West Virginia Personal Injury Law Blog

Products liability: Hamburger buns pose hazard due to plastic

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Products Liability on Tuesday, September 17, 2019.

Many people in West Virginia and across the country do not know how a number of products they use are made. While this may not bother some individuals, there is always the chance that something could have gone wrong during production and manufacturing that could cause a product to be more dangerous than anticipated. In fact, it is not uncommon for mishaps to lead to products liability claims due to resulting injuries.

It was recently reported that Conagra is recalling its Udi's classic hamburger buns. Apparently, when the buns were being produced, a dough scraper was accidentally mixed into the product. As a result, small bits of white plastic could be found in the hamburger buns produced from that batch of dough.

Coal mine accidents: Incident involving mining machine kills 1

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Coal Mine Accidents on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.

Mining companies in West Virginia and elsewhere may use a variety of heavy-duty machines to assist with daily operations. While these machines may be vital to the task at hand, they could also pose a certain level of risk to the safety of miners and coal mine accidents involving similar types of equipment can have disastrous consequences. A recent accident in a mine in another state has reportedly claimed the life of a 39-year-old man.

Authorities received reports of an accident at the mine on a recent Thursday evening. According to initial investigations, the man was working with or around a battery-powered scoop when the machine suddenly fell on top of him. After finding him unresponsive, co-workers say they were able to transport him to the surface while awaiting the arrival of emergency responders.

Coal mine accidents: Miner dies after wall collapses

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Coal Mine Accidents on Thursday, September 5, 2019.

While mining companies and officials in West Virginia and elsewhere are constantly seeking ways to keep employees safe, coal mining continues one of the more hazardous jobs. Coal mine accidents remain a major concern and these incidents affect a multitude of workers and families each year. A 25-year-old man has died during a recent incident that took place inside of a mine in a neighboring state.

The accident reportedly occurred on a recent Thursday evening at a facility that is used to perform longwall mining. According to reports, the man was working within the mine when a wall suddenly collapsed and fell on top of him. While officials have advised that no one else was injured in the incident, the man was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene shortly thereafter.

Motor vehicle accidents: 2 killed in road rage crash

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, August 28, 2019.

Road rage continues to be a major concern for many drivers in West Virginia and across the nation. Anger and frustration can have a significant influence on the actions a driver makes while out on the road, and motor vehicle accidents that stem from similar forms of negligence run the risk of endangering the safety of everyone involved. Road rage is suspected to have been a contributing factor in a recent head-on crash that killed two individuals.

Police responded to the scene of the crash at around 3:30 p.m. on a recent Wednesday. Prior to accident, they also say they received reports of an apparent road rage incident in which a driver had began shouting at and threatening another person before using his truck to ram the other person's vehicle. While out patrolling in search of the driver, police say they received reports that his truck had crossed into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with another vehicle.

Motor vehicle accidents: Head-on collision kills 1, injures 2

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, August 21, 2019.

There may be few things as stressful and harrowing as being involved in a major collision. Motor vehicle accidents not only run the risk of placing one's plans for the day on hold, but in some cases, a collision could also pose a significant threat to one's safety or leave loved ones mourning over a sudden and unexpected loss. A head-on collision that took place in West Virginia has claimed the life of one person and left two others with serious injuries.

The collision is said to have occurred at around 2:30 p.m. on a recent Sunday. Initial investigations indicate that for unknown reasons, a car suddenly shifted into oncoming lanes and collided head-on with another vehicle. Both the driver who caused the crash and the driver of the second vehicle were reportedly rushed to local hospitals for medical care shortly thereafter.

Motor vehicle accidents: The categories of distracted driving

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, August 15, 2019.

The ability to remain alert and aware at all times is a key component to safely operating a motor vehicle. When drivers in West Virginia become distracted while out on the open road, the odds that motor vehicle accidents will occur increase exponentially. While there are a multitude of actions that might classify as driver-related distractions, these actions typically fall under at least one of three categories.

The first category pertains to visual distractions, which describes any action that forces drivers to take their eyes off the road. Examples of visual distractions include looking over to read directions on a navigation device or searching for an object in the passenger seat. Manual distractions refer to any action that forces drivers to take one or both hands off the wheel and such actions include eating and drinking or self grooming while operating a vehicle.

Coal mine accidents: Gas explosion leads to death of miner

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Coal Mine Accidents on Thursday, August 8, 2019.

Gas-related explosions remain a major concern for many mining companies in West Virginia and elsewhere. While technological advancements and safety regulations may help to reduce the risk of such explosions, similar incidents continue to be one of the leading causes of coal mine accidents. A recent incident involving a methane gas explosion in a mine elevator shaft has reportedly led to the death of a miner in a neighboring state.

The incident is said to have taken place on a recent Wednesday evening. According to reports, the man was working to construct a form to fill an elevator shaft at the mine with concrete and seal it off when for unknown reasons, a methane gas explosion occurred. The explosion reportedly caused the man to fall into the shaft and forced emergency personnel to initiate recovery efforts.

Motor vehicle accidents: 3 hurt in drunk driving crash

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, July 31, 2019.

Responding to the actions and decisions of an impaired driver can be nearly impossible at times. Drunk driving continues to be a major concern and motor vehicle accidents involving a similar form of negligence run a greater risk of having catastrophic outcomes. A recent accident that left one person facing drunk driving charges in West Virginia has also left three others in the hospital with injuries.

Authorities responded to the scene of the crash at around 5:30 p.m. on a recent Saturday. While many of the details pertaining to how the accident occurred were unclear, police have advised the the person who caused the crash was driving while impaired. One of the occupants of the other vehicle reportedly suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to the hospital for medical care soon thereafter.

Motor vehicle accidents: 1 struck by power lines after crash

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Fallen power lines are a major concern in many collisions and should a crash cause active lines to fall to the ground, the incident could pose a threat to the safety of everyone nearby. Motor vehicle accidents involving similar hazards can have catastrophic results. A recent incident in which an oversized vehicle struck a telecommunications line and caused a utility pole to break has left one person in West Virginia with serious injuries.

According to reports, the incident took place on an interstate on a recent Tuesday evening. Authorities say that a West Virginia State Trooper was working to clear debris from the road when an oversized tractor-trailer suddenly struck a telecommunications line. The initial impact reportedly forced a nearby utility pole to snap, subsequently causing telephone lines to fall and strike the state trooper.

Motor vehicle accidents: 3 injured in crash in adverse weather

On behalf of Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

When operating a vehicle during adverse weather conditions, drivers may find it advisable to adjust speeds to match current conditions. Failure to make the necessary adjustments to driving behaviors may increase the chances motor vehicle accidents may occur and these incidents can have catastrophic outcomes. As many as three individuals reportedly suffered injuries in a recent collision during times of adverse weather conditions in West Virginia.

According to reports, authorities responded to the scene of the crash on a recent Sunday afternoon. The crash is said to have taken place after the driver of a southbound vehicle lost control of the car and crossed into oncoming lanes. Upon entering the opposite lane, the car proceed to collide head-on with a nearby pickup truck, reportedly causing substantial damage to both vehicles in the process.