Although our lawyers cover personal injury and medical malpractice cases throughout Maryland, I have to admit we have not handled many Garrett County personal injury cases. Garrett County is the westernmost county in Maryland, and I think many malpractice and accident victims in Garrett County, unfortunately, turn to Pittsburgh lawyers in serious injury and malpractice cases. For lots of reasons, I think that is an enormous mistake, particularly in serious injury and wrongful death cases. But it is what it is. You can learn more about cases in this jurisdiction here.

There are not a lot of serious personal injury cases in Garrett County
Apparently, for District Court claims in Garrett County, not having many Garrett County claims is a good thing because the Oakland court has been without a judge, according to a Maryland Daily Record article today. Over fourteen months have passed since the tragic death of Garrett County’s District Court Judge Ralph M. Burnett from colon cancer complications. Judge Burnett, who apparently was a tireless advocate in the fight against prostate cancer for over 10 years, was Garrett County’s only district court judge. Today his seat remains unfilled. Apparently, the nominating commission for Allegany and Garrett counties recommended two of the four candidates that applied. The nominating commission forwarded the names of Raymond G. Strubin, a Garrett County public defender and, and Daryl T. Walters, a Garrett County Master, to Governor O’Malley. But the Governor requested three names and asked for the reconsideration of Stephan M. Moylan (who I believe is also a public defender in Garrett County) and Lisa Thayer Welch, who is a State’s Attorney in Garrett County. The commission bitterly did just that, but still refused to recommend Ms. Welch or Mr. Moylan. Interestingly, according to the Cumberland Times-News in April, a petition gained 747 signatures requesting Governor O’Malley investigate the “official conduct of the State’s Attorney for Garrett County, Maryland, Lisa Thayer Welch, and the Sheriff of Garrett County, Maryland, Gary Berkebile” regarding their handling of a shooting involving Sheriff’s Berkebile’s brother-in-law. I get the impression that Sheriff Berkebile was more the target of outrage because of the way they handled the investigation when his brother-in-law shot a friend at the friend’s house while drinking at 2:00 a.m. in the morning.