CLAY — A hunting club member is suing a group of loggers and a hunt club, alleging negligence led to injuries for the plaintiff.
Edward Howard of Madison Heights, Virginia, filed a complaint May 16 in Clay Circuit Court against Triple B Logging Inc., Allegheny Wood Products Inc., Heartwood Forestland Fund IV Limited Partnership, The Forestland Group LLC, Allegheny Rural NMTC Forestlands LLC and Big Knob Hunting Club Corp., alleging they failed to provide a reasonably safe environment for the general public.
According to the complaint, on Sept. 21, 2016, Howard was traveling back from a hunting trip while leading a convoy of vehicles in Clay County when they came across several logs on the road blocking their way. The only employee the group noticed on the logging site, the suit says, was an equipment operator creating a pile of logs about 50 yards away.
Suddenly, the lawsuit states, the operator of the defendant's equipment, threw a log into the air and it struck Howard's left hand, wrist and arm, causing severe and permanent damages.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to ensure that a flagger, signage, barricade and other warning measures were utilized, and failed to ensure that hunters, travelers or passersby in the area were not exposed to flying and falling debris, logs or trees.
Howard seeks trial by jury, compensatory and punitive damages, court costs, attorney fees, interest, and all other relief the court deems proper. He is represented by attorneys Timothy C. Bailey and J. Ryan Stewart of Bailey Javins & Carter LC in Charleston.
Clay Circuit Court case number 17-C-20