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Wrongful Death Claims After Nursing Home Abuse

December 12, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question “What constitutes nursing home negligence?”

It can be difficult to make the decision for a loved one to reside in a nursing home. When you finally make that difficult decision, you are putting your trust and hope that the chosen facility will treat your loved one with care, caution, and respect. Unfortunately, not every nursing home facility takes the time and resources necessary to care for your loved one. As a result, negligent or wrongful acts can lead to the injury or death of your loved one. With the tragedy of losing a loved one, a glimmer of hope is the option of filing a wrongful death suit to hold those at fault for the death of your loved one responsible. In North Carolina, a wrongful death suit can be brought “when the death of a person is caused by a wrongful act, neglect or default of another.”

Is the Hospital Responsible for a Wrongful Death Claim?

December 5, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “What if a loved one dies from the injuries sustained in a serious accident while the case is pending?”

The hospital is supposed to keep you safe and help you heal from whatever medical emergency or problems you are having. However, hospitals are not immune from making mistakes and, sometimes, can cause the death of a patient. Depending on the circumstances of the death, the victim’s loved ones may be able to file a claim for wrongful death. If the death of your loved one is caused by the negligence or wrongful act of another, the personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are here to help.

Tips for Safe Travel Around the Holidays

November 28, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

The holiday season is upon us. For most of us that means spending time with family and friends, eating holiday treats, and celebrating the holiday season. With all of the enjoyment that the holiday season brings, it also has its stressors. One of the biggest stressors of the holiday season is traveling and feeling pressured to be everywhere at once to spend time with family and friends. The National Safety Counsel found that Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are some of the most dangerous times for travel. Increased volume of drivers on the roadways, the pressure to be at the location as soon as possible, and the potential for bad weather, depending on your location, are all contributors to the danger of holiday traveling. This holiday season, it is imperative that you take the steps to protect you and your family when traveling. The following are just a few things that you can do to make your travels safer:

What Evidence is Necessary After a Car Accident?

November 21, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Personal injury Lawyer Matt Arnold answers the question: “If I am injured in a car accident or at work what should I do?”

Car accidents never happen at a convenient time. Accidents can result in serious injuries that have consequences far beyond physically pain. In an ideal world, insurance companies would be happy to pay for the damages you are suffering as a result of the accident. Theoretically, you are paying a monthly premium for coverage for accidents or emergencies. In the real world, insurance companies are generally not eager to hand out settlements or large payments. Private insurance companies are much like other businesses; their aim is to increase profits. In order to increase profits, payments for damages must be minimized. A car accident attorney can help you determine what the best course of action is to recover damages. It is important to note that there is no guarantee that compensation for damages can be achieved, but an attorney can give you the best chance for success.

Protecting Yourself Against Road Rage

November 7, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “What if a loved one dies from the injuries sustained in a serious accident while the case is pending?”

Most people who have driven a vehicle will tell you that they have been angered by another motorist on the road at one point or another in their driving career. You may associate this with the term “road rage.” You might have heard a friend say they had road rage, or you yourself might have said it about your own experience. Road rage is more than a driver getting annoyed by another driver on the road. It can be a serious, even deadly, danger to drivers on the roadways.

Involved in a Hit and Run? Here is What to do

October 31, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Injury Lawyer Matt Arnold answers the question: “What happens if the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance?”

With so many cars on the road, it is not surprising that traffic accidents are a common occurrence. Studies show that the number of car crashes in North Carolina is increasing. This includes the number of hit and run accidents. A hit and run accident is just as it sounds – after a car crash, a car flees the scene of an accident. Being involved in a car accident can result in serious injuries. When a driver flees the scene of a car accident, it becomes more difficult for any injured victims to get justice.

Medical Malpractice in North Carolina

October 24, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Injury Lawyer Matt Arnold answers the question: “What is Maximum Medical Improvement and how does it effect my claim?”

When we are sick, injured, or otherwise needing medical attention, we expect our medical professionals to treat us with care and attention so that we can get back to our “normal,” healthy selves. Doctors, nurses, hospitals, and other medical staff/providers are responsible for the well-being and care of people and therefore are held to a standard of care to provide to their patients. Even with care requirements, mistakes can happen that result in additional injuries or damages to an individual. This sometimes results in a legal claim for medical malpractice.

Court of Appeals Hears Case on Workers’ Compensation

October 17, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “What if my employer doesn’t have workers’ comp insurance or doesn’t file the claim?”

Employees who are injured while working at their job sometimes have the opportunity to seek compensation for their injuries in the form of a workers’ compensation suit. This is a complicated process that has developed over the years. Recently, the North Carolina Court of Appeals made a ruling on workers’ compensation cases. In Seguro-Suarez v. Key Risk Insurance Company, the court of appeals found that an employee can sue the workers’ compensation insurance company for malfeasance that occurred in civil court.

Should I Settle My Personal Injury Case?

October 10, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

It is not uncommon to hear personal injury attorneys talk about whether or not they have settled a case or taken the case to trial. Studies have found that up to 97% of personal injury cases that are filed in the United States settle out of court. They do not go all the way to trial. If this seems like a high percentage to you, that is because it is. It is rare for a personal injury suit to make it to trial, but that is not to say that there are not cases that go to trial. There are many reasons that a case might settle. Just because a settlement offer is made, it does not mean that the settlement offer has to be accepted.

Punitive Damages in North Carolina Personal Injury Cases

October 3, 2018 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Charlotte Injury Lawyer Matt Arnold answers the question: “How long will it take for my case to be resolved?”

Injuries can be devastating to every aspect of your life. You might be physically suffering an injury, trying to heal, juggling doctors appointments, or even just surviving the financial burden an injury can have. Outside of the medical costs associated with injuries, there are other financial aspects that people might not consider. If you are injured to the extent that you are unable to work, you have lost wages. In fact, you might even permanently be unable to perform job functions, impacting the earning potential you have for the rest of your life. In North Carolina, when an individual is injured through the negligence or wrongful act of another, that person can seek damages through a personal injury suit. There are many different factors that go into calculating damages.