The idea of taking legal action after someone dies may seem crass at first. The average person does not relish the idea of going to court to demand accountability from an individual or a business. However, the loss of a loved one can be as financially devastating as it is emotionally devastating. Households may never fully recover from the economic impact of someone’s premature death. Especially when the person who died was the main wage-earner for the household or a stay-at-home parent, the financial impact of their passing could affect the family circumstances for many years to come. Under W ..read more

Decades after it became common knowledge that exposure to chrysotile asbestos can lead to cancer, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finally banning the importation and use of this material. The rule was announced on March 18, 2024, two years after the EPA proposed it in April 2022.  The hopefulness of this turn of events was summed up well by Senator Jeff Merkley, who – along with Representative Susan Bonamici – introduced legislation that would have achieved this consequential outcome in 2006. Merkley observed in a release that “Today’s rule is a positive first step to gi ..read more

Car crashes involve heavy machinery with significant momentum. The human body can easily sustain major injuries in crashes despite the safety systems like restraints built into modern vehicles. Limb loss is one of the more severe injuries possible when cars collide. In a relatively small number of cases, the collision itself causes a traumatic amputation. Such scenarios often require immediate medical care and put someone at risk of both blood loss and infection. Traumatic amputations at the scene of the crash are rare, and yet motor vehicle collisions are among the top causes of limb loss in ..read more

Some birth injuries are the result of medical negligence. Doctors fail to properly monitor the condition of a mother and her unborn child with tragic results. Other times, intentional acts on the part of medical workers might cause severe birth injuries. For example, an obstetrician attending a live birth might recommend a course of treatment that is dangerous for the mother or her unborn child. Certain interventions can be dangerous when improperly administered or when administered to someone with specific contraindications. Other interventions can be potentially dangerous for any pregnant wo ..read more

Car crashes can cause all kinds of injuries. People may break their arms because they brace before the impact occurs. They could have scrapes and contusions. Oftentimes, those injured in collisions may eventually recover from their injuries. Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky. Motor vehicle collisions are one of the leading causes of catastrophic injuries. Catastrophic injuries produce massive expenses and lifelong complications for the affected party. They may have to change jobs or cease working entirely. For example, the following types of catastrophic injuries have a strong associatio ..read more

Someone’s unexpected death can be very difficult for their family to handle. Obviously, the emotional shock and grief that follows someone’s death can prove devastating. People may take years to recover from the overwhelming experience of losing a parent, child or spouse. There are also practical and economic struggles associated with someone’s premature death. Families often lose out on the earning potential and benefits provided by the deceased. There are also the services they provide for their family, ranging from child care to lawn maintenance, to consider. After a fatal car crash or othe ..read more

Labor and delivery is a very dangerous time for both a mother and her unborn child. Many different things can go wrong that could lead to permanent injuries, infertility or even death. Most births take place at medical facilities specifically to protect mother and child from the worst possible outcomes. Expectant women and their birthing partners rely on the support of professionals to ensure the healthy delivery of an unborn child. For a small but noteworthy number of new mothers, issues may arise because of mistakes by the professionals providing their care. One error, in particular, has a s ..read more

Semi-trucks are very intimidating vehicles. Drivers who notice a semi-truck right in front of them or approaching them at a crossroads might feel a little nervous. That anxiety is totally warranted, as large commercial trucks can cause some of the worst possible collisions. Smaller vehicles cannot withstand the force of impact from much larger vehicles, like semi-trucks or 18-wheelers. Many crashes between passenger vehicles and semi-trucks result in tragic consequences. They may cause deaths or life-altering injuries. Drivers who are aware of the biggest risk factors for semi-truck crashes co ..read more

As a parent, your newborn baby’s health is a top priority. If you suspect your baby sustained an injury during the birthing process, you are probably feeling helpless and you are right to be concerned. If you are considering filing a lawsuit in connection with your baby’s birth injury, there are a few important things you should know. The legal process of filing a medical malpractice lawsuit is complex, sometimes taking a long time to receive compensation. However, it is possible in many cases, and you should not let these obstacles deter you from seeking justice for yourself and your family ..read more

A proposed new federal regulation that would help protect West Virginia’s coal miners from black lung has been a long time coming. It was 49 years ago that the CDC first recommended that miners be exposed to no more than 50 micrograms of silica dust per cubic meter of air. Silica dust and disease The silica dust that hangs in the air in mining operations has long been linked to pneumoconiosis, commonly known as black lung. Thousands of West Virginians have died of this disease, and thousands more are living with it, for which there is no cure. An estimated 20 percent of people in the Central A ..read more