38 Vehicle Wreck Spans WV I-64 Bridge

A massive vehicle crash involving close to 40 vehicles spanned the Interstate 64 bridge between St. Albans and Nitro, WV.  It was the worst a West Virginia Department of Transportation official had ever seen in his 40 plus year career.

“It’s just amazing,” Chuck Runyon, said Thursday evening. “I’ve seen stuff like this in California but never here and I’ve been involved in this for nearly 43 years.”

As of Thursday evening, the cause of the  vehicle accident was unknown, but witnesses say rain and water were on the bridge before it occurred.  However, “A lot of people need to realize that when there’s weather — we’ve had rain and stuff — they need to

National Transportation Safety Board Seeks Tougher DUI Laws in West Virginia and Other States

Because alcohol-related car crashes claim about 10,000 lives each year, the National Transportation Safety Board is now recommending that all 50 states lower the blood alcohol content from 0.08 blood-alcohol content (BAC) to 0.05.  Their goal is to eliminate drunk driving, which causes about a third of all deaths involving automobiles.

The safety board believes that lowering the rate to 0.05 would save about 500 to 800 lives annually.  The board acknowledged that lowering the BAC to 0.05 would be “no silver bullet,” but they believe more action is needed since, “impaired driving remains one of the biggest killers in the United States,” NTSB Chairman Debbie Hersman said. 

Hersman said progress has been made over the years to reduce drunk driving, including

Hidden Arbitration Clauses: Corporations’ License to Steal

Do you know what is hidden in the fine print of the contracts you routinely “agree” to?  Chances are you have signed away your right to access the courtroom in the event that you or a family member is injured by a negligent nursing home, swindled by a car dealership, or harassed at work.  Congress can stop this if we tell them to act!

Included in everything from credit card, cell phone and nursing home contracts to employee handbooks and online user agreements are dangerous forced arbitration clauses that take away your right to go to court when you or a loved one is wronged.  Instead you are forced into a private arbitration

Free or low cost doctors, dentists, and pharmacies in West Virginia

Unemployment, car accidents, illnesses, and work injuries are among the many hardships that affect tens of thousands of West Virginians each year.  That’s why we have created the following directory of free or low cost doctors, dentists and pharmacies in West Virginia.  If we missed any, please let us know here.

Free or low cost doctors, dentists and pharmacies in Kanawha County, West Virginia

Below is a list of free or low cost medical care providers in Kanawha County, West Virginia, including clinics in Charleston, South Charleston, and St. Albans, WV. These clinics help low-income and uninsured

Man caught with marijuana and anxiety medication arrested after crashing into Kanawha County school bus

Charleston Police officers arrested Robert Pryor, 52, of Charleston, West Virginia, after he crashed his car into a school bus on Thursday about 3pm.

Pryor was driving near 4th Avenue and Stockton Street on the West Side of Charleston when he crashed his vehicle into a bus full of children, according to a police report filed in Kanawha Magistrate Court.  Fortunately, none of the children on the bus were injured, Kanawha County Metro 911 said.

Pryor was charged with simple possession of marijuana, receiving or transferring stolen goods and simple possession of a controlled substance.  Magistrate Brent Hall set Pryor’s bond at $1,500 cash.

Dog Bite Statistics

Almost 4 million people each year in the United States suffer from a dog bite injury.  Over half of dog bite victims are children.  These are just some of the startling statistics involving dog bites in the U.S.

In the 8-year period from 2005 to 2012, two dog breeds accounted for 73% of the attacks that resulted in death: pit bulls and rottweilers.

2012 Dog Bite Fatalities by DogsBite.org, 2013

71% of the pit bull fatalities have occurred in the past 10 years; 42% in the past four years; 24% in the past two years.

30-Year Summary: Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, U.S. & Canada September 1982 to December 26, 2011 by Merritt Clifton, Animal People, 2012

Over 600 U.S. cities have

WVU researchers say laws against distracted driving are not enough

Charleston, WV — Two West Virginia University researchers are studying the effects new laws and public education efforts have had on curtailing cell phone use while driving.   So far, they have found these efforts aren’t helping much.

Jeffrey Coben and Motao Zhu report their conclusions in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Their report is titled “Keeping an Eye on Distracted Driving.”

The West Virginia researchers found the number of injuries and fatalities caused by cell phone use while driving has increased by 22 percent between 2005 and 2009. Based on their research, they expect the number of injuries and fatalities to continue to climb despite new West Virginia laws enacted to reduce distracted driving.  This

Umbrella Insurance – What it is and why it’s needed

What is Umbrella insurance?

Umbrella insurance refers to a liability insurance policy that protects the assets and future income of the named insured by providing protections above and beyond what his or her home and auto policies provide.  Simply put, for those who purchase it, umbrella insurance protects their homes, assets, income and businesses.  Umbrella insurance is different from from excess insurance in that excess coverage goes into effect only when all underlying polices are totally exhausted, while Umbrella is able to “drop down” to fill coverage gaps in underlying polices. Umbrella insurance can cover medical bills, legal expenses and personal injury claims.

Umbrella insurance goes beyond just home, boat and auto accidents.

Doctor and Wife dead from gunshot wounds — Murder/Suicide or something else?

The bodies of local doctor and wife were found dead in Cross Lanes, West Virginia about 11:30 a.m. Monday.  Dr. Bruce Foster, who was well known for his work and views on end-of-Life care, and his wife, Marlise Foster, were found dead at their home in Cross Lanes.  Both died from gunshot wounds.  Police are calling it a murder-suicide.  

“Dr. Bruce Foster’s co-workers came to the Flairwood Drive Home Monday because Dr. Foster had not shown up for work,” said the Foster’s next-door neighbor, John and Betty Walker.

Neighbor, John Walker entered the house finding the couple dead and described seeing Dr. Foster’s arm draped over his wife’s body, said Betty Walker.

Deputies at this time have not released all the names

Free or low cost Attorneys in West Virginia

Below is a list of resources for people in West Virginia who need free or low cost legal help.  This list begins with organizations that provide free legal assistance and is followed by a number of legal resources that help people who need or want to represent themselves.  The list concludes with a WV lawyer referral service to help people find legal help in specific practice areas.

Who is entitled to a free lawyer?

The United States Constitution guarantees free legal representation for people who are charged with a crime which might lead to imprisonment and who cannot afford an attorney. If you find yourself in this situation, request that a lawyer be appointed to you when you first appear in court.