadays that about 10% of all patient deaths result from diagnostic-related circumstances. Furthermore, in one Mayo Clinic-conducted study involving patients who sought second opinions after receiving diagnoses, only about 12% of patients had received accurate diagnoses from their doctors during their initial visits.

An overview of mechanic's liens in Virginia

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. posted in real estate transactions on Wednesday, August 14, 2019.

When people in Blacksburg hear about foreclosure, their first thought may be about a family or a business falling behind on their payments to the bank on the loan they took out to buy the real estate. All Virginians, and particularly those who are building or doing significant improvements certain properties, should also be aware about the foreclosure risks associated with mechanic's liens. For that matter, those who are buying new construction buildings or recently renovated property should also be aware of the problems that may arise with mechanic's liens.

Basically, any contractor or other business that performs work on certain properties, and whose work is worth more than $150, has a right to a lien on that property for the value of contractor's parts and labor. If not timely paid, then the business may record a lien against the property under the terms of Virginia law.

First time drunk driving charges are serious

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. posted in criminal defense on Friday, August 2, 2019.

Should he get accused of drunk driving, it may be tempting for a Blacksburg resident simply to take whatever deal the prosecutor offers and try to put the matter behind him.

This decision can easily back to haunt a person for a long time, particularly if she drives for a living or holds a professional license.

Teen drivers in Virginia are known to cause car accidents

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. posted in car accidents on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

While the stories may sometimes be a little overblown, there is considerable truth behind the common perception that teenage drivers tend to cause car accidents at a higher rate. For example, recent statistics showed that, financially, teenage drivers are costing more than their fair share when it comes to car accidents.

Specifically, teen drivers account for 8.4% of all costs related to accidents involving a bodily injury. However, drivers ages 15 through 19 make up only 6.5% of the total population nationwide. On another rather grim note, motor vehicle accidents remain the leading cause of death for people ages 16 through 19.

Despite increase in wrecks, feds set to relax rest rules

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. posted in truck accidents on Friday, July 5, 2019.

This blog has previously talked how many truckers and other commercial drivers in Virginia must follow federal hours of service regulations.

These so-called rest rules limit how long these drivers can stay on the road, or on duty, before stopping for several hours. The goal of these rules is to make sure truckers get enough sleep, which in turn prevents truck accidents due to fatigued driving.

Why car crashes tend to occur near home

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. on Wednesday, July 3, 2019.

Virginia is a comparatively safe state for motorists. In fact, according to researchers, the Old Dominion is the 37th most dangerous state for drivers. Still, because around 70% of motor vehicle accidents occur within 10 miles of home, state safety statistics may not paint a realistic picture of your risk.

You probably cannot avoid driving altogether. You can, though, understand why car crashes tend to occur near home. Here are three primary reasons:

Study suggests law enforcement take high driving more seriously

On behalf of Spicer, Olin & Associates, P.C. posted in car accidents on Friday, June 21, 2019.

Even in states where it remains illegal, most people would probably agree that marijuana use is becoming more socially mainstreamed.

With more people using the drug recreationally and believing they can do so responsibly, police in Virginia are facing the problem about what to do about high drivers.