Morgantown Crime Prevention Manual Online

The Morgantown Police Department and Morgantown Neighborhood Crime Watch have a “Morgantown Citizen Crime Prevention Manual” posted online.  The manual is located here.  The manual appears to be a collaborative effort between the police and crime watch group to post information about what to do to prevent crime.  Stated simply, the online guide is a great idea.

Not only does the guide cover what to do to make your home or apartment safer, but it also covers what to do if you are the victim of a crime.  The guide covers home security, fire safety, street safety, and information about what to do if you are the victim of sexual assault, fraud, or elder abuse.  Forms that help to identify a person or vehicle are also included.  For any community that is looking at putting together a crime victim guide, this would be a great place to start.

Getting More Information About Crime Victim Civil Cases

For more information about crime victim cases or Rist Law Offices, visit us online or call us toll free at 866-982-5299.  Rist Law Offices handles the civil side of criminal cases throughout West Virginia.  We help the victims of rape, shootings, stabbings, robbery, and other serious crimes to file a civil case against negligent parties who committed the crime or failed to maintain a safe premises.  We work throughout West Virginia, California and other states to help crime victims to pursue civil cases.  If you or a loved one have been the victim of a crime, call us toll free at 866-982-5299 to discuss your case.  There is never a charge to discuss a crime victim case and all information is kept strictly confidential.

South Charleston Man Believed to Have Been Murdered

Police are searching for two people following what was described as the discovery of a “gruesome” crime scene inside a home on Macon Street in South Charleston.  The police found James Andrew Gillespie, 51, dead in his home yesterday around 11:00 a.m. after Gillespie’s brother contacted police and asked them to check the residence.  The Charleston Gazette covered the story here.

West Virginia Crime Victim Lawyer

Rist Law Offices helps victims of violent crimes and their families to examine whether a civil case could be filed against parties whose negligence led to the perpetration of a crime.  As opposed to a criminal case, where the person who committed the crime is put on trial to determine their guilt, a civil case seeks compensation for crime victims and their families from parties who created a dangerous situation or failed to prevent a crime from occurring.

Generally we examine whether property owners failed to take steps to keep an area safe.  In most cases the property owners must have known that crimes were occurring on their property and then failed to take any actions to remedy the problem.

Contact a West Virginia Crime Victim Lawyer

If you or a loved  one have been the victim of a crime, contact a WV Crime Victim Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  We offer free, confidential consultations to all crime victims and their families.  During the consultation, we take the time to discuss all of the facts about the case in order to determine if a crime victim case can be filed.

Even if we cannot help a crime victim with a case, we can information to crime victims about the West Virginia Crime Victim Compensation Fund.

Police Looking for Help in Nitro Apartment Shooting

Police are searching for information that will help with the arrest of the person or persons involved in a shooting in front of Crossroads Village Apartments in Nitro, West Virginia.  The shooting took place in the morning of August 1, 2009.  According to a story in the Charleston Gazette, located here, Dominique “L.A.” Guidry was shot by someone who was hiding at the apartment complex that morning.

Police found a number of bullet holes in a car that Guidry was believed to be riding in.  Neighbors also heard numerous shots.  If you have information about this incident, the Kanawha Bureau of Investigation can be reached at 304-357-0200 and the Nitro Police Department can be reached at 304-755-0777.

West Virginia Apartment Shooting Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been the victim of a shooting or other crime at an apartment complex, you could have a civil cause of action against the apartment complex, property managers, or security company that secured the apartments.  Unlike a criminal case where the point is to hold a criminal accountable for his actions and to punish him if found guilty, a civil case seeks monetary damages from negligent parties who failed to take reasonable steps to prevent a crime from occurring.

To get more information about the civil side of a criminal case, contact a WV Crime Victim Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  A lawyer from our office will take the time to listen to the facts of your case to see whether we can help you.  All information is kept strictly confidential and there is no charge to discuss a case with a crime victim or their family.

For more information, fill out our online case review form or call us toll free at 866-982-5299.

Hit-and-Run Case Settles

A young girl and her sister were walking on a sidewalk in a small town in West Virginia when the driver of a vehicle drove onto the sidewalk and struck one of the girls.  The accident victim suffered a broken leg and had to undergo months of painful physical therapy and doctor’s visits.

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene of the accident and was later identified by the police through the use of video cameras and an independent eyewitness who examined a still shot from the video and confirmed that she saw this same truck strike the girl.  The police charged the driver with hit-and-run causing injury and the driver pled no contest to the charge.

Regardless of this overwhelming evidence, the driver’s insurance company took the unreasonable position that it was not their insured that caused the accident and that someone else must have been at fault.  The insurance company delayed their decision on liability pending a further investigation.

Rist Law Offices interviewed police who investigated the accident and invited the insurance adjuster to meet with our client in person to discuss the accident.  Following this investigation and our client’s discharge from medical treatment, we were able to settle the case with the insurance company, who eventually decided to offer a reasonable settlement offer even though they continued to deny that their driver was at fault.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a serious accident, contact a WV Car Accident Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  We handle all injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no charge unless your case is settled or won in court.  To speak to a lawyer about your case, call us toll free at 866-982-5299.

Hospital Shooting Leaves One Dead in Charleston West Virginia

A woman walked into Charleston Area Medical Center on Saturday and shot her estranged husband in the head.  Her husband, Sammy Lee Stewart, died from the shooting.  The Charleston Gazette covered the shooting here.

Hospital Security Issues

Security issues at hospitals in the United States have been an issue for some time.  The Gazette Article notes that some hospitals use metal detectors and security guards.  It did not state whether CAMC utilizes such measures.  One factor in examining the security at any business is whether any prior crimes have occurred or their are special circumstances that warrant a higher degree of security.

Getting Help for Shooting Victims and Their Families

If you have lost a loved one due to a shooting, contact a crime victim lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss whether you could file a civil lawsuit.  Many victims of crimes do not know that a civil lawsuit could be filed as the result of a criminal act.  We handle crime victim cases throughout West Virginia and will take the time to sit down and talk to a crime victim or their family about their legal options following a crime.  There is never a charge to speak to someone about a crime victim case and all information is kept strictly confidential.

To speak to a lawyer about your case, contact us by calling toll free at 866-982-5299 or fill out our online case review form and a lawyer will contact you.

Arrest Made in Fatal Mon. County DUI Case

A 21 year-old was arrested and charged with felony DUI causing death as a result of an April accident that killed Morgantown resident Delores Decker on Route 705.  MSNBC.com carried a story about the incident here.  According to the article, Matthew Veith of Morgantown was charged with the crime.  

Getting Help with a DUI Fatality Case

If you have lost a loved one as the result of a drunk driver, contact Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  It is extremely important in a fatality case to have an attorney review all applicable insurance policies and to review the facts of the case to identify whether a bar, restaurant, or store that sells alcohol could also be liable for the accident under a theory of law known as dram shop liability.  Additionally, an experienced lawyer investigate whether the drunk driver was working at the time of the accident or whether another party negligently provided alcohol to the drunk driver.  

Rist Law Offices handles all drunk driving fatality cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless we settle or win your case at trial.  We work on cases throughout the state of West Virginia and there is never a charge to discuss a case.  To speak to a West Virginia drunk driving fatality lawyer about your case, call us toll free at 866-982-5299 or fill out our online case review form and a lawyer will contact you.

Case Results – DUI Injury Case Settles for Policy Limits

In early 2009, Rist Law Offices was hired by the victim of a severe drunk driving case to file a West Virginia drunk driving accident lawsuit.  As the result of the negligence of the drunk driver, our client suffered severe head injuries and had to be transported to a critical care unit in Charleston.  

During the course of the case, we interviewed witnesses, spoke to the investigating officer, obtained court records from the DUI case, and obtained all of the medical records and billings for our client.  Once our client’s medical providers released her from treatment, we worked to settle the case with the drunk driver’s insurance company for her policy limits without filing a lawsuit.

Getting Help with a DUI Injury Case in West Virginia

If you or a loved one need help with a serious car accident case in West Virginia, contact a WV car accident lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case. We can be reached toll free at 866-982-5299 or fill out our online case review form and a lawyer will contact you.

Fatal Hit and Run Leads to Murder Charge

An Elkview, West Virginia man was charged with murder on Monday due to allegations that he ran over another man in Charleston on early Monday morning.  The Charleston Gazette reported that 19 year old Garrett Z. Pauley was charged with murder in the death of Josh Freeman on Pacific Street and was ordered to jail without bond.  The article is here.

West Virginia Hit and Run Accident Lawyer

Rist Law Offices represents the victims of crimes, including hit and run accidents, throughout West Virginia.  In a hit and run accident, one of the main challenges can be identifying the driver.  An experienced crime victim lawyer will hire an investigator to examine the scene of the accident and attempt to identify any potential witnesses to the accident.  This important step can be the difference in finding the at-fault driver.

We represent all crime victims on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee until your case is settled or won in court.  For more information, call us toll free at 866-982-5299 or fill out our online case review form and a lawyer will contact you.

DUI Accident Causes Injury to Passengers

Two passengers were injured in an accident that involved alcohol on Friday.  The accident occurred on W. Va. 61 near Kincaid, West Virginia around 3:00 p.m.  The driver apparently lost control, left the roadway, and struck a tree.  The driver was ejected and two passengers were trapped inside.  The Register-Herald carried a story about the accident here.

West Virginia DUI Injury Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving a drunk driver, contact a WV DUI Injury Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  We handle DUI injury and death cases throughout the state of West Virginia.  Our office has experience working with crime victims and their families to identify negligent parties when a DUI causes an injury or death.  As part of our investigation, we will examine whether the negligent driver was provided alcohol by a restaurant, bar, or club when they were obviously intoxicated.  This evidence could lead to a case being filed against the drunk driver and the business that negligently served the driver.

Getting Help With a Case

For more information about drunk driving injury cases or to speak to a lawyer about your case, contact us by calling toll free 866-982-5299 or fill out our online case review form and a lawyer will contact you.

Man Shot at Charleston Apartment Complex

A man was shot at the Washinton Manor apartment complex on Charleston’s West Side on Wednesday night around 8:30 p.m.  According to reports, the incident occurred within 200 feet of a church where Wednesday night services were being held.  No one has yet been arrested as the result of the shooting WSAZ carried a story here.

West Virginia Shooting Victim Help

When an incident such as a shooting at an apartment complex occurs, a crime victim or their family could potentially file a civil action against the apartment complex for their failure to keep the area safe.  In an apartment complex shooting case, we investigate whether there were prior crimes, a lack of security, complaints from residents about crime, poor lighting, and other issues that could be important to a civil action.  

Getting Help

If you have lost a loved one due to a shooting at an apartment complex, contact a WV Apartment Shooting Lawyer from Rist Law Offices to discuss your case.  We offer free initial consultations to all crime victims and their families and all cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no fee unless the case is settled or won in trial.

For more information, contact us by calling toll free 866-982-5299 or fill out our online case review form and a lawyer will contact you.