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Market data

Medical malpractice in West Virginia: market data

What public records say about the market for medical malpractice in West Virginia: how much demand the courts and agencies count, how many law offices serve it, how many people need help in Spanish, and the ad rules that apply. Every number links to the record it comes from.

Built 2026-10-29 from the open datasets below · CC BY 4.0 · Not legal advice

Demand: what courts and agencies count

Counts of filings, crashes, complaints and enforcement in the records each agency keeps. A count shows where problems were recorded, not how many people will hire a lawyer.

MeasureValuePeriodPlaceSource
Federal civil cases filed by county of the plaintiff: medical malpractice12
cases filed, fiscal year
FY2025West Virginia
state
federal-filings-county v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750628
record federal-filings-county:WV · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Nursing-home abuse and neglect citations335
citations
surveys 2017-07-13 to 2026-09-23West Virginia
state
nursing-homes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741901
record nh-wv · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Nursing-home citations for actual harm or worse160
citations
surveys 2017-07-13 to 2026-09-23West Virginia
state
nursing-homes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741901
record nh-wv · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Certified nursing homes123
facilities
as of 2026-09-23West Virginia
state
nursing-homes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741901
record nh-wv · status P · checked 2026-10-28
CMS fines on nursing homes, last three years3,609,028
US dollars
2023-10-17 to 2026-09-23West Virginia
state
nursing-homes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741901
record nh-wv · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Federal civil filings: private other personal injury (includes product liability, drug and device cases)38
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Northern District of West Virginia
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-wvn-priv-other-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil cases filed: medical malpractice9
cases filed, three fiscal years
FY2023-2025Northern District of West Virginia
federal district
idb-civil v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739969
record idb-wvn-medical-malpractice · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private other personal injury (includes product liability, drug and device cases)51
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Southern District of West Virginia
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-wvs-priv-other-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil cases filed: medical malpractice102
cases filed, three fiscal years
FY2023-2025Southern District of West Virginia
federal district
idb-civil v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739969
record idb-wvs-medical-malpractice · status P · checked 2026-10-27

Rising or falling

The change between the last two periods each source publishes. No threshold and no smoothing.

MeasureBeforeLatestChange
Federal civil cases filed by county of the plaintiff: medical malpractice
West Virginia · record federal-filings-county:WV
26
FY2024
12
FY2025
falling (-53.8%)

Lawyer supply

How many law offices and lawyers the federal statistics count here.

MeasureValuePeriodPlaceSource
New lawyers admitted205
lawyers a year
2025West Virginia
state
bar-pipeline v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721443
record wv-bar-pipeline · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Counties under 1 law office per 10,000 residents3
counties
2026-Q1West Virginia
state
deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430
record deserts-54 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Counties with no law office2
counties
2026-Q1West Virginia
state
deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430
record deserts-54 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Residents living in those low-office counties1.7
percent of residents
2026-Q1West Virginia
state
deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430
record deserts-54 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Employer law firms712
firms
2022West Virginia
state
law-firm-economy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997
record lfe-wv-all · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Receipts of employer law firms965,097,000
US dollars
2022West Virginia
state
law-firm-economy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997
record lfe-wv-all · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Law offices per 10,000 residents5.11
per 10,000 residents
2026-Q1West Virginia
state
law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415
record law-offices-54 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Self-employed lawyers (nonemployer firms)950
firms
latest Nonemployer Statistics yearWest Virginia
state
law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415
record law-offices-54 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Private law offices902
establishments
2026-Q1West Virginia
state
law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415
record law-offices-54 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Lawyers employed (wage-earning, BLS OEWS)2,440
jobs
May 2025West Virginia
state
lawyer-wages v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840
record lawyer-wages:WV:231011:2025 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Median annual wage of employed lawyers102,420
US dollars a year
May 2025West Virginia
state
lawyer-wages v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840
record lawyer-wages:WV:231011:2025 · status P · checked 2026-10-28

Counties with the most demand per law office

Of the 25 counties in West Virginia with the most federal civil cases filed by county of the plaintiff: medical malpractice, the ten with the most per private law office. Both counts are shown with their records.

CountyDemandLaw officesPer office
Preston County, WV1
record federal-filings-county:54077
7
record law-offices-54077
0.14
Cabell County, WV6
record federal-filings-county:54011
69
record law-offices-54011
0.09
Raleigh County, WV2
record federal-filings-county:54081
38
record law-offices-54081
0.05
Jefferson County, WV1
record federal-filings-county:54037
31
record law-offices-54037
0.03
Harrison County, WV1
record federal-filings-county:54033
42
record law-offices-54033
0.02
Kanawha County, WV1
record federal-filings-county:54039
172
record law-offices-54039
0.01
Barbour County, WV0
record federal-filings-county:54001
2
record law-offices-54001
0
Berkeley County, WV0
record federal-filings-county:54003
54
record law-offices-54003
0
Boone County, WV0
record federal-filings-county:54005
8
record law-offices-54005
0
Braxton County, WV0
record federal-filings-county:54007
3
record law-offices-54007
0

Federal civil cases filed by county of the plaintiff: medical malpractice (federal-filings-county v1.0.0, FY2025) ÷ Private law offices (law-offices v1.0.0, 2026-Q1). ratio = federal-filings-county.ffc.medical-malpractice / law-offices.qcew_estabs, rounded to 2 decimals; ranked highest first, among the 25 units with the most demand. Units with zero supply are listed apart (ratio undefined); units without a published value are listed as missing.

Spanish-language demand

People who speak Spanish and speak English less than very well, and the lawyers who speak Spanish, from the Census Bureau survey (with margins of error).

MeasureValuePeriodPlaceSource
Spanish speakers with limited English (ACS)5,609 ±654
people age 5+
2020-2024West Virginia
state
language v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758
record language:state:WV:spanish-lep · status P · checked 2026-10-25
Spanish speakers with limited English5,609 ±626
people age 5+
2020-2024West Virginia
state
legal-need v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886
record legal-need-wv · status P · checked 2026-10-28

Ad rules that apply

The rules a law firm's ads in West Virginia have to meet, summarized from the official texts. The full rules, with quotes, are on the state page.

TopicStatusWhat it says
Ad filing or reviewP
primary source
None. Rule 7.2 lets a lawyer advertise by any written, recorded or electronic communication, subject to Rules 7.1 and 7.3, and sets no filing, pre-approval or copy-keeping step. Rule 7.3 sets none for targeted solicitations either.
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Required contentP
primary source
Every ad must include the name and office address of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content (7.2(c)). A written, recorded or electronic solicitation to a person known to need legal services in a matter carries the words "advertising…
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Waiting periods for contactP
primary source
The rules set no waiting period before contact with an accident or injury victim. Targeted written or electronic solicitation is barred only if the person has said not to, or the solicitation involves coercion, duress or harassment (7.3(b)).
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Claims and resultsP
primary source
A communication may not be false or misleading, or omit a fact needed to keep it from misleading (7.1). Results may mislead if they create an unjustified expectation of the same outcome, and an unsubstantiated comparison may mislead (7.1 cmt. [3]).
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Paying for referralsP
primary source
A lawyer may not give anything of value for recommending the lawyer's services, except ad costs, the usual charges of a legal service plan or a not-for-profit or qualified lawyer referral service, a practice sale, and non-exclusive reciprocal referrals with…
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Call recordingP
primary source
A person who is a party to a call, or when one party has given prior consent, may record it, unless the purpose is to commit a crime or tort.
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
TextingP
primary source
A consumer can sue a telemarketer that breaks the abusive-practices rules in § 46A-6F-601 (including calling after a do-not-call request and calling outside set hours) for actual damages plus a $100 to $3,000 penalty.
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Drug and device injury ads (state statute)P
primary source
W. Va. Code §§ 47-28-1 to 47-28-5 (Prevention of Deceptive Lawsuit Advertising and Solicitation Practices Regarding the Use of Medications Act; 2020 S.B.
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Ad filing or reviewP
primary source
West Virginia: no filing or review of lawyer ads is required.
official source · filing v1.2.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721409 · checked 2026-10-25
Paying for referralsP
primary source
The rule has no paragraph on splitting fees with lawyers in other firms; comment [5] says a fee may be divided on a referral if the client agrees to the referral.
official source · referral v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23747113 · checked 2026-10-27
Limitation periodP
primary source
West Virginia, medical malpractice: 2 years, under W. Va. Code § 55-7B-4(a), as read in the official code on 2026-10-28.
official source · limitations v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23743673 · checked 2026-10-28

West Virginia lawyer advertising rules

Prices and pay (national)

MeasureValuePeriodPlaceSource
Jobs in legal services (seasonally adjusted)1,249
thousand jobs
2026-09United States
United States
legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854
record legal-prices:CES6054110001:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
CPI-U: legal services230
index
2026-09United States
United States
legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854
record legal-prices:CUUR0000SEGC01:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
PPI: offices of lawyers338
index
2026-09United States
United States
legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854
record legal-prices:PCU541110541110:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
PPI: civil negligence legal services257
index
2026-09United States
United States
legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854
record legal-prices:PCU5411105411103:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28

Download and cite

The rows behind this page, with every dataset, version, DOI, record id and check date.

Cite as: Probative Growth, The new-lawyer pipeline by jurisdiction: bar exam pass rates and new admissions, 2025 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721443); Federal civil filings by nature of suit and district, 12-month periods since 2018 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009); Legal deserts: law offices and lawyers per resident in every U.S. county v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430); Federal civil cases filed, by county of the plaintiff's residence, case type and year (Federal Judicial Center) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750628); How long federal civil cases take: outcomes, class actions and pro se share by district, nature of suit and year v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739969); Spanish-speaking demand vs Spanish-speaking lawyer supply, by state and metro v1.1.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758); Law firm size, solos and receipts, by state: Census SUSB 2022, Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and Economic Census 2022 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997); Law offices, jobs and pay by county, with solo-practice counts: BLS QCEW, Census CBP and Nonemployer Statistics v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415); Lawyer, paralegal and legal-staff pay by state and metro (BLS OEWS) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840); Legal need by county: who may need a lawyer, from the American Community Survey v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886); Legal-services prices and jobs, monthly (BLS CPI, PPI and CES) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854); Nursing home fines and harm citations by county: CMS penalties, actual-harm, immediate-jeopardy and abuse citations v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741901); CC BY 4.0. https://probativegrowth.com/markets/west-virginia/medical-malpractice/

Use it in your AI tool

The same answers come from our free MCP server for AI assistants (no account): https://probativegrowth.com/mcp/markets

How this page is built

Each figure is copied from one record of the dataset named with it, joined to this state and practice through the open practice and place crosswalk. Nothing is estimated. Methods, inputs and limits.

See also