West Virginia Lawyer Interviews

Charleston, WV: Deadbeat parents owe millions in support payments to children in West Virginia, and attorney Charles "Rusty" Webb is doing his level best to make sure they pay up. He recently filed a legal malpractice class action lawsuit against the State Bureau of Child Support Enforcement, alleging that it is negligent in its duty to aggressively pursue parents who ignore court orders to make child support payments.

Roanoke, WV: In January 2009 federal officials linked products manufactured by The Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) to the Salmonella foodborne illness outbreak that sickened 677 people in 45 states and killed nine since early September 2008. Attorney Ron Simon of Simon and Luke has been in negotiations on behalf of his clients since April. "The court has finally approved our settlement process," says Simon. "If you qualify you are entitled to part of this $12 million without having to file a lawsuit."

Wheeling, WV: Within the next two years, the American manufacturers of a heart medicine called Digitek will be hit with hail of lawsuits and attorney Teresa Toriseva expects to be one of the personal injury lawyers leading the charge. In April of 2008, the FDA issued a drug recall notice after a number of patients experienced problems. "There are hundreds and probably thousands of cases," says Toriseva. "The number of cases is still developing and nobody can give you anything but a gut estimate. Clients are still being screened and reaching out, looking for help."