Morgantown Personal Injury Lawyers

Trusted Trial Lawyers Serving Injured West Virginians

When a careless driver, negligent property owner, or commercial carrier turns an ordinary day into a fight for your health, your job, and your family’s stability, you deserve more than a 1-800 commercial and a junior case manager. You deserve a Morgantown trial attorney who knows the courthouse, knows the insurance adjusters, and is willing to take your case all the way to a Monongalia County jury if that is what it takes to obtain fair compensation.

Founded in 2019 by two West Virginia University College of Law graduates, Slavey & Shumaker PLLC has built a focused personal injury and criminal defense practice that combines big firm preparation with the personal attention only a true local firm can deliver. Our office at 174 Chancery Row sits steps from the Monongalia County Courthouse and the Monongalia County Justice Center, and that proximity is not an accident: we believe the best advocates for injured West Virginians are the ones who walk those halls every week.

Why Injured Morgantown Clients Choose Slavey & Shumaker PLLC

Selecting a personal injury lawyer is one of the most consequential decisions you will make after a serious accident. The attorney you hire shapes how your medical bills are handled, how aggressively the insurance company is pushed, and how much of any settlement actually reaches you. Clients across Morgantown choose our firm because we offer:

• Direct attorney access. When you call our office, you speak with the attorney(s) who knows your file — not a screening center in another state.
• Local trial credibility. Insurers track which lawyers actually file suit and try cases in West Virginia. We do, and that record influences how seriously offers are made on your claim.
• Contingency fee representation. You pay no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. Costs and the contingency percentage are disclosed in writing before we begin work, consistent with West Virginia Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5.
• Investigation, not assumption. We obtain crash reports, scene photos, surveillance video, employer records, and 911 audio early — before evidence disappears.
• Real settlement strategy. Cases are valued based on liability, damages, venue, insurance, and your individual goals. We do not push clients toward fast, cheap settlements that leave money on the table.
• Established West Virginia roots. Both attorneys were educated at WVU, live in the community we serve, and are committed to the long term well-being of our neighbors in North Central West Virginia.

You can read what previous clients have said about our representation on our Morgantown personal injury client reviews page.

Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Morgantown and Monongalia County

Our attorneys accept a wide range of plaintiff personal injury matters under West Virginia law. Each category has its own evidence priorities, statutes, and insurance dynamics, which is why early representation matters.

Car and Auto Accidents

Morgantown’s mix of WVU student traffic, congested corridors like University Avenue and Patteson Drive, and high-speed interstates like I-79 and I-68 makes car accidents in West Virginia one of the most common reasons clients call our firm. We handle rear-end collisions, intersection crashes at hot spots like the Pierpont and Chestnut Ridge areas, and the I-79/I-68 split, distracted driving wrecks, drunk-driving injuries, hit-and-run claims, and underinsured/uninsured motorist (UM/UIM) disputes.

Truck and Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Tractor-trailer crashes on I-79, I-68, and U.S. Route 19 routinely involve catastrophic injuries, multiple insurance layers, and federal motor carrier regulations. We pursue commercial drivers, motor carriers, brokers, and shippers when their conduct or hiring decisions cause harm to West Virginia families.

Motorcycle Accidents

Riders are too often blamed by adjusters for crashes caused by inattentive drivers. Our firm investigates each motorcycle wreck on the merits, retains accident reconstruction experts when needed, and pushes back on bias-driven liability denials.

Pedestrian and Crosswalk Accidents

Pedestrian injuries in downtown Morgantown, around WVU’s Downtown and Evansdale campuses, and along Beechurst Avenue can be devastating. We work to identify every responsible party — drivers, employers of on-duty drivers, and, in some cases, governmental entities responsible for dangerous roadway design.

Premises Liability and Slip-and-Fall Injuries

Property owners and tenants in West Virginia owe duties to lawful visitors. We handle slip-and-fall, trip-and-fall, negligent security, and dangerous-property cases involving stores, apartment complexes, restaurants, and public venues.

Wrongful Death

When a preventable accident takes a loved one, West Virginia’s wrongful death statute (W. Va. Code §55-7-5 et seq.) allows the personal representative of the estate to pursue damages on behalf of statutory beneficiaries. We approach these cases with the sensitivity they require and the legal rigor they deserve.

Local Knowledge: Where Morgantown Accidents Actually Happen

Effective personal injury representation in Morgantown requires more than legal theory. It requires understanding why injuries happen here. North Central West Virginia presents a specific risk profile:

• The I-79/I-68 interchange is one of the most accident-prone merge points in the state, particularly during winter weather, lane closures, and peak commute hours.
• University Avenue and Beechurst Avenue corridors mix student pedestrians, PRT traffic, delivery vehicles, and commuters, generating a high frequency of pedestrian and rear-end crashes.
• The Mileground and Sabraton sees heavy commercial traffic with frequent left-turn and angle collisions.
• Steep grades on I-68 toward Cheat Lake and Bruceton Mills contribute to runaway-truck and weather related crashes that fall under federal trucking regulations.
• Rural Monongalia and Preston County roads involve narrow shoulders, deer strikes, and limited lighting that change how comparative fault is argued.

This local fluency lets us anticipate the defenses insurers raise — sudden emergency, comparative fault, “the road was the problem” — and build an evidentiary record that addresses each one before it gains traction.

How a West Virginia Personal Injury Case Works

Every case is different, but most West Virginia personal injury claims move through similar phases. Knowing what to expect helps reduce the stress of the unknown.

1. Free Case Evaluation

We begin with a no-cost, confidential consultation. You explain what happened, we ask focused questions, and we tell you honestly whether we believe we can help. There is no pressure to retain the firm.

2. Investigation and Evidence Preservation

If we are retained, we send preservation letters, secure crash reports, request 911 audio, photograph injuries and vehicles, identify witnesses, and pull any available video before it is overwritten.

3. Medical Treatment and Documentation

You focus on your medical recovery. We coordinate with providers, ensure that records and bills are properly gathered, and address health insurance and medical payments coverage issues so that bills do not derail your treatment.

4. Demand and Negotiation

Once your treatment has stabilized or reached maximum medical improvement, we prepare a demand package supported by medical records, lost wage documentation, and a clear narrative of liability and damages. Many cases settle here.

5. Litigation

If the insurer refuses a fair resolution, we file suit, conduct discovery, take depositions, retain experts, and prepare the case for trial. We litigate with the same intensity whether the carrier is local or national.

6. Trial or Settlement

Most cases resolve before verdict, but only because we are credibly prepared to try them. The decision to accept any offer is always yours — we provide candid analysis, you decide.

Compensation You May Be Entitled to Recover

West Virginia law allows injured plaintiffs to seek both economic and non-economic damages. Depending on your facts, recoverable categories may include:

• Past and future medical expenses, including surgical, rehabilitative, and mental health treatment
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity
• Out-of-pocket costs such as mileage, prescriptions, and household help
• Property damage, diminished value, and rental car costs
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life and inconvenience
• Loss of consortium for spouses
• Wrongful death damages, including sorrow, mental anguish, lost income, and lost companionship under W. Va. Code §55-7-6
• Punitive damages where the conduct was willful, malicious, or reckless and the standards of W. Va. Code §55-7-29 are met

No lawyer can ethically guarantee a specific dollar outcome. What we can do is value your claim against comparable West Virginia recoveries and present it in a form that maximizes leverage with insurers and credibility with juries.

The West Virginia Statute of Limitations: Why Timing Matters

Under W. Va. Code §55-2-12, most personal injury claims in West Virginia must be filed within two years of the date of injury. Wrongful death claims also carry a two-year window under W. Va. Code §55-7-6. Claims against governmental entities are governed by separate notice of claim deadlines that can be much shorter. Medical professional liability claims have their own statute under W. Va. Code §55-7B-4, including a 10-year statute of repose.

These deadlines do not wait for you to feel ready. Evidence — surveillance video in particular — can be lost in days, not years. Witness memories fade. Insurers use delay against unrepresented claimants. The most powerful step you can take to protect your case is to consult a Morgantown personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

How Our Contingency Fee Works

You should never have to choose between hiring an attorney and feeding your family. Slavey & Shumaker PLLC accepts personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means:

• No retainer. No hourly fees.
• Our attorney fee is a percentage of the gross or net recovery, as set forth in your written fee agreement and consistent with West Virginia Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5.
• If we do not recover compensation for you, you owe no attorney fee.
• Case expenses (filing fees, expert costs, medical record charges) are explained up front and reimbursed from the recovery.

This structure aligns our financial interests with yours: the better the result for you, the better the result for us.

Meet Your Morgantown Personal Injury Attorneys

J. Tyler Slavey — Founding/Managing Partner

A Princeton, West Virginia native, attorney J. Tyler Slavey earned his B.A. in Political Science magna cum laude from West Virginia University in 2005 and his Juris Doctor from the WVU College of Law in 2008. Tyler concentrates his practice in plaintiff personal injury law, including motor vehicle accidents, workplace injuries, medical malpractice, and other serious injury matters, supported by a strong civil litigation foundation. He has been recognized as a West Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Star, a peer and research driven honor extended to no more than 2.5% of attorneys in the state. Tyler is a member of the West Virginia State Bar, the Monongalia County Bar Association, and the West Virginia Association for Justice.

J. Brandon Shumaker — Founding/managing Partner

Attorney J. Brandon Shumaker came to West Virginia University in 2001 as a pre-law, political science major and earned his Juris Doctor from the WVU College of Law in 2008. He spent his early career with an insurance defense firm in Mercer County, West Virginia — experience that informs how he now anticipates and dismantles insurer arguments on the plaintiff side. After returning to Morgantown in 2012, Brandon built a practice devoted to personal injury, criminal defense, and representation of WVU students before the Student Conduct Board. Brandon is admitted to practice in West Virginia state and federal courts and is a member of the West Virginia State Bar and the Monongalia County Bar Association.

Results, Recognition, and Reputation

While prior results never guarantee a similar outcome — and West Virginia’s professional conduct rules properly forbid misleading promises — our firm has earned independent recognition that prospective clients are entitled to consider when comparing attorneys:

• Recognition of attorney J. Tyler Slavey on the West Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Stars list.
• Verified client reviews on Google, Facebook, and Yelp describing responsive communication, thorough preparation, and meaningful settlements.
• Active membership in West Virginia legal organizations focused on advancing the rights of injured people.
• A consistent record of taking cases to litigation when carriers refuse fair resolution — not simply settling for whatever is offered.

You can review independent client feedback on our Morgantown client reviews page.

What to Do Right Now After a Morgantown Accident

1. Get medical care. Even if you feel “fine,” document any complaints. Adrenaline masks injuries, and gaps in treatment are weaponized by insurers.
2. Report the crash. Make sure law enforcement responds and a West Virginia Uniform Crash Report is generated.
3. Preserve evidence. Photograph vehicles, the scene, license plates, and visible injuries. Keep damaged property; do not repair or scrap it without legal advice.
4. Identify witnesses. Names and phone numbers of independent witnesses are some of the most valuable evidence in any case.
5. Decline recorded statements. You are not required to give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurer, and doing so before consulting counsel is rarely helpful.
6. Call a Morgantown personal injury lawyer. A short phone call costs you nothing and can prevent costly mistakes.

Talk to a Morgantown Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If you or someone you love has been injured in Morgantown or anywhere in North Central West Virginia, the most important step you can take today is to learn your rights from a lawyer who actually tries these cases. Consultations are free, completely confidential, and carry no obligation. Contact us today.

Areas We Serve

From our office in downtown Morgantown, we represent injured clients throughout North Central West Virginia, including Morgantown, Westover, Star City, Granville, Cheat Lake, Cassville, Blacksville, Sabraton, Cheat Neck, Reedsville, Kingwood, Bruceton Mills, Fairmont, and Mannington, and across Monongalia, Preston, Marion, Taylor, and Harrison counties.