Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP is a Washington, DC based law firm with five branch offices in the surrounding Maryland and Virginia counties as well as Baltimore City. Lee C. Ashcraft and Martin E. Gerel started the firm in 1953, handling only District of Columbia workers? compensation cases from a small walk-up office in Washington, D.C. In the 57 years since, the firm has grown to almost 40 lawyers, handling a vast array of plaintiff?s personal injury cases. Our attorneys represent clients in all of the traditional personal injury fields ? ? cases like those arising from car accidents, work related injuries and construction accidents. We also handle more complex cases, representing people injured by medical malpractice, by neglect in nursing homes, group homes or foster care settings. We represent workers and their families who have been stricken with lung cancer and mesothelioma caused by asbestos. In the last 10 years, people injured by faulty medical devices and defective drugs have been a big part of our practice. As you will see listed among our practice areas, we are currently handling claims involving Tylenol, Yaz, Yasmin and the generic Ocella birth control pills, Gadolinium (the MRI dye or contrast agent), the DePuy Hip Implant recall, the bisphosphonate drugs (Fosamax, Zometa, Aredia), drug coated cardiac stents, Accutane, birth defects resulting from the SSRI drugs and over exposure to radiation from medical x-ray devices. We have concluded our past handling of lawsuits involving Avandia, Hydroxycut, the Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch, contaminated Heparin, Bausch & Lomb Contact Lens Solution, Ketek, Zelnorm, Digitek, Vioxx, Bextra, Celebrex, Crestor, Ephedra, Guidant Cardiac Defibrillator Implants, Trasylol, PPA, Baycol, Fen-Phen, Serzone, Meridia and Propulsid. We have successfully pursued lawsuits under the U.S. False Claims Act against companies committing fraud against the United States as part of our whistleblower or Qui Tam practice. Toxic torts have been a big part of our practice. We are pursuing lawsuits involving severe environmental damage to people and property caused by the oil and natural gas mining process called fracking (sometimes also referred to as hydraulic fracturing, fracing, and hydrofracking) in which toxic fluids are pumped at high pressure into deep underground rock and shale formations in order to crack the rock and allow oil and natural gas to flow along the fracture lines. The chemicals used in this process cause cancer. Well water has been poisoned by toxic chemicals and land has been rendered unusable. Our attorneys are well regarded in the legal community. They serve often as leaders in their local bar associations and national litigation groups. They have been recognized with the highest ratings in Martindale Hubbell and by such publications as Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers. Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP has the manpower, the financial resources, and more than half a century of experience. We have a tradition of representing the injured individual and winning when we do.