Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog

More Than A Dozen People Die Due To Keyless Ignition Systems

October 22, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

Automakers continue to incorporate newer and more sophisticated technology into vehicles, the goal being to make driving easier. Though some of the changes are certainly beneficial (better seatbelts, safer airbags, blind spot warning technology, etc.) others can have serious consequences if used incorrectly. One seemingly benign advancement which has proven to be deadly in some particularly tragic circumstances is the keyless ignition system that now appears in the vast majority of new vehicles.

Reminded of 2013 accident, inspectors working around the clock to ensure safety of 2015 fairgoers

October 20, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Can I wait a few months to pursue a personal injury claim?”

Many still remember the terrible accident at the North Carolina State Fair in 2013 that left several people hospitalized for weeks. However, the Wake County District Attorney’s Office determined that the ride’s malfunction was no accident at all. The ride, known as the “Vortex”, malfunctioned and severely injured several individuals at the NC State Fair two years ago. The State determined that the owner of the ride, with the help of his employee, had bypassed certain safety mechanisms on the ride, allowing the ride to operate without the safety bars in place. Because of their actions, the State determined that the parties should be held criminally liable.

What is a loss of consortium claim?

October 13, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

Anyone who has had a loved one seriously injured in a North Carolina personal injury accident understands that the victim is not the only person impacted. Instead, accidents have a ripple effect, impacting family members and loved ones who must cope with the emotional injuries associated with serious accidents. There’s a term for this harm: loss of consortium. To learn more about loss of consortium and how it works in the context of a North Carolina personal injury case, keep reading.

Daughter of actor Paul Walker sues Porsche over father’s death

October 8, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What exactly is a wrongful death claim?”

It has been nearly two years since the untimely death of actor Paul Walker. Best known for his role as Brian O’Conner in the “Fast and the Furious” franchise, Walker was killed in a car crash in Santa Clarita, California in November 2013.

Number of North Carolina Workplace Injuries Declines

October 6, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What qualifies a person to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits?”

Statistics gathered by the Southeast regional office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics indicate that workplaces in North Carolina are getting safer, albeit slowly. The numbers indicate that a smaller percentage of workers faced injuries, severe or otherwise, in 2013 than in previous years. Though the numbers are hardly an astounding success, they do indicate that things are improving for workers in North Carolina, something worth celebrating.

Judges order new trial in KFC slip-and-fall case

September 29, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

A recent slip-and-fall case out of New Jersey managed to grab the attention of the state Supreme Court. The New Jersey High Court ruled unanimously on Monday that instructions to the jury in a lower court personal injury case were flawed and that this prejudiced the result, leading the Court to order a new trial.

How North Carolina dog bite laws affect liability

September 24, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What does the “one-bite rule” mean in NC dog bite cases?”

On May 18, 2015, a four-year-old Conover boy was bitten by his grandparents’ German Shepard. The dog was a trained guard dog who only listened to the command of the child’s grandmother. Unfortunately, the child’s grandmother was in the house at the time of the attack.

Premises Liability in North Carolina

September 22, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What does the “one-bite rule” mean in NC dog bite cases?”

I recently came across an article listing some of the most common examples of personal injury claims. As you might expect, the list began with car accidents, an incredibly common source of personal injury cases in North Carolina and elsewhere. The sheer number of vehicles on the road all but guarantees a constant supply of new automobile injury cases. Another category on the list that is less well understood concerns premises liability. Though few people know the phrase, premises liability is an important concept that touches on a wide range of injuries and represents a sizable chunk of personal injury cases. To learn more about premises liability in North Carolina, keep reading.

New Trend In Personal Injury Law: Police Misconduct Cases

September 15, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

With stories like those of Walter Scott in South Carolina or Eric Garner in New York City getting so much attention, experts say that it was only a matter of time before attorneys got in on the cases. As the public’s attention has turned to incident of police brutality and governments appear to acknowledge the problem with record-setting payouts, lawyers, especially those previously limiting their work to personal injury matters, have begun accepting police misconduct cases.

Can you get in trouble for texting someone who is driving?

September 8, 2015 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matthew R. Arnold of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What is partial versus total disability, and temporary versus permanent disability?”

The dangers of distracted driving are well known at this point. Commercials and public safety ads have repeated over and over how much texting can increase a person’s risk of being involved in a deadly car accident. Despite the apparent danger, millions of people continue to text behind the wheel every day, with alarming percentages of motorists admitting to reading and responding to text messages while driving.