Attorney R. Dean Hartley Reappointed to WVU Public Health Council
Since 2011, the founder of our firm – and prominent West Virginia personal injury attorney – R. Dean Hartley has been a member of the Leadership Council of the West Virginia University School of Public Health. By providing support and leadership for the School of Public Health, the Leadership Council helps the school’s members build […]
Hartley Law Group Donating $500,000 Towards Purchase of a Lung Bus for West Virginia
Hartley Law Group, PLLC is pleased to announce that the firm is donating $500,000 to the West Virginia University Cancer Institute towards the purchase of a mobile lung cancer screening unit. Known as the “Lung Bus,” the mobile unit’s goal is to provide screenings for lung cancer throughout West Virginia and help decrease lung cancer […]
Class action filed against Equifax for failing to protect credit information
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Equifax Inc. after the plaintiffs claim it failed to adequately protect credit information and personal information.According to the suit, Equifax’s database storing the plaintiffs and class members’ information had been improperly accessed from May to July, by unauthorized third parties, which then caused credit harm and identity […]
Da Vinci Robotic Surgery: Medical Marvel or Medical Menace?
One of the hottest trends in medicine over the last decade has been the rise of minimally-invasive robotic surgery. As of March 31, 2014, there were 2,116 da Vinci Surgical Systems installed in United States health care facilities and there are currently 11 facilities in West Virginia that have da Vinci Surgical Systems. Intuitive Surgical, […]
Do I Have a Case for Nursing Home Negligence?
Nursing Home Neglect vs. Nursing Home Abuse While there are many similarities between nursing home neglect and nursing home abuse, there is a key difference between the two. Abuse implies a specific intent to harm, but neglect is a breach of duty or a form of sub-standard care that results in harm. Negligence can occur […]
Radioactive Remains of Gas Drilling Dumped in West Virginia Landfills
In the natural gas industry, waste left over after horizontal drilling operations is colloquially referred to as “drill cuttings”. These cuttings typically contain significant levels of radiation emitting materials such as radium, uranium, and radon. Radium, a substance known to increase the risk of lymphoma, bone cancer, and blood disorders, is known to be particularly […]
Nursing Home Infections on the Rise
A recent Columbia University School of Nursing five-year study of infection rates in American nursing homes found that a greater percentage of residents are experiencing infections, many of which are life-threatening. The study found increased prevalence of pneumonia, urinary tract infections, viral hepatitis, septicemia, wound infections, and multiple drug-resistant organisms. In fact, the study found […]
Airborne Dust from Mountaintop Mining Linked to Lung Cancer in Nearby Communities
Researchers from West Virginia University’s Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center have recently published findings that reveal a causal link between mountaintop mining operations and lung cancer rates in nearby residential neighborhoods. While it has long been speculated that abnormally high rates of lung cancer in mountaintop mining communities are attributable to poor air quality, there […]
Severe Form of Black Lung Returns to Threaten Appalachian Coal Miners
A severe incarnation of black lung disease, Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF), affects nearly ten-times more Appalachian coal miners today than it did in the 1970s. Recent data analysis from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has revealed that the potentially lethal effects of PMF are currently afflicting 3.2% of miners in the […]
Medical Malpractice Reform Has Little Effect on Healthcare Costs
It is a common idea: healthcare costs are so high because doctors are forced to order unnecessary tests to protect themselves from liability in medical malpractice lawsuits. Although this notion is widely held in society, a recent study indicates that laws making it harder to sue doctors for medical negligence do not reduce the amount […]
