{South Charleston, West Virginia}...On December 17, 2011, Detective Charles Aaron Cook was directing traffic at Trace Fork Shopping Center along Corridor G in South Charleston when he was struck by a car. Since then, Cook has racked up tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills. Monday, Cook and Attorney Ben Salango filed a lawsuit in Kanawha County Circuit Court against several insurance companies, saying the companies have all denied him coverage. The lawsuit targets the defendant for negligence but also the officer's insurance for not providing medical coverage or worker's compensation. Salango says workers comp and the medical insurance company are both pointing the finger at one another, leaving no choice other than to file a lawsuit. The South Charleston city manager says, even though Cook was wearing his uniform and had his cruiser with him, he was off duty and being paid by THF Realty group, which owns the shopping center. THF Realty only has property insurance and doesn't employ anyone full time in West Virginia to have medical insurance.
