Category: Personal Injury

National Trailer Safety Week

Perhaps nothing is more nerve-wracking while traveling on the road than maneuvering around a large 18-wheeler or tractor-trailer. According to the National High Traffic Safety Administration, in 2021 there were a total of 523,796 large truck accidents in the United States. National Trailer Safety Week is an opportunity to spread awareness of the proper use of trailers and how to minimize danger on the road when driving near tractor-trailers and other towed trailers.

Below are a few tips to remember when driving near large trucks to minimize the danger of a trucking accident:

1. Stay out of blind spots – Large trucks have huge blind spots around the front, back, and sides of the vehicle. If you cannot see the driver in the truck’s side mirrors, assume they cannot see you.

2. Pass safely and don’t cut it too close – Make sure you can see the driver in the truck’s side mirror before passing and be sure to use your vehicle’s signals.

3. Anticipate wide turns – Trucks require more turning room and may often swing wide or initiate a turn from the middle lane.

In this short video, Bailey Glasser partner, Sam Hrko, discusses how our team of Personal Injury lawyers can help you after a trucking accident. From investigating the underlying factors contributing to the accident, to protecting your rights against big trucking companies, our experienced attorneys understand the laws and regulations that apply to the trucking industry. We are known for our blue-collar work ethic and tireless effort to fight for our client’s best interests. Remember that if a disaster ever strikes you or your family, the attorneys at Bailey Glasser are here when you need us most.

To learn more about our Catastrophic Personal Injury services, visit here.

And to learn more about Sam Hrko’s personal injury experience, visit here.

#TrailerSafetyWeek #BaileyGlasser #TruckingAccidents #TractorTrailer #PersonalInjuryLawyers

Partner Travis Prince Speaking at 66th Annual WVAJ Convention

BG partner, Travis A. Prince, is speaking at the 66th Annual West Virginia Association for Justice Convention and Seminar on June 6 – 7th in Charleston, WV. On Friday, Travis will be a panelist in the session titled: “When Criminal and Civil Law Collide: Handling the Civil Case and Securing Justice for Your Client.” The WVAJ and its members are committed to protecting access to the West Virginia state and federal courts, the civil justice system, and the 7th Amendment right to a jury trial.

Travis Prince focuses his practice on catastrophic personal injury, civil rights violations, asbestos litigation, and medical malpractice cases, including but not limited to wrongful death, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, stroke, heart attack, and joint replacement. Recently, Travis represented Blake Gober, a Marine veteran wrongly accused of stealing a Hertz rental, and helped to obtain the dismissal of all felony charges against him with prejudice.

To learn more about Travis Prince, please visit here.

For more information and to register for the Annual WVAJ Convention visit here.

#WVAJ #justice #thoughtleadership

Lawsuit Filed Against Johnson & Johnson for Bad Faith Bankruptcies

Bailey & Glasser, LLP and a group of leading law firms filed a federal lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and other defendants due to their repeated attempt to use the U.S. bankruptcy system to prevent victims of its cancer-causing products from having their day in court. The case is Love v. LLT Management LLC, No. 24-06320 (5/22/24), U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

The Bailey Glasser team in this case includes founding partner Brian A. Glasser; David L. Selby II, the firm’s Mass Tort Practice Group Leader, partner D. Todd Mathews, and Of Counsel Thomas B. Bennett, former Chief Justice of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Other firms representing the plaintiffs in this lawsuit are Beasley Allen Crow Methvin Portis & Miles PC, Levin Papantonio Rafferty Proctor Buchanan O’Brien Barr Mougey PA; Golomb Legal; Ashcraft & Gerel LLP; and Burns Charest LLP.

To read the complaint, media links, and more details, visit this link.

Sharon Iskra Argues Case Before Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia

On April 17, BG partner and Institutional Abuse and Neglect team leader Sharon Iskra argued before the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia in support of a $3.5 million jury verdict rendered against a residential care facility on behalf of two developmentally disabled individuals who had been abused as children.

As April is Child Abuse Prevention Month as well as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Sharon was proud to argue on behalf of her clients before the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

To learn more about Sharon and her work, visit this link.

To learn more about the work of Bailey Glasser on behalf of the survivors of sexual abuse, visit here.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Bans Ongoing Use of Asbestos

On March 18, 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule prohibiting the use of chrysotile asbestos, the last remaining type of asbestos that was being used and imported into the United States. Considering that asbestos is a known carcinogen that is already banned in more than fifty (50) countries, this is a monumental announcement that is long overdue.

The pervasive severe health risks associated with asbestos exposure have been well-documented for decades. Though new asbestos use in the United States has declined steadily since the 1980s, each year in the United States asbestos exposure is linked to 40,000 deaths from lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other cancers. The unfortunate reality is that asbestos still lingers as a construction material in millions of homes and public buildings throughout the United States.

Traditionally, the risk of asbestos exposure and related diagnoses of lung cancer or mesothelioma was associated with working in an industrial setting like shipbuilding, factories, or servicing heavy machinery. While those risks have reduced with the passage of time, the risk of exposure from asbestos-containing building materials in public buildings and college campuses remains.

Although there are several known types of asbestos, the only form known to be imported, processed, or distributed for use in the United States is chrysotile. The EPA ban comes on the heels of steadily increasing imports of chrysotile asbestos each year, as recently as 2022. Chrysotile asbestos is found in many products including asbestos diaphragms, sheet gaskets, brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes/linings, other vehicle friction products, and other gaskets.

Though this decision to ban chrysotile asbestos is long overdue, it is not the end of asbestos use in the United States. As Phase II of its asbestos risk evaluation, the EPA will be considering legacy uses of chrysotile asbestos, disposal of chrysotile asbestos, as well as asbestos-containing talc. Our asbestos litigation team will continue to monitor the EPA’s evaluation closely and provide an update when Phase II is complete.

While asbestos exposure has been linked to lung cancer and mesothelioma for decades the long latency period is a lesser-known consequence of exposure. This means that you may be diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma decades after you were exposed to asbestos. Contacting an attorney as soon as you are diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma is critical to allow for your potential claim to be timely investigated and filed.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma it is important to act quickly to protect your rights. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with a member of our asbestos litigation team. You don’t have to face this challenging situation alone – we are here to fight for you.

Learn more about partner Travis Prince here.

And for more information on our Asbestos & Lung Disease, please visit here.

Sources:

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-finalizes-ban-ongoing-uses-asbestos-protect-people-cancer

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68602748#

Watch Now: Partner Greg Haddad Discusses Long-Term Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, more than 5.3 million adults and children in the U.S. are living with some sort of permanent brain injury-related disability, and some 2.8 million individuals will experience a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) every year. Brain injuries – even those considered “small” – can lead to months, years, or even lifetimes of physical, emotional, and cognitive issues. What is particularly sneaky about these types of injuries is that their cause – and effects — might not be recognized until long after the injury has occurred.

In this short video, BG partner P. Gregory Haddad, our firm’s Personal Injury Practice Group Leader, discusses the long-term symptoms of a traumatic brain injury and the behaviors to look for in a loved one who may have experienced this type of injury. Watch here.

Our Personal Injury attorneys are dedicated to helping individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries due to accidents, negligence, or other unfortunate circumstances. Learn more about our TBI experience by visiting here.
#BrainInjuryAwareness #TBI #BaileyGlasser

Brain Injury Awareness Month: Concussion Facts & Prevention Tips

Did you know that the Brain Injury Association of America estimates someone in the U.S. sustains a brain injury every 9 seconds? While most of us never imagine ourselves being impacted by a brain injury, these injuries are more common than we may think. Concussions are the most common type of brain injury, defined as sudden movement causing the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull and creating chemical changes in the brain.

While the symptoms of a concussion often last only a few days or weeks, sometimes they last a much longer time or can be permanent in nature. Concussions can be devastating if not attended to properly. Below are facts about how concussions occur and prevention tips.

1) Concussions most often occur as a result of blows to the head during sports activities, car or workplace accidents, military combat, falls, assaults, or any daily mishap.

2) Concussions can go undetected because their symptoms may not appear related to a head injury, so it’s crucial to seek medical attention if you suspect you’ve sustained one. Symptoms can include sleep irregularities, mood disturbances (such as depression or anxiety), memory and cognitive issues, and slower-than-normal mental processing.

3) Signs of immediate danger after concussion include repeat vomiting and loss of consciousness, vision disturbances, headache, seizures, slurred speech, and more.

4) Prevention is key! Wearing helmets during activities like biking and sports can significantly reduce the risk of brain injuries for people of all ages.

5) Take steps to help seniors prevent concussions such as removing hazardous objects, lighting up living space to avoid tripping, installing assistive devices, and providing sensible footwear.

To learn more facts about concussions and prevention, visit here.

For more information about Bailey Glasser’s Traumatic Brain Injury lawyers, visit here.

#BrainInjuryAwarenessMonth #TBI #Concussions #BaileyGlasser

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Traumatic Brain Injuries (an injury also known as a “TBI”) can occur in many ways – through sports, a car accident, a simple fall, or from an assault. In the military, one statistic from the Department of Defense estimated that close to 500,000 service members have suffered some degree of TBIs between 2000 and 2023.

According to a report from UC Davis Health: “A brain injury can happen to anyone, but most brain injuries occur in people ages 15-19. Children under 5 and adults over 75 are also at higher risk due to falls. Men are nearly twice as likely to be hospitalized and three times more likely to die from a brain injury than women. Among children under 14, brain injury leads to an estimated 2,685 deaths, 37,000 hospitalizations, and 435,000 emergency department visits annually in the U.S. One of every 60 people in the U.S. lives with a brain injury-related disability.”

According to the CDC, certain populations are more likely to be impacted by TBIs, including: racial and ethnic minorities; service members and veterans; unhoused people; incarcerated individuals; survivors of intimate partner violence; and people living in rural areas.

To learn more how to keep children and teens safe from brain injuries, visit the “Heads Up” resources page from the CDC here.

To learn more about how Bailey Glasser helps people with TBI, please visit here.

#BrainInjuryAwareness #TraumaticBrainInjury #TBI #BaileyGlasser

Charges Against Marine Veteran Wrongly Accused of Stealing Hertz Rental Car Dropped by Prosecutor After CBS News Report

MEDIA REQUESTS: To schedule an interview with Blake Gober or counsel in this matter, please contact Joe Carey at joe@careystrategiccommunications.com.

Morgantown, West Virginia – Until this morning, with the release of a bombshell CBS News report (view here) the world did not know that Marine Corps Veteran Blake Gober was wrongly arrested, imprisoned, and prosecuted for the alleged theft of a Hertz rental car back in 2019. On October 16, 2023, the felony charges against Mr. Gober were dismissed with prejudice.

The wrongful arrest and prosecution of Mr. Gober is yet another occasion where Hertz perpetrated great harm upon an innocent professional who simply rented one of its vehicles. As set forth in the Dismissal Motion: “the State has lost confidence in the reliability of the information provided by [Hertz] that forms the basis of these felony charges.”

Travis Prince and Brian Glasser of Bailey & Glasser, LLP and Wes Prince of the law firm of Shaffer Madia Law, PLLC represent Mr. Gober. “We are glad that the charges have finally been dropped against our client, but they never should have been filed in the first place. What Hertz put him through should not be suffered by anyone,” said Travis Prince.

Mr. Gober added: “I was a Hertz Gold customer who returned a car three years ago which I rented for my move from West Virginia to Northern Virginia. For Hertz to issue a warrant for my arrest and to put me and my family through this is unconscionable. I am dedicated to making sure this never happens to anyone else.”

Mr. Gober was unjustly apprehended and incarcerated during a routine traffic stop in 2022, the result of a false police report filed by Hertz in January 2020. On November 19, 2019, Gober rented a car from Hertz in Morgantown, West Virginia. Gober then returned it to Hertz at Reagan National Airport. On January 13, 2020, Hertz filed a false police report alleging Mr. Gober stole its car and on February 28, 2020 (seven weeks later), the car mysteriously reappeared at an Alexandria, Virginia apartment building, having amassed a whopping 7,492 miles on it. Meanwhile, Mr. Gober was working around Washington, D.C., knowing nothing about the missing car or warrant.

To learn more click here.

42 Bailey Glasser Lawyers Named To The Best Lawyers in America & Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch 2024 Guides

Today we announce that 42 Bailey Glasser lawyers have been recognized across various categories (including one as a “Lawyer of the Year”) in the 30th edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and the fourth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America®.

“Lawyer of the Year” honors are awarded annually to only one lawyer per practice area in each region with extremely high overall feedback from their peers, making it an exceptional distinction.

For more, follow this link.