West Virginia Accident Attorneys

About Personal Injury Law in West Virginia

Filing a personal injury claim gives you the chance to reclaim compensation for medical treatment, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment and loss of consortium." Also, when a defendant's behavior was especially "egregarious" or "outrageously careless," punitive damages are often awarded. In the aftermath of an accident, one of the first things you should determine is whether or not you were at fault. If you were partially to blame for the accident that occurred, the damages you are entitled to will reflect this. Other good steps you should take, include writing down as much as you can about the accident, your injuries, and any losses you sustained as a result. Preserve evidence and identify anyone who could testify on your behalf. You should also notify anyone you believe could have been responsible for the accident, letting them know of your intention to file a personal injury claim.

The most important thing you can do, however, is to secure the aggressive and experienced legal representation you are going to need on your side. The sad reality is that thousands of victims do not get the compensation they deserve because they do not know how the system works. When you need legal representation, our firm, Mani Ellis & Layne PLLC, should be called upon at once. You need a West Virginia law firm on your side that has a record you can trust. With over 35 years of experience, our injury lawyers can offer you the seasoned counsel and guidance you are looking for. We serve the injured and families who have lost a loved one in Charleston and throughout the state of West Virginia in a variety of injury claims.

Areas of Practice

Car Accidents
If you have been injured by a negligent driver, it is vital that you take legal action to pursue compensation. Our firm represents the injured in all types of car accidents, and all causes of car accidents. Whether you are the victim of a distracted driver, were injured in a single-vehicle accident, multi-vehicle accident, rear-end accident or a head-on collision, our firm can assist you to pursue compensation.

Drunk Driving Accidents
Intoxicated drivers are responsible for many of the most deadly and dangerous car accidents in the state. When a drunk driver has seriously injured or killed another person due to their inability to operate their vehicle safely, they must be held accountable in financial terms.

Motorcycle Accidents
A motorcycle is an excellent form of transportation, easy to maneuver and inexpensive to operate. Unfortunately, motorcyclists are also at great risk of injury should an accident occur. These accidents frequently result in very serious or permanent injury.

Trucking Accidents
Throughout the state of West Virginia, there are huge numbers of commercial trucks, work trucks, mining trucks and other huge vehicles, all of which can endanger other drivers should their vehicle get out of control, or the driver fail to adhere to safety regulations.

Bicycle Accidents
Bicyclists have rights to the road; some drivers fail to respect these rights, or do not observe that a bicyclist is present. Children during the summer months use their bikes as their main form of transportation, if a speeding or distracted driver is in the area, their lives are at risk.

Boating Accidents
A boating accident often leads to serious injury or death by drowning. Should the victim survive a serious boating accident, they may have permanent injuries, often brain damage from lack of oxygen after being submerged after an impact by a negligent boat operator.

Catastrophic Injuries
Injuries that have permanent damage are termed catastrophic. These include disfiguring burn injuries, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries. The individual will never again enjoy the quality of life that they had prior to the accident. They will require long term medical treatment and care. Some lose their lives, such as cases of carbon monoxide deaths.

Coal Mining Accident
The mining industry has been part of the lives of the people of our state for 150 years. Throughout this long history, many serious mine disasters have occurred, with a great loss of life. These mining accidents continue to take place, and if you or a loved one has been injured, you must get legal representation at once.

Construction Accidents
The construction industry is one of the most dangerous professions to work in. Even when all safety regulations are adhered to, there can be unexpected accidents, such as ladder falls, scaffolding falls, a trench collapse, electrical accidents, equipment failures, gas explosions and other incidents leading to serious injury.

Dangerous Drugs
Some medications have been allowed on the market that were subsequently found to have very serious side effects. Some drugs have been determined to cause birth defects in babies if taken during pregnancy; others have been recalled due to a great number of deaths or serious physical conditions that resulted from their use.

Defective Products
Any commercial product should be safe for consumers if used as directed. Unfortunately, design errors, manufacturing defects, or dangers that were not identified before the product got onto the market can lead to serious injury or death.

Dog Bites
A dog owner who fails to protect others from a vicious animal can be held liable for damages in cases of an attack that caused injuries. In many cases, the victim of a severe dog bite incident is a child. These injuries are often very serious, and prone to specific infections that are difficult to address medically.

Medical Malpractice
When a physician or other medical professional fails to provide the accepted standard of care, they have breached their duty to the patient. In a birth injury case, one or more of the attending medical personnel may have failed to recognize that the baby was in distress, leading to permanent damage to the child.

Mesothelioma
It has been well-established that the cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Many, many workers in a variety of trades were exposed to this substance over a long period, even when the manufacturers were aware of the danger.

Nursing Home Abuse
One hopes that their loved one will be cared for with compassion, understanding and will have good nutrition and all the care and treatment that cannot be provided at home when placed in a nursing home. Unfortunately, there has been a great increase in cases of elder abuse.

Pedestrian Accidents
A pedestrian that is struck by a car or truck often loses their lives or suffers very severe or permanent injury. A reckless, speeding, distracted or drunk driver is often responsible for these tragic accidents. Broken bones, crushed limbs, severe internal injuries, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries are not uncommon in a pedestrian accident.

Premises Liability
If an injury accident takes place on the property of another person, on public, government or commercial property, there is often recourse to pursue compensation for damages. If the property owner failed to maintain their premises with reasonable care for the safety of visitors, a claim for damages can be pursued, such as in a slip & fall accident.

Product Liability
Have you been injured by using a product or taking a drug that you thought was safe? Product liability law in West Virginia protects your right to obtain compensation, and our team can help you obtain the evidence you need to file a claim.

Social Security Disability
60% of all Social Security Disability claims are denied. It can be exceptionally difficult to get the benefits you need to carry on with your life after suffering from a disability. Our legal team at Mani Ellis & Layne PLLC can offer legal assistance to help you get the matter resolved, including engaging in the appeals process if your claim was denied.

Unpaid Overtime Claims
Employers are required by law to pay certain employees overtime wages for the additional hours that they work. Instead of complying with state and federal laws such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, there are many employers who wrongfully avoid paying employees the "time-and-a-half" wages they deserve for working overtime. Learn more about how you can seek rightful compensation from your employer.

Wrongful Death
When a family loses a loved one through an act of negligent by another person or corporate entity, they have the right to file a wrongful death claim or lawsuit to pursue compensation. There is a short period of time in which the law allows for a claim to be filed in such a case.

Working with Mani Ellis & Layne, PLLC

At Mani Ellis & Layne, PLLC we strongly believe in the importance of maximizing client-attorney interactions. As such, the personal injury victims who seek out our firm for help are always provided with personalized, client-centered attention that is focused on obtaining the financial recovery that they both need and deserve. Under the direction of a personal injury lawyer at our office, you can rest assured that your case will be in the hands of a legal team whose every effort will be invested in your wellbeing. We have taken this approach for more than three decades, never tiring in our efforts to help those victims who need it most. We are ready to do the same for you as well, so don't wait to contact a West Virginia personal injury attorney from our firm today. We can be reached toll-free at 800-900-0673 or by submitting a free online case evaluation form.