Colombo & Stuhr recently completed a 12 week video series titled "Legally Speaking" that was televised on WDTV. The series was aimed to help consumers make informed decisions regarding a variety of  legal issues.

Each week we focused on a different topic aimed to help inform the viewing public. We started off by discussing how our law firm handles cases and explained how to make informed decisions that will be financially sound . 

In week 2, the topic was "Who do you call first after an accident?" providing valuable information regarding the appropriate steps to take after a car, truck or motorcycle accident.

Week 3 covered "How cases get resolved." The discussion centered around the difference between settlements and cases that go to trial.

Next we discussed "Insurance coverage." Types of coverages, limits of liability, state minimum coverage, the uninsured and the underinsured were covered.

In week 5 we introduced our exclusive "eCase Status" system that allows us to provide near real time updates to our clients' cases 24/7 via our website.

Our website was the week 6 topic, which currently features answers to Frequently Asked Questions and other useful information that can be accessed anytime for free.

The next topic was "Medical payments coverage" on your automobile insurance policy and how it can help when you are involved in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident.

Motorcycle accidents led the discussion in week 8. We talked about how motorcycle accidents can be among the worst accidents, especially when the accident involves a car or truck.

Have you ever thought to yourself "Do I need a lawyer?" We discussed how a qualified and trusted attorney will handle your case and can help you get through your situation in the best possible way.

Week 10 we covered health insurance and medical expenses after an accident. Who pays the bills before your case is resolved?

One of the questions we get asked most often is "How much is my case worth?". We cover this topic in order for you to make a better informed decision regarding your situation. 

In the final episode, the advice given was "Hire an experienced lawyer that is looking out for your interests"

Thanks for watching!

Davis Health System Foundation will hold its 2nd Annual Motorcycle Ride on June 27, 2009 with Colombo & Stuhr as the primary sponsor.

The ride is approximately 150 miles traveling from Elkins to Thornwood to Monterey, VA, to Franklin, to Harman, and ending back in Elkins. There will be six stops (see map in attached flyer).

9:30 until 10 a.m.
Registration at HomePlus parking lot located at the corner of Buffalo St. & Randolph Ave.

10 a.m.
Ride begins from HomePlus parking lot

3 p.m.
Return to Elkins

3 until 5 p.m.
Meal at HomePlus parking lot

If you or someone you know has been seriously injured or killed in a motorcycle accident, contact the West Virginia Motorcycle Accident Attorneys of Colombo & Stuhr PLLC at 800-860-1414.

The law firm of Colombo & Stuhr continues its community involvement by being a proud sponsor of the St. Jude Dream Home being built in Monongalia County.  Colombo & Stuhr is the law firm that individuals and families turn to when they are involved in an automobile accident, trucking accident or motorcycle accident.  However, Colombo & Stuhr is more than just a personal injury law firm serving Harrison County, Randolph County, Upshur County, Monongalia County, Marion County, Taylor County, and Lewis County.  The law firm is dedicated to improving the lives of their clients and at the same time dedicated to helping the community as a whole.  That is exactly why we are part of the St. Jude Dream Home. 

In economic times where people in our community are hurting the St. Jude Dream Home gives a lucky family the opportunity to win a $300,000 home.  There is nothing more satisfying than helping a family who is experiencing difficult times because of lost wages, medical bills or other financial difficulties.  This is who we are and this is what we do. 

More and more we are seeing insurance companies making low ball settlement offers to people injured by motorcycle accidents, automobile accidents, and trucking accidents.  The insurance companies are counting on injured victims to take the low ball settlement offer because they are desperate for cash.  Unfortunately, this settlement strategy has worked very well for the insurance companies when dealing with an injured person who is not represented by a lawyer.

The attorneys at Colombo & Stuhr represent children and adults in Morgantown, Clarksburg, Bridgeport, Fairmont, Elkins, Buckhannon, Weston, and throughout North Central West Virginia who have been injured in car wrecks, motorcycle accidents, and trucking accidents.  We know how to handle aggressive insurance adjusters and the insurance company attorneys.  Clients know that when they hire our law firm that they are hiring a law firm that is ready, willing and able to try the most complex case.

For example, Dino Colombo recently tried a case for a client where State Farm had offered only $10,000 to settle a rear end collision type of accident.  The client had a permanent neck injury and $10,000 would just barely cover the medical expenses.  The case went to trial and a Monongalia County jury returned a verdict of over $400,000 for this client.

There is no way any attorney can guarantee a result for our client.  Also, simply because there was a significant verdict for this particular client it does not automatically mean that all cases will end this way.  However, what is important to know is that a well prepared trial attorney, who has the experience necessary to try complicated cases involving permanent spinal cord injuries or brain injury cases, is vital to a successful outcome. 

Colombo & Stuhr conducted its annual child photo ID program at the Meadowbrook Mall Baby Fair.  This is the 4th year that Colombo & Stuhr has provided parents with free child photo IDs at the Baby Fair.  As usual, the child photo ID booth was the busiest in the mall and we provided over 100 free child photo IDs to parents throughout the area.

Colombo & Stuhr not only provides first class representation to individuals and families hurt in automobile accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents, but we are involved in many community activities.  Over the years Colombo & Stuhr has provided thousands of free child photo IDs to parents in Harrison County, Randolph County, Upshur County, Marion County, Monongalia County, Taylor County, and Lewis County.

We are the injury law firm that families have turned to for years to provide legal representation in serious personal injury matters and in cases involving wrongful death. 

Using a cell phone, and especially texting, can serve as a major distraction while operating a motor vehicle. That goes for anyone of any age. When you factor in the lack of experience behind the wheel that teens contend with, along with a cell phone, you've got a recipe for disaster — or worse, death.

Five states (California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington) and the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands prohibit driving while talking on hand-held cell phones.

Unconvinced of the wisdom of these bans? AAA surveyed 1,000 teen drivers ages 16-17 and found that 61 percent of the group admitted to risky driving habits. Of that 61 percent, 46 percent of the teens reported texting at the wheel and 51 percent said they talk on cell phones while driving.

A research study of 900 teens from 26 high schools nationwide done by the group Students Against Destructive Decisions and insurer Liberty Mutual Group revealed texting was ranked as the most distracting activity the group of respondents participated in while driving.

Driving is a full-time job; treating it as anything less is to risk one's own safety, as well as that of other people on the road.

Texting and driving - like drinking and driving - don't mix, even if it is to text back just a single letter. Anyone operating a motor vehicle, no matter their age, should pull over if they want to make or receive a cell phone call.

Driving while texting (DWT) is nearly as dangerous as driving while intoxicated (DWI).  If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in a car accident involving a cell phone or text messaging, contact the Morgantown Car Accident Lawyers of Colombo & Stuhr PLLC at 800-860-1414.

Motorcycle riding has become more popular in recent years, appealing to a new group of enthusiasts consisting of older and more affluent riders. Sales of all types of two-wheelers reached about 1,158,000 in 2006, a level not seen in about 30 years. At the same time motorcycle fatalities have also been climbing, reaching their highest level in 2006 since 1981. There has been a dramatic jump in the number of deaths among motorcycle riders age 40 and older in recent years.

Motorcycles are by their nature far less crashworthy than closed vehicles. They are also less visible to other drivers and pedestrians and less stable than four-wheel vehicles. Operating a motorcycle requires a different combination of physical and mental skills than those used in driving four-wheel vehicles. Motorcyclists and their passengers are more vulnerable to the hazards of weather and road conditions than drivers in closed vehicles.

Motorcycle insurance is widely available. As motorcycles became more popular, more insurers entered the market. Now, most of the top ten auto insurers offer motorcycle insurance, either as an endorsement to a personal automobile policy or as a separate policy, in most of the states in which they operate. Many have recently expanded into new states.

KEY FACTS
-According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2006 4,810 people died in motorcycle crashes, up 5.1 percent from 4,576 in 2005 to the highest level since 1981.

-Motorcycle crash fatalities have increased every year for the past nine years.

-There were 6.2 million motorcycles on U.S. roads in 2005, according to the latest data available from the Federal Highway Administration, compared with 137.4 million passenger cars.

-Motorcycles accounted nearly 3 percent of all registered motor vehicles and 0.4 percent of vehicle miles traveled in 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Some 104,000 motorcycles were involved in crashes in 2006, including property damage-only crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

-Motorcyclists were 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash in 2006, per vehicle mile traveled, and eight times more likely to be injured,according to NHTSA.

-The fatality rate for motorcyclists in 2006 was 5.5 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants per registered vehicle, according to the latest data from NHTSA.

Motorcycle accidents are very dangerous. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in a motorcycle accident, contact the Morgantown Motorcycle Accident Lawyers of Colombo & Stuhr PLLC at 800-860-1414.

Cars have gotten a lot safer in recent years, and that trend seems to have accelerated just in the past year. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released its annual list of Top Safety Picks. The big news is that 72 vehicles earned the Institute’s highest ranking this year, more than double the number of 2008 models and more than three times the number of 2007 winners.

To earn a Top Safety Pick award, a car has to  receive the Institute’s highest rating of Good in front, side, and rear crash protection, including a Good rating in an assessment of head-restraint safety; and it must offer electronic stability control.

For the first time, there is at least one vehicle in every segment Consumer Reports tests that earns a Top Safety Pick award, giving consumers the ability to find a safe car, no matter their budget or transportation needs. All Acura and Subaru models earn Top Safety Pick awards. The IIHS doesn’t test two-seat roadsters, but three four-passenger convertibles made the grade: the Saab 9-3, Volkswagen Eos, and Volvo C70.

In addition to the 72 Top Safety Picks, another 26 models earn Good front- and side-crash-test scores and offer electronic stability control, but don’t have good head-restraint designs. While rear impacts are rarely fatal, they produce a high percentage of injuries in auto accidents.

Virtually all cars now earn Good front crash scores, but not all have Good side-crash scores and rear-impact scores.

It is important when choosing a new car to also consider its dynamic performance relative to safety. Consumer Reports Safety Ratings factor insurance industry and government crash tests, when available, as well as our own dry braking, wet braking, and accident avoidance test findings. On the model overview pages at ConsumerReports.org, we provide a complete breakdown of how each tested model fares in the full range of safety evaluations.

Below are the lists of 2009 Top Safety Picks, as well as those "Also-Ran" models that lack only good seat/head restraint designs.

Large cars
Acura RL
Audi A6
Cadillac CTS
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Mercury Sable
Toyota Avalon
Volvo S80

Midsize cars
Acura TL, TSX
Audi A3, A4
BMW 3 Series sedan
Ford Fusion with optional ESC
Honda Accord sedan
Mercedes C Class
Mercury Milan with optional ESC
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy
Volkswagen Jetta, Passat

Midsize convertibles
Saab 9-3
Volkswagen Eos
Volvo C70

Small cars
Honda Civic sedan with optional ESC (except Si)
Mitsubishi Lancer with optional ESC
Scion xB
Subaru Impreza with optional ESC
Toyota Corolla with optional ESC
Volkswagen Rabbit 4-door

Minicar
Honda Fit with optional ESC

Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Large SUVs
Audi Q7
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
GMC Acadia
Saturn Outlook

Midsize SUVs
Acura MDX, RDX
BMW X3, X5
Ford Edge, Flex, Taurus X
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe, Veracruz
Infiniti EX35
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M Class
Nissan Murano
Saturn Vue
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota FJ Cruiser, Highlander
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs
Ford Escape
Honda CR-V, Element
Mazda Tribute
Mercury Mariner
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan

Large pickups
Ford F-150
Honda Ridgeline
Toyota Tundra

Small pickup
Toyota Tacoma

Also-Rans
These 26 vehicles earn good ratings in front- and side-crash tests. They have ESC, standard or optional. They would be 2009 Top Safety Pick winners if their seat/head restraints also earn good ratings:

Chevrolet Malibu
Chrysler Sebring, Sebring convertible, Town & Country
Dodge Avenger, Grand Caravan
Infiniti G35, M35
Kia Amanti
Lexus ES, GS, IS
Mazda CX-7, CX-9
Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, Endeavor
Nissan Altima, Pathfinder, Quest, Xterra
Saturn Aura
Smart Fortwo
Toyota 4Runner, Camry, Prius, Sienna