Free Carolina Legal Articles

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and who have achieved numerous successful outcomes for clients. We serve every area of North Carolina, including the Outer Banks, Nags Head and the western mountains, as well as all the cities and counties in between. In South Carolina, we cover the state from Myrtle Beach and Charleston to Orangeburg, Columbia, Florence, Rock Hill, Darlington, Aiken, Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. In addition, our firm has the highest rating of AV from national lawyer ranking organization Martindale-Hubbell and were named a North Carolina "Best Law Firm" for personal injury law since 2010 by U.S. News & World Report. That means we have a reputation for demonstrating preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free, initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail and we will return your call promptly.

  

Library Categories:

• Carolina Car & Motorcycle Accidents
• Crashes Caused by Trucks
• Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes
• Brain Damage/Head Injuries
• Wrongful Death
• Railroad Injury/FELA
• All Serious Injuries
• Mass Transit (Airline, Train, Bus)
• Dangerous Drugs/Medical Product Recalls
• Directories
• North & South Carolina Supreme Court Decisions
• Injury Case Actual Testimony Excerpts
• General
• The Client Experience

Carolina Car & Motorcycle Accidents:

• The Insurance Company is Giving Me a Hard Time   
  Description: Looking for information about car accident law? Did you or a loved one suffer a serious injury in a wreck? If so, take a look at this article and then give our office a call. Our firm has been handling North Carolina car crash cases for decades and we are here to help.
• The Insurance Company is Giving Me a Hard Time   
  Description: If the insurance company is dragging their feet and playing games to avoid your claim, give our firm a call. We want to help and have experience dealing with insurance companies and their dubious tactics. To learn more, check out this article.
• Rocky Mount Car Accident Lawyer Can Help Get the Compensation You Need   
  Description: Many car accidents in Rocky Mount, NC occur on Church Street, Raleigh Street, Sunset Ave, and other busy roads. If you’ve been involved in one of these wrecks and suffered a serious injury, you should speak with a Rocky Mount car accident lawyer. We can help get the compensation you need to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
• When to Call a Greenville Car Accident Lawyer   
  Description: If you’ve been seriously hurt in a car wreck on one of the Greenville’s many busy roads, consult with a Greenville car accident lawyer. Let us haggle with the insurance claims adjuster. You should focus on recuperating and getting your life back together. Contact our office for a free, no-hassle consultation at 1-800-752-0042.
• Elizabeth City Car Accident Lawyer Can Help Ease Your Burden   
  Description: If you’ve lost a loved one in a car wreck in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC) you should speak to an attorney. You already have enough to deal with like making funeral arrangements and alerting family members of the loss. A car accident lawyer in Elizabeth City can take some of the burden off your shoulders.

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Crashes Caused by Trucks:

• North Carolina Truck Companies   
  Description: This is a list of all the truck companies based in North Carolina.
• Trucks Accidents And Mechanical Failure   
  Description: Did you know that mechanical failure is the second most common cause of truck accidents? Because of the heavy use of commercial trucks - paired with their size and weight - trucks are very susceptible to potentially dangerous mechanical problems that can lead to truck accidents.
• Carolina Truck Accidents: Improperly Loaded Trucks   
  Description: Many people are aware of common truck driver errors, but what happens when a big rig or tractor-trailer has been improperly loaded or overloaded? In many cases, a truck that is not correctly loaded as outlined in the federal regulation will become involved in a truck accident.
• Carolina Truck Accidents: Truck Driver Distractions   
  Description: For truckers, the road is their office and their cab is their cubicle. Because they spend their work day on the road, they are much more likely than other drivers to engage in multi-tasking that results in driver distractions. Learn what the most common driver distractions for truck drivers are that cause truck accidents.
• Top Five Truck Accident Facts in North Carolina   
  Description: As lawyers focusing our work on serious injuries from commercial truck wrecks, the following items are some of the best evidence of the significant problems faced on North Carolina roads because of big rigs:

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Medical Malpractice/Doctor Mistakes:

• US Government: Hospitals Need More Quality And Safety Control   
  Description: Part of the new health care bill involves greater responsibility for hospitals - and asks hospitals to lower preventable medical errors, hospital re-admissions, and other safety hazards. While hospitals worry that their revenue may be lowered, patients and health care consumers should benefit from these changes.
• Carolina Medical Error: Cancerous Organ Transplants   
  Description: A man recently received a cancerous kidney in a transplant at Duke University. How often do cancerous organs get transplanted into patients, and why isn't the problem being stopped? Learn more about cancerous organ transplants and Carolina medical malpractice.
• Carolina Medical Malpractice: A Focus On Nerve Damage   
  Description: Perhaps one of the most devastating surgical mistakes leaves patients with serious nerve damage - a condition that can lead to years of pain, numbness, and disability. Learn more about nerve damage symptoms and about occurrences of nerve damage medical malpractice in the Carolinas.
• When Carolina Doctors Commit Sexual Misconduct   
  Description: When North Carolina pediatrician Melvin Levine was accused of sexual abuse by dozens of former patients, many across the state began to wonder about the prevalence of sexual misconduct among physicians. Learn more about what is and is not appropriate behavior for your NC doctor and other medical professionals.
• Anesthesia Errors And North Carolina Medical Malpractice   
  Description: One of the most common types of surgical errors have nothing to do with the surgeon and everything to do with the Anesthesiologist. Learn more about examples of anesthesia errors, why anesthesia errors occur, and how they can be prevented.

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Brain Damage/Head Injuries:

• Three New Ideas To Reduce Brain Injuries And Accidents   
  Description: Although traumatic brain injuries remain largely a mystery to physicians and scientists, new research has revealed a large amount of new information that could lead to significant advances in brain injury reduction and prevention. In this article, we will discuss Omega-3 oils, advances in helmet safety, and information on second impact syndrome.
• Alcohol Use Is Present In 40 Percent Of Accidents That Lead To Traumatic Brain Injury   
  Description: Multiple studies have found that there is a link between heavy alcohol use, alcoholism, intoxication, and brain injuries. In fact, some studies have found that the majority of those who suffer a head injury have alcohol in their systems. In addition, those who struggle with alcohol abuse are up to four times more likely to suffer a brain injury.
• 12 Questions You Should Ask Your Doctor After Suffering A Concussion   
  Description: When you suffer a concussion or mild brain injury, it is vital that you visit your doctor for an examination. It is also vital that you know the right questions to ask after your head injury. Here, learn about 12 important things to ask your doctor when recovering from a concussion.
• Dangers Of Recumbent Bicycles – Less Height Means Less Visibility   
  Description: Recumbent bikes are a fun and different way to enjoy North Carolina roads - but although this form of bicycling has some advantages, it also comes with some safety concerns. In this article, read about the dangers of riding a recumbent bike as well as some tips to make recumbent bike riding safer.
• Anoxic Brain Injuries: Injuries From Oxygen Deprivation   
  Description: Anoxic brain injuries occur when the brain does not receive enough oxygen to function. These types of brain injuries can occur due to water accidents, choking accidents, suffocation accidents, and anesthesia errors. In many cases, anoxic brain injuries lead to lifelong disabilities and high medical costs.

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Wrongful Death:

• What’s The Difference Between Wrongful Death And Murder?   
  Description: How can someone be convicted of both wrongful death and murder? Or just one and not the other? learn more about the difference between civil and criminal law.
• Wrongful Death Settlements and Gender Bias   
  Description: When it comes to wrongful death cases and settlements in North and South Carolina, are men seen as being more valuable them women, even in death?
• ATV Accidents And South Carolina Wrongful Death   
  Description: Especially because of a lack of regulations in the ATV industry, ATV deaths, injuries and accidents often lead to ATV wrongful death lawsuits in the Carolinas.
• Fentanyl Pain Patches And North Carolina Wrongful Death Cases   
  Description: In the Carolinas and across the country, families are suing doctors and hospitals after their loved one dies from an fentanyl pain patch drug overdose.
• Five Common Types Of Carolina Wrongful Death Cases   
  Description: What are the most common types of wrongful death lawsuits? Traffic accidents, medical malpractice incidents, fall accidents, work accidents, and faulty products

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Railroad Injury/FELA:

• What I Have Learned about Railroad Worker Cancers and How Railroad Companies Fight Lawsuits by Workers   
  Description: Looking for information about mesothelioma and other asbestos-induced cancers? If so, check out this blog. It provides information as to when the railroad companies actually knew asbestos was toxic (the year will shock you).
• Association of American Railroads Recommends Safety Measures and Injury Prevention for Hand Brake Operation   
  Description: Railroad companies have their own policies and procedures when it comes to hand brake operation, but the AAR has some common sense suggestions that could have prevent serious injury for most rail workers.
• Preventing Train-Car Accidents | Carolina Train And Railroad Accident Attorneys   
  Description: Many of the serious train-car accidents that occur in South Carolina and North Carolina could have easily been prevented with common sense and common knowledge. In the following legal article, learn a few simple lessons about train-car safety and accident prevention that could save your life.
• Asbestos, Mesothelioma Cancer, And Railroad Workers   
  Description: Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos - and hundreds of railroad workers have been exposed to asbestos on the job, either in the locomotives they worked on or in the railroad buildings where they were employed. If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please give our law firm a call so you can talk to a real lawyer for free. Our number is 1-800-752-0042.
• Man Injured When His Train Went onto Siding of Tracks   
  Description: The plaintiff was controlling a “loaded coal train” when it suddenly went onto a siding because a switch was not aligned properly. At about 40 mile per hour, the train crashed into a group of cars, derailing the engine and sending it plummeting with the victim inside.

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All Serious Injuries:

• NC Personal Injury Lawyers Recognized as Best Lawyers for Personal Injury Law   
  Description: Attorneys at our NC personal injury law firm have been recognized Best Lawyers
• Why Clients Choose Our North Carolina Law Firm - Ethics, Experience, Distinction in the Legal Community, and Much More   
  Description: The main reason clients choose our personal injury law firm is because we put the client first. Our web site is designed as an informational resource for you and your loved ones. Have a question? Give us a call and receive a prompt reply. We are here to help you.
• The pledge our North Carolina law firm makes to our clients is in writing and our staff is fully committed to following these guidelines   
  Description: We are fully committed to making sure you are fully informed throughout the injury litigation process. We also have a no recover, no fee guarantee. This means that if you do not get compensated, we do not get compensated.
• Federal Fourth Circuit Court Decision Supports Contingency-Fee System for Lawyers   
  Description: The Fourth Circuit Court rendered a decision supporting the contingency-fee system that is used in many personal injury cases. This system plays a critical role in our legal system enabling folks with little financial means to obtain the services of a lawyer. To learn more, check out this article.
• Injured in a bicycle accident? You've come to the right place. Check out our FREE consumer reports and videos to learn more about our firm where "All We Do is Injury Law."   
  Description: Suffered an injury in a bicycle crash and need experienced legal representation? Look no further. Our attorneys have over 100 years of combined legal experience. Call our office immediately at 1-800-752-0042 for a FREE, confidential consultation.

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Mass Transit (Airline, Train, Bus):

• Man Loses One Leg and Sight in One Eye after Falling onto Tracks   
  Description: Although we have shared and heard countless stories about injuries that occur while riding a train, it is rare to hear of an incident where someone has been hurt waiting for one. The victim was waiting on the platform at a station in Brooklyn when he heard a subway train coming his way.
• The FAA: Could They Prevent More Airplane Accidents?   
  Description: The FAA is a relatively new federal organization responsible for investigating plane crashes and preventing future airline accidents and airline accident injuries. However, the government agency has had trouble doing its part to regulate commercial airlines.
• Boating Accidents In The Carolinas   
  Description: Boating is a fun activity for the whole family - but if the proper safety precautions are not taken, a weekend boating trip can turn tragic. Learn about the most common causes of boating accidents in the Carolinas as well as what you can do to prevent boating accidents and boating injuries.
• Bus Accidents In North Carolina And South Carolina   
  Description: Buses are a popular form of public transportation for children and adults alike. However, bus accidents are increasingly common and can lead to serious injuries or even death. Learn a few shocking bus accident statistics as well as why bus accident injuries are so prevalent.

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Dangerous Drugs/Medical Product Recalls:

• Reporter Interviews Richard N. Shapiro and a Firm Client on Accidental Deaths Caused by Fentanyl Pain Patches   
  Description: Looking for information about fentanyl pain patches? Do you know someone who accidentally overdosed on the painkiller? If so, check out this article.
• New Fentanyl-like Patch gets FDA approval, Potentially as Lethal as Original Dangerous Drug   
  Description: Fentanyl pain patches caused serious side effects and eventually forced a major recall and lawsuits against the manufacturer. There is now a new pain patch preparing to hit the market that is eerily similar to Fentanyl and could be just as dangerous.
• This article highlights the dangers of many prescription drugs which hit the open market. Over 32,000 people die every year due to complications and misuse of these medications.   
  Description: Prescription drugs can be extremely dangerous. This article explores those potential dangers.

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Directories:

• Camden County and Pasquotank County Court Information   
• This is a directory of nursing homes in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC). We are not endorsing any of the health care providers in this directory. In addition, this is not a comprehensive list. If a health care provider would like to be added, please contact our firm at 1-800-752-0042.   
• This is a directory of nursing homes in Rocky Mount, North Carolina (NC). We are not endorsing any of the health care providers in this directory. In addition, this is not a comprehensive list. If a health care provider would like to be added, please contact our firm at 1-800-752-0042.   
• This is a directory of nursing homes in Kinston, North Carolina (NC). We are not endorsing any of the health care providers in this directory. In addition, this is not a comprehensive list. If a health care provider would like to be added, please contact our firm at 1-800-752-0042.   
• This is a directory of nursing homes in Greenville, North Carolina (NC). We are not endorsing any of the health care providers in this directory. In addition, this is not a comprehensive list. If a health care provider would like to be added, please contact our firm at 1-800-752-0042.   

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North & South Carolina Supreme Court Decisions:

• A chiropractor who treated our client for head, chest and neck injuries and pain following a car accident caused by another driver's unsafe lane change testifies about the plaintiff's injuries and medical treatment. The at-fault driver's defense lawyer also questions the health care provider. [PDF]   
  Description: If you or a loved one got injured in a car accident caused by another driver, call us at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation about your possible case.
• The family physician who provided medical treatment for our client after she experienced head, neck, shoulder and back pain following a car accident caused by another driver answers questions in court from our attorney about the injuries. The defense lawyer for the at-fault driver also directs questions to the doctor during this trial. [PDF]   
  Description: Car and truck accidents are leading causes of injuries and deaths. Call us at (800) 752-0042 if you or a family member got hurt by another driver.
• A mother whose newborn daughter suffered a permanent, debilitating shoulder injury during labor and delivery answers questions from the lawyer representing the defendant OB/GYN in this birth injury case. One of our attorneys who specializes in medical malpractice sits in on the deposition to protect the rights and interests of our client. [PDF]   
  Description: Injuries suffered at birth can handicap people for the rest of their lives. Call us at (800) 752-0042 for a free consultation about your birth injury case.
• Rowell v. Bowling, Jr. & New Hanover Regional Medical Center is a medical malpractice case and this decision focuses on whether or not the plaintiff's appeal that their complaint was not properly reviewed by a medical expert prior to trial should be affirmed [PDF]   
  Description: This decision was produced by the North Carolina Court of Appeals in New Hanover County.
• Watts v. North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources is a tort claims case and this decision focuses on the defendant's admission of negligence and waiving their argument that no duty is owed to the plaintiff due to the public duty doctrine. [PDF]   

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Injury Case Actual Testimony Excerpts:

• A retired Norfolk Southern brakeman and conductor who worked with our client on the railroad testifies about how our client, also a former NS employee, was exposed to asbestos while operating steam locomotives. One of our attorneys who specializes in helping plaintiffs pursue occupational illness claims under FELA conducts this deposition. [PDF]   
  Description: If you or a family member developed mesothelioma after a railroad career, call us at (800) 752-0042. Initial consultations are free.
• A bad lane change caused a car crash that left our client with multiple injuries and needing multiple surgeries. In this deposition, the lawyer for the at-fault driver questions one of the daughters of the plaintiff. One of our firm's attorney was also present to protect the witness and our client's interests. [PDF]   
  Description: Getting insurance companies to provide fair compensation for medical treatments, lost wages and pain and suffering can be difficult.
• A surgeon's mistake during a hysterectomy left our client with a cut urethra. The urologist who provided the woman follow-up medical treatment answered questions from one of the plaintiff's lawyers while one of our firm's medical malpractice specialists sat in as co-counsel. [PDF]   
  Description: Doctors and surgeons most often do their their best to help patients. But when they are negligent or make errors, health professionals must be held accountable.
• Loose fencing at a pet food factory rail yard tripped and seriously injured a CSX conductor. In this deposition, one of our firm's attorneys questions a railroad company safety manager who investigated the incident about the circumstance in which our client suffered his injuries. [PDF]   
  Description: Railroad employees with injury and occupational illness claims under FELA, ASA and LSIA rely on our experienced attorneys. Call (800) 752-0042.
• The executrix of the estate of a former Norfolk Southern engineer who died of lung disease caused by asbestos exposure sued the railroad for causing the man's illness. In this deposition, one of our firm's attorneys questions an NS industrial hygienist about the steps the rail company did or did not take to protect employees from asbestosis, mesothelioma and other cancers. [PDF]   
  Description: Several of our attorneys specialize in representing rail employees who bring injury, occupational illness and wrongful death claims against railroads such as Amtrak, BNSF, CSX and Norfolk Southern. The attorneys have succeeded in securing settlements and verdicts for workers hurt on the job and survivors by holding rail operators for negligence under the terms of FELA, the Locomotive Safety Inspection Act and other federal regulations.

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General:

• Carolina Brain Injuries And Lifelong Memory Issues   
  Description: One of the most devastating consequences of traumatic head injuries is memory loss and memory problems -- in many cases, head injury victims will suffer from memory problems for the rest of their lives. Learn more about the different memory issues brain injury victims often face.

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