Responsible drivers understand that drinking and driver should never mix; however, there are individuals out there that choose to disregard this knowledge. When they drive drunk, they’re putting their lives and the lives of others at risk. If you’ve been injured in a crash involving an intoxicated driver, our Charleston drunk driving accident lawyers are prepared to provide you with the legal support and guidance you need to aid in your recovery.

While the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 percent, alcohol begins to affect the brain at 0.02 percent. At this point, visual functions and judgment abilities begin to decline. As a person drinks more, their coordination worsens and their reaction times slow. When a person hits the legal limit and decides to get behind the wheel, their ability to concentrate declines, they experience short-term memory loss, they are unable to control their speeds, and their self-control is impaired.

Addiction is a scary and serious thing that can ruin lives or end them. But most people got opioids from legal prescriptions. Without the proper education, they may have taken these drugs and not known about the high risk for developing a dependency. That’s progressed to people having an addiction to these drugs and needing to find more. If you’ve been harmed by opioid abuse, you may have grounds for a claim.

What Factors Led to the Crisis?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), about 80 percent of heroin users misused prescription opioids before using heroin. Opioid drug overdoses kill about 116 people a day. With frightening numbers like these, one has to wonder how the problem got to this point.

There are many factors that have contributed to the country’s current opioid epidemic. Doctors prescribed opioid drugs more feely in the past to treat pain. But they didn’t have all the information about the risk of prescribing these highly addictive drugs. Patients developed addictions and had to seek to alternatives to feed their addiction when the prescription ran out.

Losing a loved one is never easy; however, the loss can be even harder to cope with if the death was unexpected and preventable. Car accidents injure thousands and take the lives of hundreds in West Virginia each year. In order to deal with the grief and pain associated with the wrongful death, you may benefit from understanding why the accident occurred.

In 2016, there were 250 fatal crashes in West Virginia. As a result, 269 individuals lost their lives. Many of these accidents could have been prevented. As a responsible citizen and driver, it’s important to recognize why these fatal accidents happen, so you can take steps to aid in the prevention of these occurrences.

When dealing with insurance companies, it’s important to remember that they’re not looking out for your rights or best interests. They will make more money when you get less. Your actions and statements can be used against you to lower your compensation. This can be intimidating and make communicating with insurance companies more difficult while you’re already trying to recover from a car accident.

DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC has protected the rights of citizens from West Virginia for years. We know how speaking to insurance companies is a tenuous situation. Our lawyers can speak to the insurance companies on your behalf so you don’t have to deal with the hassle. We’ll make sure to fight for your rights and to get you compensation that covers pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages or loss of earnings, and more.

West Virginia employees are protected from mistreatment under state and federal employment laws. If you feel as though your employer has violated these laws, contact our West Virginia employment lawyer to find out about holding your employer accountable for their actions.

You may hear discrimination and harassment used interchangeably; however, legally they have their own significant meanings. If you feel as though you’ve been mistreated in the workplace, you’ll need to understand how you’ve been mistreated. We’ll go over the distinctions between discrimination and harassment so that when you’re ready to contact us and file your claim, you’ll have an idea of what to expect.

Whether an accident happens in a parking lot, an intersection, or on a highway, many people get in car collisions every day. While there are situations where it’s clear that you need to call 911, accidents where everyone seems fine may be a bit more confusing. There can be an instance where the collision doesn’t seem that bad, none of the parties involved believe to have any major injuries and are willing to exchange important information so everyone can report back to the insurance companies.

But this decision may make your claims process slower or more difficult to prove that you’re not at fault for the accident. In these cases, you may not know what to do next. It’s important to remember that you’re not alone and there are people who can help you with your claim. A West Virginia car accident injury lawyer from DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC will fight for your rights and hold the correct party responsible for their actions.

If you or a loved one have been injured while under the care of a healthcare professional, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice case. While medical errors happen for a variety of reasons, there is never an excuse.

If you find yourself seeking legal guidance after a medical malpractice event, it’s likely you’ll realize just how complex these cases can be. At DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC, we’ll make these complicated legal matters easy to understand. Let’s start by going over the why most medical malpractice claims are considered civil cases.

When your loved one is being abused in their nursing home, you want to take action immediately. The first step is moving them to a safe place to live. Then you can start to fight for their rights. A skilled West Virginia nursing home abuse lawyer from DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC will help you get justice for your loved one.

The lawyers at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC have represented West Virginia citizens for years and always do everything possible to have successful cases. We know the emotional trauma of realizing your loved one was abused is a heavy weight to bear. We can help you get financial compensation for the pain and suffering they’ve experienced. Bringing their case forward may also inspire change within the nursing home so no other resident will be at risk of abuse in the future.

Every year, thousands of individuals in West Virginia find themselves dealing with car accident injuries. The physical and mental trauma the body goes through after such an event can take longer to heal than we’d like. It’s also likely to cost more than we’re prepared for.

At DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC, our West Virginia car accident lawyers are prepared to help you obtain the compensation you deserve to pay for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We’re also here to support you as you recover. Let’s take a look at the injuries you may be experiencing, as well as what you can expect regarding recovery time.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Depending on the circumstances of the collision and the severity of the impact, an auto accident can result in a variety of injuries. Head-on crashes typically result in injuries to the head, beck, chest, legs, and feet. Side-impact-related injuries include damage to the head, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Rear-end collisions often affect the head and neck. Below you’ll find a list of the most common injuries associated with car accidents.

Back and Spinal Cord Injuries. Back injuries include herniated discs and spinal fractures. Severe back injuries often require surgery and physical therapy. In the event the spinal cord is damaged, the victim may face issues with paralysis and the loss of sensation or movement.

Broken Bones. Depending on the type of accident, victims are susceptible to broken arms, legs, and ribs. This type of injury is often incredibly painful, may require surgery, and can take a long time to heal.

Thousands of train accidents occur each year in the United States. According to the Rail Safety Statistics Report, train accidents are caused by non-rail grade crossing collisions, rail grade crossing collisions, derailments, fires, and other miscellaneous events. Keep reading to learn the specifics of train derailments and why they happen.

From 2007-2013, the Federal Railroad Administration collected and evaluated train accident statistics. While train derailments fell near the bottom of the list for reasons why train accident happen, their impact is still significant. Approximately 61 derailments happen every year. Between 2007 and 2013, 114 people were injuries as a result of a train derailment. No deaths were reported.