About Skinner Accident & Injury Lawyers
Skinner Accident & Injury Lawyers has recovered over $100 million for West Virginia clients in personal injury Charles Town and regional accident cases, operating from Jefferson County with multi-office reach across Charles Town, Martinsburg, Winchester VA, and Ashburn VA. The firm’s team — including attorneys Stephen Skinner, Andrew Skinner, Bryan Ogilvie, M. Alexandra Hazel, Shawn Hogbin, Jared Smallwood, and Elaine Singerman — brings more than 75 years of combined experience to personal injury, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury claims for Eastern Panhandle and Northern Shenandoah Valley clients.
The firm’s practice spans car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle and pedestrian crashes, dog bites, slip and fall injuries, product liability, workers’ compensation, bad faith insurance disputes, and PFAS water contamination claims — a scope of representation that reflects the types of serious injury cases that arise along Jefferson County’s busy highway corridors and in the surrounding communities that depend on the firm’s contingency-fee model for access to serious litigation resources.
Personal Injury Charles Town — Practice Areas & Services
Personal injury claims in Charles Town and Jefferson County are handled in the Jefferson County Circuit Court, located at 100 East Washington Street in Charles Town — the county seat of West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. West Virginia follows a modified comparative negligence standard (50% bar rule) under WV Code § 55-7-13a, meaning plaintiffs can recover damages as long as they are not more than 50% at fault for the accident. Jefferson County’s proximity to Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the DC metro area creates a multi-state litigation dynamic — particularly in truck accident and PFAS contamination cases with multiple defendants and multi-state evidence.
- Car, truck, and motorcycle accident claims in Jefferson County and along US-340 and WV-9
- Wrongful death claims for families who lost loved ones in Eastern Panhandle accidents
- Slip and fall and premises liability in Jefferson County and surrounding counties
- PFAS water contamination and product liability claims
What Charles Town Clients Say
Clients of Skinner Accident & Injury Lawyers consistently cite the firm’s track record — over $100 million recovered — as a meaningful indicator of capability in an area of law where the quality of your attorney directly determines how insurance carriers value your claim. The firm’s 24/7 availability and free consultation model, combined with contingency fee representation (no fee unless you recover), removes the financial barrier to accessing serious litigation resources for Eastern Panhandle accident victims.
Serving: Charles Town and Jefferson County
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, wrongful death, product liability, PFAS contamination, workers’ compensation
Local Courts: Jefferson County Circuit Court, WV Supreme Court of Appeals, US District Court (Northern District of WV)
Key Stat: West Virginia had 274 traffic fatalities in 2022, a disproportionately high rate relative to population (WV DOT Highway Safety Division).
Key Resource: West Virginia DOT — Highway Safety Programs
Related Guide: Personal Injury Attorneys in West Virginia
Frequently Asked Questions
How does West Virginia’s comparative negligence law affect a personal injury claim in Jefferson County?
West Virginia follows a modified comparative negligence rule under WV Code § 55-7-13a. Under this rule, an injured plaintiff can recover damages as long as their percentage of fault for the accident is 50% or less. However, their recovery is reduced by their percentage of fault — if a Charles Town plaintiff is found 30% at fault for a car accident and suffers $100,000 in damages, they recover $70,000. If the plaintiff is found more than 50% at fault, they recover nothing. This rule makes the investigation and documentation of accident liability critically important, as insurance adjusters and defense attorneys will work to inflate the plaintiff’s share of fault to reduce or eliminate the claim.
What is the statute of limitations for personal injury claims in West Virginia?
West Virginia’s general statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the injury (WV Code § 55-2-12). For wrongful death claims, the limitations period is also two years from the date of death. Medical malpractice claims have a two-year limitations period from the date of injury or discovery of the injury, with a ten-year absolute bar. Claims against a West Virginia governmental entity require a separate notice of claim to be filed within two years. Missing the statute of limitations entirely bars the claim — courts have very limited discretion to extend it. If you were injured in an accident in Jefferson County or the Eastern Panhandle, contacting a personal injury attorney promptly preserves your right to recover.
What should Jefferson County residents know about suing a trucking company after a Charles Town area truck accident?
Truck accidents in the Charles Town area — particularly on US-340, WV-9, and the I-81 corridor — often involve multiple potentially liable parties: the truck driver, the motor carrier (trucking company), the owner of the truck or trailer (which may differ from the carrier), and potentially the shipper if the cargo was improperly loaded. Federal motor carrier regulations (FMCSRs) impose strict requirements on commercial carriers regarding driver hours-of-service, vehicle maintenance, drug and alcohol testing, and cargo securement — violations of these regulations can establish negligence per se. West Virginia requires a personal injury attorney to send a litigation hold letter to the trucking company immediately after a serious accident to preserve electronic logging device (ELD) data, dashcam footage, and maintenance records, all of which can be overwritten on short retention schedules.
