This Just In: Monongalia County

Feb. 20
Carolyn Ruth Johnson, Tabitha Emily Huffman and Tracy Lea Huffman, minors, by their mother and legal guardian Carolyn Ruth Johnson v. Stephen J. Reiner and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
J-Clawges; PA-Paul R. Cranston
* Johnson claims Reiner negligently operated his vehicle, causing a collision with the vehicle in which she was riding as a passenger. Because of the accident, Johnson suffered sever injuries and damages. She is seeking compensatory damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity, as well as general damages, interest, court costs and attorney fees.
Case number: 07-C-101

Erie Insurance Property and Casualty Company v. Bond Insurance Agency Inc. and Jay Palotta
J-Clawges; PA-James D. Lamp
* Erie Insurance claims Palotta altered the insurance policy of his client Suncrest Village to reflect coverage on three buildings that were destroyed by fire, and which were not covered by said policy until said fire was in progress or completed. This intentional and/or negligent alteration forced Erie to pay $4,080,000 more to Suncrest Village than the original policy, before the alteration, would have required. Erie Insurance is seeking actual and compensatory damages, punitive damages, interest, court costs and attorney fees.
Case number: 07-C-103

Feb. 21
Lucy Bonasso v. Mo-Town Taxi LLC dba The Vintage Room, David Rees and Rebecca Rees
J-Stone; PA-Timothy R. Miley
* Bonasso claims The Vintage Room was negligent in keeping their premises free of hazardous conditions by failing to clean up a drink that was spilled on their floor. Bonasso slipped on the wet surface and sustained severe injuries to her ankle. Bonasso also claims Mo-Town Taxi, d/b/a The Vintage Room is nothing more than a corporate veil for the sole purpose of shielding David and Rebecca Rees from personal liability and not for it to be operated as a corporate entity. Bonasso is seeking compensation from all defendants for medical expenses, pain and suffering, punitive damages, court costs and attorney fees.
Case number: 07-C-104

Feb. 22
David Der Sarkissian v. West Virginia University Board of Governors and Dr. Shelly Nuss
J-Stone; PA-Travis Fitzwater
* The plaintiff, a United States citizen of Iranian decent, claims he was wrongfully discharged from the West Virginia University School of Medicine Residency Program because of fraudulent sexual harassment charges. He claims that Nuss led several of his co-workers to file sexual harassment charges against him when they would not have done so of their own accord. She later placed him on academic probation but made no sufficient explanation of his supposed inability to perform his tasks. He claims that his eventual dismissal was due to Nuss' dislike for men of Middle Eastern decent. He also suspects that Nuss thought that he could not succeed in the residency program because of his ADHD, a treatable medical condition. Sarkissian claims these baseless accusations have put his career in permanent danger. He is seeking $5 million in actual damages, emotional damages, humiliation and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-111