About



Welcome to this website/blog dedicated to victim justice and public safety! Avery T. “Sandy” Waterman, Jr. is distinguished as a mediation, settlement, trial and appellate lawyer for vehicle accident, medical malpractice, and other wrongful death and serious personal injury cases at Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein, L.C. in Newport News, Virginia.

Mr. Waterman is licensed to practice law in Virginia , Louisiana , and the District of Columbia. He is admitted to practice before all local courts in Virginia, Louisiana, and the District of Columbia; theVirginia Supreme Court , Louisiana Supreme Court , and District of the Columbia Courts ; and theUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana ; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ; United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia ; United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ; United States Tax Court ; United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ; United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ; and United States Supreme Court.

Many court opinions of Mr. Waterman’s cases are published. E.g., Kane v Hargis , 987 F.2d 1005 (4th Cir. 1992); Alley v. Chrysler Credit Corp. , 767 F.2d 138 (5th Cir. 1985); Webb v. Stevens, 2008 U.S. Dist. Lexis 61480 (E.D.N.C. Aug. 11, 2008); Choimbol v. Fairfield Resorts, Inc. , 2006 U.S. Dist. Lexis 19340 (E.D. Va. 2006); Zhu v. Rocco Farms, Inc. , 1998 U.S. Dist. Lexis 21781 (W.D. Va. 1998); In re Patterson (Williamson v. Patterson) , 150 B.R. 367 (E.D. Va. 1993); Burns v. Gagnon, 283 Va. 657 (2012); Riverside Hosp., Inc. v. Johnson , 272 Va. 518 (2006); Amchem Prods., Inc. v. Newport News Circuit Court Asbestos Cases Plaintiffs , 264 Va. 89 (2002); Waterman v. Halverson , 261 Va. 203 (2001); Carr v. Carr , No. 0096-09-1 (Aug. 18, 2009) reh. denied en banc (Va. App., Sep. 22, 2009); Burr v. R.C. Paving , 78 Va. Cir. 56 (Suffolk Dec. 2, 2008); Anderson v. Carilion Med. Ctr. , 2008 Va. Cir. LEXIS 207 (Roanoke Aug. 28, 2008); Shakshober v. Riverside Hosp., Inc. , 2008 Va. Cir. LEXIS 210 (Newport News Jun. 23, 2008); Morel v. Mary Immaculate Nursing Ctr., Inc. , 2008 Va. Cir. LEXIS 209 (Newport News May 5, 2008); Purvis v. Riverside Hosp., Inc. , 2008 Va. Cir. LEXIS 206 (Newport News Feb. 27, 2008); Morel v. Mary Immaculate Nursing Ctr., Inc. , 2008 Va. Cir. LEXIS 208 (Newport News Feb. 26, 2008); Licare v. Riverside Health Sys , 2007 Va. Cir. LEXIS 338 (Newport News Aug, 3, 2007);Justis v. Sentara Health Sys , 2007 Va. Cir. LEXIS 339 (Williamsburg/James City Apr. 30, 2007); Pais v. Automation Prods, Inc. , 36 Va. Cir. 230 (Newport News 1995); Treitler v. American Druggists’ Ins. Co. , 474 So.2d 475 (La. App. 1985); Evans v. Detweiler , 466 So.2d 800 (La. App. 1984); Duckworth v. GEICO , 464 So.2d 907 (La. App. 1984); Landaiche v. Lou-Con , 461 So.2d 1107 (La. App. 1984); In re Tutorship of Werling , 459 So.2d 758 (La. App. 1984); and Mayeur v. American Cyanamid Co. , 459 So.2d 292 (La. App. 1984). Several of his articles are published too: “Healthcare Policies, Procedures and Protocols: Discoverability, Abuse, Admissibility and Legislation,” 19 The Journal of VTLA 2, Spring, 2008; “Charitable Immunity: A Limited Doctrine,” 9 The Journal of VTLA 2, Spring, 1997; and“Negligent Retention: Alive and Well in Virginia,” 11 V.L.W. 253, Aug. 19, 1996.

Mr. Waterman is a member of the I’Anson-Hoffman American Inn of Court , American Inns of Court , Motor Car Trial Lawyers Association , Virginia Trial Lawyers Association , Southern Trial Lawyers Association , American Association for Justice , Virginia State Bar , District of Columbia Bar , Louisiana State Bar Association , and Williamsburg Bar Association. His past and present recognitions include ” Million Dollar Advocates Forum “; ” Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum “; “The Best Lawyers in America ” (Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury and “Lawyer of the Year” Greater Norfolk 2014); The National Trial Lawyers’ “Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Virginia” ; ” Virginia’s Super Lawyers “; Hampton Roads Magazine’s “Top Attorneys in Hampton Roads”; Virginia Business’ “Legal Elite”; Lawdragon’s “Top Plaintiff Lawyers”; VTLA “Amicus Curiae Honor Roll”; and ” Who’s Who in American Law “. He also has been a member of VTLA’s Williamsburg Society and has participated in its Justice Day, Bike Helmet Safety, Road to Virginia Justice, annual convention, and other programs. Additionally he has been a judge at the Mock Trial Competition ofHarvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts; Moot Court Competition of University of Virginia School of Law , Charlottesville, Virginia; and Moot Court Competition of William and Mary School of Law , Williamsburg, Virginia; a continuing legal education panelist on Ethics and speaker on Medical Malpractice (2013); and an Adjunct Professor in Paralegal Studies at Tulane University.

The University of Virginia School of Law conferred its Juris Doctorate degree on Mr. Waterman in 1982. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1979 from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg , where he attended on scholarship. As an undergraduate, he was selected as a President’s Aide; admitted to Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board , the national leadership honoraries, and to Omicron Delta Epsilon , the national economics honor society; was listed in the College Register and Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges ; and was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity, the Board of Student Affairs (Chairman), and the Colonial Echo (Section Editor).

Awards