Virginia: Brain Injury – a Lawyer’s Questioning

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On August 16, 2010, dailypress.com headlined “Former Gloucester student’s civil trial under way,” and subtitled “Jury selection included arguments over attorney’s question.” The coverage is for the $9,350,000.00 brain injury lawsuit of Gagnon v. Burns, No. CL08-572 in Circuit Court for Gloucester County, Virginia; which is being defended by Gloucester High School’s insurer.

During jury selection, the Court appropriately permitted Plaintiff’s lawyer, Mr. Waterman, to ask whether prospective jurors would believe an assistant principal over a student because of his status. Mr. Waterman also appropriately was allowed to ask prospective jurors in the Gagnon brain injury case whether they likewise would believe a doctor over the patient based on his status.

By the end of the trial’s first day, a fine jury comprised by 2 men and 7 women was impaneled by the parties and their lawyers. But 2 of those jurors in Gagnon were alternates, who ultimately would not decide the brain injury victim’s fate.