Gregory Bee, a timekeeper in the patient care services department at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, says he’s the whistleblower in the string of patient killings at the facility. Bee worked at the facility from 2015 until April 2019.

According to the lawsuit filed in the North District of West Virginia, Bee is alleging he was wrongfully suspended for reporting a number of suspicious deaths. He is seeking reinstatement of employment and to be back paid wages and compensatory damages, along with several other monetary compensations.

While he was employed at the VA, Bee was responsible for updating standard operating procedures in the patient care department. In August 2018, he was instructed by the hospital to amend various policies regarding insulin. This included the security, storage, and administration of insulin, as well as the language concerning hypoglycemia. At one point, Bee was pressed by a supervisor on why the changes were taking so long. Bee didn’t understand why the changes were so important and claims he was the only employee outside of upper management at the facility who knew about the changes.

DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC is proud to announce our lawyers have been recognized by Best Lawyers® in multiple areas of litigation in Charleston, West Virginia for 2021. Best Lawyers uses a rational and transparent methodology to determine the consensus opinion of leading lawyers within the same geographical locations and legal practice area.

After being charged in September with misdemeanor battery, West Virginia Delegate Mike Caputo recently cited a piece of state code that gives him immunity from criminal charges.

At DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC, we’re proud of what we can accomplish for both our clients as well as for our local legal community. So far in 2018, our trial lawyers have been honored with multiple awards in various West Virginia organizations.

During the June 2018 60th Annual Conference and Seminar, J. Timothy DiPiero was honored with the Stanley E. Preiser West Virginia Association for Justice Member of the Year Award.

This award was given to Tim not only based upon his years of providing excellent representation to clients in civil and criminal matters, but in particular based upon his efforts to take positive actions to improve his community and to help others in need. This award is the highest award given out by the West Virginia Association for Justice.

On June 20, 2018, at 7:00 AM, suspended Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry was arrested and indicted on 22 federal charges in Charleston, West Virginia. The Judicial Investigation Commission originally filed 32 charges against Loughry on June 6, 2018.

His charges, which violate the state judicial code, include 16 counts of mail fraud, three counts of making false statements to a federal agent, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of witness tampering.

If Loughry is found guilty and convicted, he faces up to 395 years, a fine of up to $5.5 million, and three years of supervised release.

While the courts originally called for the suspension of his license to practice law, it has only been deferred. This, however, will become a secondary issue, as the federal indictment will take precedence over the final decision on his law license.

Tim DiPiero, a personal injury, medical malpractice, and criminal law lawyer at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC, was honored last May with the FCA Impact Award for his involvement and support with the organization for the past 25 years.

The FCA, or Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is an organization with the goal of helping students grow and strengthen their faith.

For years now, the personal injury attorneys at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC have ranked high among their peers. Since 2003, they have appeared on multiple “Best Lawyers” lists for the state of West Virginia. Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected attorney ranking service in the legal industry. The organization aims to help those in need of legal services find the best attorneys in the business. We’re honored to be included in the organization’s prestigious lists year after year.

This year, we’re proud to announce that DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC has been ranked on the organization’s “Best Law Firms” list for 2018. The “Best Law Firms” list, published by U.S. News & World Report, recognizes law firms with attorneys who appear on The Best Lawyers of America list which names the top 4% of practicing attorneys in the United States. Over 1,000,000 law firm assessments were provided by attorneys to create this year’s peer-reviewed list.

In September 2017, Judge James Stucky of the Kanawha County Circuit Court ruled that people cannot carry firearms in municipal recreation centers in Charleston. The judge came to this conclusion because legally, the centers are school facilities.

Sean McGinley, a lawyer at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC, argued that the municipal centers are school facilities because they hold school events, such as athletics.

Judge Stucky said that guns are permanently banned from the municipal centers, not just during the times when the school is using the centers.

If a school doesn’t have a lease for a specific municipal recreation center, then people who have a license to conceal and carry can bring their weapon to the center. The weapon must be secure and inaccessible to others. The court also deliberated about the parameters that make a firearm secure.

Best Lawyers® is the longest-standing organization that rates, reviews, and recognizes people in legal careers, such as attorneys, paralegals, associates, and so on. It is with much pride and excitement that our team at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC is able to announce that several of our attorneys have been included to the Best Lawyers in America list.

The following lawyers have been selected to be Best Lawyers® in Charleston:

• Sean P. McGinley: Commercial litigation; personal injury litigation (plaintiffs)
• J. Timothy DiPiero: Criminal defense (general practice); criminal defense (white collar); personal injury litigation (plaintiffs)
• Joshua I. Barrett: Litigation (environmental); personal injury litigation (plaintiffs)
• Lonnie C. Simmons: Litigation (labor and employment)

Fayette County school bus driver Rick Malay and the Fayette County Board of Education are being sued by a high school student. Lisa (name has been altered for her privacy) alleges that she was repeatedly sexually harassed by Mr. Malay while riding the bus to and from school. The incidents began with inappropriate comments and ogling.

When Lisa reported the problem to her principal, she was actually forced to apologize to Malay, who claimed she began making disrespectful comments first. The situation only got worse from there, and eventually Lisa felt pressured to meet with Malay in private, where the alleged sexual conduct took place. Fearful of repercussions and humiliation, Lisa kept to herself while the harassment continued.