DuPont Belle Fatality Linked to “Fraying” Chemical Hose

An investigation into the death of a DuPont worker at the Belle, West Virginia chemical plant by the federal Chemical Safety Board has found that a chemical hose that leaked showed signs earlier in the week of “fraying” and “wear.”  The Charleston Gazette ran a story about the investigation here.

The federal Chemical Safety Board is investigating several issues at the plant, including the leak mentioned above that led to the death of Carl “Danny” Fish.  Sen. Robert C. Byrd noted that the problems at the DuPont plant “suggests a severe breakdown in even the most basic safety protocols.”

Charleston, West Virginia Worker Fatality Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been severely injured at work, you should discuss your case with an experienced workplace injury lawyer.  If a West Virginia employer has intentionally exposed a worker to an unsafe condition, a claim could potentially be made directly against the employer.  This type of case, known as a deliberate intent case, is filed directly against the employer in civil court as opposed to a workers’ compensation claim which can be limited by workers’ compensation laws.

To speak to a Charleston, West Virginia workplace injury lawyer, call us toll free at 866-982-5299.  There is never a fee to discuss a case with a potential client.  Also, we handle all worker injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee until a case is settled or won in court.

DuPont Worker Dies After Chemical Exposure

A worker from the DuPont Belle plant has died as a result of being sprayed by phosgene gas while at work.  According to a story in the Charleston Gazette, Carl “Dan” Fish of Gallagher, West Virginia died at CAMC hospital.  Mr. Fish had been exposed to the phosgene, a chemical used as a weapon during World War I, when the chemical leaked from a transfer hose.

This incident does not appear to be isolated as DuPont revealed last week that around 1,900 pounds of methyl chloride had been leaked without notice during a five-day period.  The following day DuPont reported the release of less than 20 pounds of sulfuric acid.  A story about the problems at the Belle DuPont plant and likely investigations into what is happening is located here.

West Virginia Chemical Exposure Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of a chemical exposure or other injury at a workplace, contact a West Virginia workplace injury lawyer to discuss your case.  Rist Law Offices represents employees who have been injured or killed by workplace injuries or chemical accidents in litigation throughout West Virginia.  We handle cases that result from problems with chemical plants throughout the Charleston, West Virginia area.

We work on all chemical exposure or workplace injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless your case is settled or won in court.  We will also set up a time to meet with injured workers or their family in person to discuss the case and whether there is a need for help from an attorney.  There is never a fee for this service and we commonly meet with clients in their home for these consultations.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact us toll-free by calling 866-982-5299.

West Virginia Product Liability Case Settles

Rist Law Offices was hired by a family in southern West Virginia to represent them in a product liability case against the manufacturer and installer of a freestanding gas stove.  Shortly after the stove was installed in their home, black soot was found covering the walls throughout the home.  The family also began having serious health conditions and sought medical treatment as a result of the problems with the stove.

When the problems were reported to the company that installed the stove, the family was basically ignored.  One of the employees from the company actually told our clients to “call their own homeowner’s insurance company” to resolve the problem.

Rist Law Offices filed suit on behalf of our clients against the manufacturer and installer based upon product liability, breach of consumer protection laws, and negligence.  The case resolved after several months of litigation for a confidential amount.

Charleston West Virginia Product Liability Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been injured by a defective product, contact a Charleston WV Product Liability Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  We handle product liability cases throughout West Virginia, including Charleston, Beckley, Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburg, Lewisburg, Fayetteville, Oak Hill, Bluefield, Princeton, Huntington and other cities.  All cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless your case is settled or won in court.

For more information, contact us by calling toll free 866-982-5299.

Morgantown Driver Pleads in Motorcycle Fatality Case

Last July a Weston man made an illegal u-turn on Interstate 68 near Morgantown that killed two motorcyclists.   According to the Charleston Gazette, the man has pleaded no contest to negligent homicide and faces up to one year in jail for each death.

Getting Help With a Morgantown, WV Motorcycle Accident Case

If you or a loved one have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Morgantown, contact a WV Motorcycle Accident Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  We handle serious motorcycle accident and motorcycle fatality cases throughout West Virginia.

When we are hired to work on a WV motorcycle accident case, we generally have an investigator inspect the scene of the accident.  While the police generally do a good job investigating fatality cases, there are important pieces of evidence that could be at the scene that an experienced investigator will find.  Gouge marks, skid marks, debris, and other evidence are sometimes scattered throughout an accident scene or are further away from an accident scene than the area where the cars came to rest.  This information could provide important insight to an accident reconstruction expert if needed to resolve the case.

Morgantown West Virginia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

We handle all Morgantown motorcycle accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless your case is settled or won at trial.  We never charge an accident victim or their family to discuss a case, no matter how long it takes.

For more information about our motorcycle accident practice, contact us by calling toll free 866-982-5299.

Several Beckley Area Car Accidents During Storm

A four-vehicle accident was reported yesterday on Robert C. Byrd Drive near Sprague Hill.  According to a story in the Register-Herald located here, at least one person was transported for injuries from the accident.

The article also reports that a two-vehicle accident on Harper Road near Harper Heights resulted in one person being transported to the hospital for treatment.

Beckley WV Car Accident Lawyer

High snowfall amounts have caused numerous accidents in the last few weeks in southern West Virginia.  Accidents in Charleston, Beckley, Fayetteville, Oak Hill, Hinton, and Nicholas County have been reported in the news recently.  The victim of an accident that occurs during the snow should know that drivers have a duty to maintain control of their cars, no matter what the conditions.  Many drivers of four-wheel drive vehicle exceed safe speeds during snow due to the false sense that their vehicle will handle the conditions better than another vehicle or car.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, contact a Beckley WV Car Accident Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  We handle all accidents on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless your case is settled or won in court.  Also, there is never any fee or charges to discuss a case with a potential accident client.

Contact a West Virginia Car Accident Lawyer

For more information call us toll free at 866-982-5299.  We handle serious car accident cases throughout West Virginia.

Lewisburg Car Accident Case Settles for Policy Limits

Rist Law Offices was hired by the victim of a head-on car accident collision in the Lewisburg, West Virginia area to represent them against the negligent driver and their insurance company.  Our client had nearly $20,000 of medical bills and lost wages as a result of the accident.  The accident occurred on a clear fall afternoon on a winding two-lane road.  Our client was driving his vehicle around the posted speed of 55 mph when another vehicle pulled directly in front of him.  The accident completely totaled our client’s full size pick up truck.

The accident left our client with a permanent left arm injury and constant neck pain.  Neurosurgeons from a nationally recognized hospital in the region had given the opinion that our client was permanently injured from the accident and the best they could do is administer painful injections to help with the pain and shaking.  Regardless of the substantial medical evidence, the insurance company for the insured took the position that the shaking must have been from a prior injury or the advanced age of our client.  This was contrary to the medical records, seriousness of the accident and substantial damages to our client’s vehicle.  Prior to our representation, the insurance company had told our client that they would “cover his medical bills.”  Our client was hesitant to hire a lawyer for the case, but after reading our WV Car Accident Info Kit they realized that the insurance company was not dealing fairly with them.

After protracted negotiations, the insurance company finally agreed to pay their full policy limits only days before the lawsuit was filed.  The policy limits were substantially more than the initial offer made to our client.

Getting Help with a West Virginia Car Accident Case

To get help with a West Virginia car accident case, contact a Beckley WV Car Accident Lawyer from Rist Law Offices.  We represent clients throughout West Virginia, including Lewisburg, Beckley, Charleston, Morgantown, Madison, Logan, Pineville, Bluefield, Fayetteville, Oak Hill, and Hinton.  All accident cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless your case is settled or won in court.

For more information, contact us toll free at 866-982-5299.

Fatal Car Accident in Summersville, West Virginia

A Florida woman was killed in a car accident on US 19 on Sunday.  According to a story in the Charleston Gazette, a driver operating a 2003 Ford F-350 heading northbound lost control of the truck and slammed into a Kia Sedona van.  Olenda Olber, of Lakeland, Florida was killed in the collision.  Another passenger and the driver of the Kia were taken to Summersville Regional Medical Center.

Summersville, West Virginia Fatal Car Accident Lawyer

If you have lost a loved one or been injured in an accident in Summersville or Nicholas County, West Virginia, contact a Summersville WV Car Accident Lawyer from Rist Law Offices.  We represent families of wrongful death accidents throughout West Virginia, including Summersville and Nicholas County.

When we are hired to represent the family of a wrongful death accident victim, we immediately have the accident scene examined by an independent investigator.  Key facts from an accident including skid marks, debris fields, and possible witnesses sometimes are not identified or properly documented by investigating officers.  We also work to identify all potential insurance policies that could pay for damages in the case.

We handle all Summersville WV Wrongful Death Cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless your case is won or settled in court.  To set up a free initial consultation with a WV Fatal Accident Lawyer, contact us by calling toll free 866-982-5299.

Two Injured in U.S. 60 Accident

Two people were injured Saturday in a head-on collision near Crawley, West Virginia.  According to a local news story, one person was air-lifted to Charleston Area Medical Center following the accident.

Getting Help with a West Virginia Car Accident Case

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident in West Virginia, contact a WV Car Accident Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  We handle car accident cases throughout West Virginia, including Charleston, Beckley, Lewisburg, Oak Hill, Fayetteville, Summersville, Cross Lanes, Teays Valley, and other cities throughout West Virginia.  All WV Car Accident cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless your case is settled or won in court.

For more information, contact us toll free at 866-982-5299.

Alcohol Believed Involved in I-64 Accident

The Register-Herald reported yesterday that an accident on Interstate 64 early Tuesday morning near the Lewisburg exit could have been alcohol related.  Around 2:00 a.m. a Nissan truck struck a Ford F-150 in the rear.  The Nissan then crossed the median and struck a guard rail.  The driver and passenger in the of the Ford truck, who are from Virginia, were transported to Greenbrier Valley Medical Center for treatment.

West Virginia Alcohol Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been the victim of a car accident involving alcohol, contact a WV Car Accident Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  When a car accident is caused by someone who was drinking or on drugs, it is important to have the incident fully investigated by a lawyer who is familiar with DUI laws.

Punitive damages could be claimed against the driver who caused the accident, which are above and beyond what an insurance policy might cover.  Also, an experienced lawyer will review whether the driver was improperly served alcohol at a bar or restaurant and whether that owner or their insurance company could be additionally held responsible.

Rist Law Offices handles all DUI injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless the case is settled or won in court.  To discuss your case with a lawyer, contact us by calling toll free 866-982-5299.

Sister of Duke Player Killed in I-77 Accident

The sister of Duke freshman guard Andre Dawkins died Saturday morning after an accident on Interstate 77 near Pax, West Virginia.  Lacey Dawkins, from Columbus, Ohio, was on her way to Durham, North Carolina to see the Duke-St. John’s game.  Dawkins’ mother was also in the vehicle according to a Duke press release.  The story was covered in the Charleston Gazette here.  No additional information has been published about the accident.

West Virginia Fatal Accident Lawyer

Fatal accidents are extremely difficult for a family to deal with.  Shortly after a fatal accident occurs, insurance adjusters from the at-fault party will attempt to contact other parties to the accident to take recorded statements and gather information about the accident.  It is critical in a wrongful death or fatal accident case to have an experienced lawyer examine the facts of the case before the family of the accident victim accepts an offer.

An experienced lawyer will work to identify whether there are other insurance policies available or other at-fault parties who should be responsible for the accident.  The lawyer should not charge a fee to examine the case and a family generally does not have to hire a lawyer who only examines a case.

Getting Help with a WV Wrongful Death Case

If you have lost a loved one in a fatal accident, contact a West Virginia Wrongful Death Lawyer from Rist Law Offices. We will help a family to establish liability in an accident and to make certain that any offers from an insurance company are fair and take into account all factors about the accident victim’s life.  There is never a fee to meet with a family of a fatal accident and all cases are accepted on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless the case is settled or won in court.

For more information, contact us at 866-982-5299.