North Carolina

North Carolina Driver Charged With Second-Degree Murder Was Texting And Impaired Prior To Accident

February 6, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What should I do if I have been injured by another party but I can’t afford a lawyer?”

A woman from North Carolina has been charged with several serious crimes after running over another woman. Police say that Belinda Hudspeth was impaired and texting last week when she ran over Lavon Ramsey who was out for a walk to visit friends.

Police in Belmont, North Carolina say that Hudspeth has been charged with second-degree murder as well as other crimes in connection with Ramsey’s death. Ramsey, who was 75 years old, was taking a short stroll to her neighbor’s house when Hudspeth hit her.

Witnesses say that Ramsey was on her way to talk to a friend when they saw an oncoming SUV swerve off the road, collide with a fence and a series of trashcans and then finally, with Ramsey. Hudspeth was behind the wheel of the 1999 GMC Jimmy and those in the area say that it’s clear she was speeding at the time of the crash. Neighbors called 911 immediately after the accident while Ramsey’s husband came to tend to her injuries.

Drunk Driver Injures Charlotte Police Officer

February 4, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

Police in Charlotte have said that a drunk driver is responsible for an accident that left a police officer injured late last week. The accident resulted in a trip to the hospital for the officer and a trip to jail for the drunk driver.

Officials say that early last Saturday morning, Officer Trevor Gail was responding to an incident on the 7000 block of Independence Boulevard when the accident occurred. Gail was in the area to help a tractor-trailer that had become stuck in the right lane and was blocking traffic.

Police say that while Gail was helping the truck driver, Christopher Parrish approached in his vehicle and hit Gail’s patrol car. Gail was inside the car at the time of the crash and suffered injuries that required a trip to the hospital. Officials say Parrish failed to notice the patrol car or its emergency lights. Parrish was also treated for minor injuries following the wreck and was later taken to jail where he was charged with felony serious injury by vehicle, DWI and failure to comply with driver’s license restrictions.

Though the police have not yet revealed Parrish’s blood alcohol concentration the night of the crash, studies show that even relatively minor levels of impairment can greatly increase the odds that a driver is involved in a serious accident. A driver with a BAC of 0.10 or greater (just slightly over North Carolina’s 0.08 percent limit) is seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash than is a driver who has not consumed any alcohol. Drivers with a BAC of 0.15 or greater are about 25 times more likely than sober driver to be involved in a wreck. .

Several Construction Site Accidents Around North Carolina Highlight Common Workplace Danger

January 30, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “If I am injured in a car accident or at work what should I do?”

Officials in Raleigh say that one worker fell to his death at a busy construction site earlier this week, the second serious workplace accident in the area so far this year. Police say that Gabriel Andrade was working on scaffolding when he fell approximately five stories.

A colleague of Andrade’s called 911 immediately after the fall, but by the time emergency responders arrived he had succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Andrade was only 30 years old and leaves behind a devastated family. Investigators say that they have no reason to suspect foul play, saying that the fall was instead a fairly common construction site accident. Officials with the North Carolina Department of Labor say they will be looking into the incident and will be checking to see if the proper safety procedures were followed at the worksite.

Sadly, the accident was the second serious construction accident in Raleigh in only a few days. Earlier this month, three workers at a construction site at North Carolina State University were seriously injured after the raised platform they were standing on collapsed. Officials say the construction workers were on the platform to assist a crane operator who was lifting a steel beam into place inside the new student center.

The platform that the workers were standing on collapsed, sending all three men crashing at least eight feet to the ground below. One of the workers hurt his back while the second injured his legs. The third worker sustained a serious head injury and was taken to WakeMed for treatment.

Tractor-Trailer Crash In Charlotte Linked To Tired Trucker

January 28, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “Is a tractor-trailer accident the same as an automobile accident?”

Police in Charlotte say that the sleepy driver of a tractor-trailer caused a recent fiery crash. The accident happened last week along I-485 in the early morning and left one person seriously injured.

Authorities say that the accident happened near Oakdale Road when a semi drifted out of its lane and ultimately crashed. The big rig caught fire and emergency crews arrived at the scene of the accident a little before 6:45 a.m. Officials with North Carolina Highway Patrol say that an ambulance was used to transport one person to a local hospital.

Investigators say they were able to talk to the driver of the tractor-trailer who said that he may have fallen asleep at the wheel and did not remember what happened prior to the accident. Police officers say it is likely that that the driver was simply exhausted after a long shift of driving and drifted off, creating a terribly dangerous situation for himself and other motorists.

The driver of the truck has since been cited with failure to maintain lane control as well as careless and reckless driving. Though no one died in the crash, the accident highlights the dangerous things that can happen when tired drivers get behind the wheels of their cars or trucks.

Charlotte Drivers Brace For Slick Roads After Snow Fall

January 23, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

Officials with the North Carolina Department of Transportation say state and private crews are out salting and scraping the roads in preparation for what many are saying will be the region’s first big snow event. NCDOT officials have revealed that 30 state crews will be working primary and secondary routes while 63 private contractors will be used to treat and maintain the interstates.

Crews have laid down brine to try and minimize the risk that snow or ice will stick to the roads. Plows are ready to help scrape up what snow does fall and keep the lanes of traffic clear. Despite the best efforts of state transportation workers, officials are still warning drivers to be especially cautions given the cold temperatures and possibilities for ice.

Already, news reports indicate that multiple serious accidents are causing major delays on interstates in the Charlotte area. Officials say that I-77 has been shut down in both directions near mile marker 40 after a bad accident occurred in that area earlier this afternoon.

It was also revealed that a six-car accident in Huntersville, NC occurred around rush hour this afternoon. That accident, which happened at the intersection of Huntersville-Concord Road and First Street, is believed to have been caused by icy road conditions. Emergency responders say there is a sharp turn in the road where the accident occurred and that slippery roadways were likely to blame for the pile-up.

Charlotte Road Rage Episode Leaves Two Innocent Pedestrians With Broken Bones

January 21, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “Can I wait a few months to pursue a personal injury claim?”

Police in Charlotte say a woman is now facing criminal charges after a scary road rage incident that left two other people seriously injured. The episode took place on LaSalle Street where authorities say the woman ran over two people while pursuing the driver of another car.

Law enforcement officials say the incident began with two cars that were speeding and swerving in and out of traffic. Jessica Ekwuruibe, who was driving a black Toyota Camry at the time, drove down LaSalle Street while chasing another car, hitting two innocent bystanders in the process. Police say the two pedestrians who were injured in the road rage incident were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, out to help a friend put gas in his stalled car.

Despite running into two people, Jessica and the driver of the other car continued on down LaSalle Street, ultimately pulling into a nearby gas station. When both arrived, Jessica got out of her car and continued a verbal and physical altercation with the woman driving the other vehicle. Witnesses say that even when the police arrived the women still refused to quit fighting with one another, both ultimately had to be restrained.

Grieving Family Files Wrongful Death Suit Against Charlotte Police Officer

January 16, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What exactly is a wrongful death claim?”

Jonathan Ferrell’s surviving family members have filed a wrongful death suit against the officer who shot him as well as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in an attempt to ensure that those responsible for the grisly encounter that left Ferrell dead are held accountable for their actions.

The terrible incident began back in September when Ferrell, who used to play football for Florida A&M and recently moved to Charlotte to be with his fiancé, was driving a co-worker home. After dropping his colleague off, Ferrell was involved in a serious accident that left his car trapped in a ravine. Ferrell had to kick his way out of the badly damaged vehicle and went in search of help for his own serious injuries.

Ferrell walked more than a half-mile uphill until he found the home of a young mother whose husband was away at work. The woman, startled by Ferrell’s appearance, mistakenly believed he was there to break into the house and called 911, asking for police help. Officers arrived and this is when things went terribly wrong.

According to statements made by Officer Kerrick, Ferrell charged the officers, forcing them to open fire. However, a police investigation determined that Kerrick acted hastily and used excessive force. The wrongful death suit claims that Ferrell, who was disoriented, was in the process of lying down when Kerrick opened fire, shooting 12 bullets, eight of which struck Ferrell in the chest. The trajectory of the wounds show that Ferrell was either laying down or kneeling when he was shot, further calling into question the actions of the officers.

North Carolina Children Taken To Hospital After Mistakenly Drinking Bleach At Local Daycare

January 14, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What can you sue for in a personal injury case?”

Parents across North Carolina place their children into the hands of others everyday. Whether it’s with babysitters, nannies or larger daycare centers, tens of thousands of young girls and boys are entrusted into the care of strangers. The worst nightmare of most parents is that something happens while they are not around to do anything about it. Sadly, such an episode recently took place in Charlotte when a group of nearly a dozen young kids were rushed to local hospitals after an accident at their daycare.

Authorities say that the children, who were all between three and four years old, were injured after drinking bleach at the daycare. The problems began when the kids gathered for a morning snack at the Bolin Day Care Center on Monday and were each given cups of water poured from a common pitcher. Soon after the children received their drinks, staff members noticed that several had become ill. As more and more children began vomiting, staff members decided that something was awry and called local police and medical personnel for help.

The children were all rushed to hospitals in the Kings Mountain area for treatment and are thankfully expected to be okay. Investigators retraced the steps of the employees and discovered that the pitcher that served the water contained an ounce of bleach. A staff member mistakenly placed that pitcher with the bleach into the refrigerator, which was then grabbed by a different person who was serving the water, somehow failing to notice the distinct scent of the cleaning agent.

North Carolina Woman Sues After Dead Son Placed In Taxi By Hospital Security Guards

January 9, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What exactly is a wrongful death claim?”

A distraught mother from North Carolina has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a security company after she claims they put her son in a cab and sent him home despite him already being dead. The horrible incident took place in November 2011 at the Cumberland County Hospital.

The woman says that her son, A’Darrin Washington, had been going to the Cumberland County Hospital for 10 years for treatment of his recurrent pneumonia. Washington suffered from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and was used to dealing with a variety of health complications.

A week before the fatal cab ride, Washington checked himself into the hospital complaining of severe illness. Doctors initially misdiagnosed Washington as suffering from bacterial pneumonia. Days later, the doctors realized their mistake and began treating Washington for fungal pneumonia, finally giving him the proper medication. Then, only a few days later, the doctors decided he was better and ready to be discharged.

The lawsuit claims that Washington felt weak and was complaining of poor health prior to the discharge. Despite his asking to remain in the hospital, security officers working for AlliedBarton called a cab to take him home. Other hospital staff complained at the time that Washington was “uncooperative” and had refused to talk or to move. Evidently his lack of cooperation was due to the fact that he was, tragically, already dead.

Two North Carolina Families Recovering After Deadly Christmas Accident

January 7, 2014 | AS Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “If I am injured in a car accident or at work what should I do?”

Police in Wadesboro, North Carolina have admitted to making a mistake during their investigation of a Christmas Day accident that left a 13-month old girl dead. Initially, law enforcement authorities said that they believed the girl’s father, Alexander Hooper, was texting before the accident.

Earlier this week, Hooper was charged with texting while driving and driving left of center. Police say they found Hooper’s phone after the tragic accident and found a message on the phone that said “Merry Christmas.” They believed that the text was sent moments before the wreck and say that they think Hooper sent it to a friend.
However, after the accident was revealed publicly and police in Wadesboro said that they would charge Hooper with texting and driving, family members came forward to explain that Hooper was innocent. Family members said that Hooper was sent a message by a friend prior to the accident but never responded. Police officials say they reopened the investigation and reexamined the phone, admitting that mistakes were made prior to filing the initial charges.