West Virginia Personal Injury Demand Letter

PERSONAL INJURY DEMAND LETTER — WEST VIRGINIA

FOR SETTLEMENT PURPOSES ONLY — W. VA. R. EVID. 408 PROTECTED

HEADER INFORMATION

SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED

Date: [__/__/____]

FROM:
[________________________________]
Attorney at Law
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Telephone: [________________________________]
Facsimile: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]
West Virginia State Bar No.: [________________________________]

TO:
[________________________________]
Claims Adjuster / Claims Department
[________________________________] Insurance Company
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

RE: PERSONAL INJURY DEMAND

I. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

This letter constitutes a formal demand for compensation on behalf of our client, [________________________________] ("Claimant"), for personal injuries and damages sustained as a direct and proximate result of the negligence of your insured, [________________________________] ("Tortfeasor"), on [__/__/____] in [________________________________], West Virginia.

This firm represents Claimant in all claims arising from this incident. All communications should be directed exclusively to this office.

This demand is protected under W. Va. R. Evid. 408.

WEST VIRGINIA COMPARATIVE FAULT: Under W. Va. Code § 55-7-13a, West Virginia applies modified comparative fault with a 50% bar. A plaintiff is barred if found 50% or more at fault. If less than 50% at fault, recovery is reduced proportionally. West Virginia's joint and several liability rule applies only to defendants found 25% or more at fault.

II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

A. Pre-Incident Conditions

On [__/__/____], at approximately [____] [a.m./p.m.], Claimant was [________________________________] at or near [________________________________], West Virginia.

Weather: [________________________________]
Road conditions: [________________________________]
Lighting: [________________________________]
Traffic: [________________________________]

B. The Incident

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

C. Emergency Response

☐ Police called — Report No.: [________________________________]
☐ EMS responded — Report No.: [________________________________]
☐ Claimant transported by ambulance to [________________________________]
☐ Claimant sought treatment at [________________________________]
☐ Fire department responded
☐ Photographs taken at scene
☐ Witness statements obtained

D. Witnesses

E. Police Report

Officer [________________________________], [________________________________]:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

☐ Citations to tortfeasor: [________________________________]
☐ No citations to Claimant

III. LIABILITY ANALYSIS UNDER WEST VIRGINIA LAW

A. Negligence Standard

West Virginia negligence requires:

1. Duty of care
2. Breach of that duty
3. Proximate cause linking breach to injury
4. Actual damages

B. Tortfeasor's Acts of Negligence

☐ Failure to maintain proper lookout
☐ Failure to yield right of way
☐ Following too closely (W. Va. Code § 17C-7-3)
☐ Distracted driving / texting (W. Va. Code § 17C-14-15)
☐ Excessive speed (W. Va. Code § 17C-6-1)
☐ Failure to obey traffic signals
☐ Improper lane change
☐ DUI (W. Va. Code § 17C-5-2)
☐ Reckless driving (W. Va. Code § 17C-5-3)
☐ Other: [________________________________]

C. Modified Comparative Fault (W. Va. Code § 55-7-13a)

West Virginia's statute provides:

• Plaintiff is barred from recovery if the plaintiff's fault is equal to or greater than 50% of the total fault
• If plaintiff's fault is less than 50%, recovery is reduced by the plaintiff's percentage of fault
• The jury determines each party's percentage of fault

Claimant bears NO fault. The tortfeasor is 100% responsible.

D. Joint and Several Liability (W. Va. Code § 55-7-13c)

West Virginia has a unique joint and several liability threshold:

• Defendants 25% or more at fault: Jointly and severally liable for the plaintiff's total damages
• Defendants less than 25% at fault: Severally liable only — responsible for only their proportionate share

Practical Note: This 25% threshold is lower than most states, meaning it is easier to impose joint and several liability on a defendant in West Virginia than in many other jurisdictions.

E. Collateral Source Rule

West Virginia protects the collateral source rule:

• A defendant cannot reduce liability by pointing to compensation the plaintiff received from independent sources
• This includes health insurance, disability insurance, first-party medical benefits, and underinsurance benefits paid under contractual arrangements independent of the tortfeasor

F. Negligence Per Se

Statutory violations:

• W. Va. Code § [________________________________]: [________________________________]
• W. Va. Code § [________________________________]: [________________________________]

IV. INJURIES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT

A. Summary of Injuries

Primary Diagnoses:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

Secondary/Associated Conditions:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

B. Injury Checklist

☐ Traumatic brain injury / Concussion
☐ Cervical spine injury (herniation / bulge / fracture)
☐ Thoracic spine injury
☐ Lumbar spine injury
☐ Shoulder injury (rotator cuff / labral tear)
☐ Knee injury (ACL / MCL / meniscus)
☐ Hip injury / fracture
☐ Rib fractures
☐ Extremity fractures
☐ Facial lacerations / scarring
☐ Internal organ injury
☐ Soft tissue injuries
☐ Nerve damage / radiculopathy
☐ PTSD / anxiety / depression
☐ TMJ dysfunction
☐ Other: [________________________________]

C. Chronological Treatment History

D. Diagnostic Imaging

E. Surgical Procedures

F. Prognosis

Treating physician [________________________________]:

• [________________________________]
• MMI: ☐ Reached [__/__/____] ☐ Not yet reached
• Impairment rating: [____]%
• Future treatment: [________________________________]
• Future medical costs: $[________________________________]

V. DAMAGES CALCULATION

A. Economic Damages (No Cap in General PI)

West Virginia does not cap compensatory damages in general personal injury cases. Caps apply only in medical malpractice (W. Va. Code § 55-7B-8). There is no ceiling on wrongful death recovery.

B. Non-Economic Damages (No Cap in General PI)

C. Total Damages Summary

VI. INSURANCE COVERAGE ANALYSIS

A. Tortfeasor's Liability Coverage

West Virginia Auto Insurance Minimums (W. Va. Code § 17D-4-2):
- $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury; $25,000 property damage (25/50/25)

B. UM/UIM Coverage

West Virginia requires UM/UIM coverage under W. Va. Code § 33-6-31d.

C. MedPay

VII. PREJUDGMENT INTEREST

Under W. Va. Code § 56-6-31, prejudgment interest is available on special damages (lost wages, medical expenses, out-of-pocket expenditures).

Interest Rate Calculation

The rate is two percentage points above the Fifth Federal Reserve District secondary discount rate in effect on January 2 of the year the right to bring the action accrued.

Limits:

• Minimum: 4% per annum
• Maximum: 9% per annum
• Type: Simple interest (not compounding)

VIII. PUNITIVE DAMAGES

Applicability (W. Va. Code § 55-7-29)

Punitive damages are available for willful, wanton, or reckless conduct.

Statutory Cap

Punitive damages are capped at the greater of:

• Four (4) times the amount of compensatory damages; or
• $500,000

☐ Punitive damages sought: [________________________________]
☐ Punitive damages not sought at this time

IX. SETTLEMENT DEMAND

SETTLEMENT DEMAND: $[________________________________]

Terms:

1. Payment within thirty (30) days of receipt
2. Certified funds to [________________________________], Attorney Trust Account
3. Full and final release upon payment
4. Inclusive of all claims from the incident
5. Excludes first-party insurance claims

X. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AND RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

Statute of Limitations

Under W. Va. Code § 55-2-12, the SOL for personal injury is two (2) years.

Discovery Rule: The SOL may be tolled under the discovery rule where the plaintiff did not know and could not have reasonably discovered the injury.

Reservation of Rights

Claimant reserves all rights, including filing suit, amending damages, pursuing punitive damages (up to 4x compensatory or $500K), pursuing UM/UIM claims, seeking prejudgment interest on special damages, and all other remedies under West Virginia law.

WARNING: If this demand is not accepted, Claimant will file suit. Under West Virginia's joint and several liability rule (W. Va. Code § 55-7-13c), a defendant found 25% or more at fault is jointly and severally liable for the entire damages award. The collateral source rule protects full medical expense recovery. Prejudgment interest will accrue on special damages.

XI. MEDICAL RECORDS AND EXHIBITS INDEX

☐ Emergency department records
☐ Ambulance / EMS report
☐ Hospital records
☐ Primary care records
☐ Specialist records
☐ Physical therapy records
☐ Chiropractic records
☐ Mental health records
☐ Surgical records
☐ Imaging reports
☐ Prescription records
☐ Medical narrative report
☐ Itemized bills
☐ EOBs
☐ Employer wage verification
☐ Tax returns
☐ Police report
☐ Photographs (scene, vehicle, injuries)
☐ Witness statements
☐ Property damage documentation

XII. SIGNATURE

Respectfully submitted,

[________________________________]
Attorney for Claimant
West Virginia State Bar No.: [________________________________]

[________________________________]
Firm Name
[________________________________]
Address

Telephone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

XIII. SOURCES AND REFERENCES

West Virginia Statutes

• W. Va. Code § 55-7-13a — Modified comparative fault (50% bar)
• W. Va. Code § 55-7-13c — Joint and several liability (25%+ threshold)
• W. Va. Code § 55-2-12 — Statute of limitations (2 years)
• W. Va. Code § 55-7B-8 — Med mal non-economic cap ($250K / $500K catastrophic)
• W. Va. Code § 55-7-29 — Punitive damages cap (4x compensatory or $500K)
• W. Va. Code § 56-6-31 — Prejudgment interest (variable rate, 4-9%)
• W. Va. Code § 17D-4-2 — Auto insurance minimums (25/50/25)
• W. Va. Code § 33-6-31d — UM/UIM coverage requirement
• W. Va. Code § 55-7-5 et seq. — Wrongful death
• W. Va. Code § 17C-5-2 — DUI
• W. Va. Code § 17C-14-15 — Texting while driving

Key West Virginia Principles

• Modified comparative fault with 50% bar (barred if 50%+ at fault)
• Joint and several liability for defendants 25%+ at fault (lower threshold than most states)
• No cap on compensatory damages in general PI
• Med mal caps: $250,000 non-economic / $500,000 catastrophic
• Punitive damages capped at greater of 4x compensatory or $500K
• Prejudgment interest on special damages (4-9% range)
• Collateral source rule protects plaintiff's recovery
• Auto minimums: 25/50/25
• 2-year statute of limitations
• West Virginia is a fault-based tort state

This template does not constitute legal advice and must be reviewed by a licensed West Virginia attorney before use.