Apr 9, 2013 | Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
A wall of dirt collapsed at a Lincoln County, North Carolina construction site this past weekend that resulted in the death of two children. The children were apparently playing in a hole on the property when a man noticed a wall of dirt collapse on them. Emergency Management Personnel were called, and the rescue began.
The emergency personnel worked at the site for hours, and the rescue mission became a recovery mission by 9:30 p.m. Neighbors in the area were huddled around the scene in hopes of seeing a child arising from the dirt mound. The earth was so impacted, that a structural engineer was brought on the scene to assist the emergency people.
The bodies had still not been identified by 10:00 p.m., and there were still many questions to resolve, including whether building permits were issued. Charlotte and Huntersville fire units also came to the scene to assist the local authorities with the search. The children are believed to be deceased. If a building permit had not been issued, this may result in the negligence of those who were building.
This accident is a parent’s worst nightmare; kids are playing and all of a sudden a dirt mound falls on them. Multiple questions go through the minds of the parents and other loved ones. A major question being, who is responsible for this? At Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP, we can help to punish those who are responsible for a wrongful death, or personal injury. We are here to help you with the terrible consequences of someone else’s stupidity. Please give us a call at 803-374-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999. We will try to get you the compensation you deserve.
Apr 5, 2013 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
According to traffic reports from Virgina and North Carolina, Easter weekend turned grim for over 100 people. Accordingly, there was dense fog on Interstate 77 near th
e boarder of Virginia and North Carolina. Many people had been travelling to see their families over the holiday weekend, and got caught up in the traffic.
Subsequently, as the traffic got worse, so did the fog that was consuming visibility for nearly 10 miles. Travellers were forced to slow down below the speed limit, which contributed to the congested traffic.
News reports specifically state that the 95-car pile up began around 1:00 p.m. on Easter Sunday that involved over 125 people. The weather was the ultimate source of the tremendous accident.
Accordingly, a thick fog essentially blanketed the south-bound lanes on Interstate 77, at the base of Fancy Gap Mountain. The location is a mere 6 miles from the North Carolina boarder. It is safe to assume that there were both Virginians and North Carolinians involved in the accident, and likely other state citizens as well.
The initial accident that led to this disaster only involved eight vehicles. Thereafter, 16 other accidents occurred. The cars just continued to pile up, one after another until there were 95 vehicles involved in the accident.
This is one of the three largest accidents that Interstate 77 has seen since it was initially graded.
The News reports that this specific stretch of the Interstate is notorious for it’s dense fog. Thus, it is not ironic that in 2010, this very same stretch of the interstate was bombarded with accidents when a similar incident occurred involving 75 vehicles. In that accident, many were injured but only two people lost their lives.
Similarly, in this exact same location in the year 2000, a 65 car-pileup occurred, resulting in two deaths as well.
Lastly, in the accident at bar, only three people were killed, but over 30 were injured. The injuries are both major and minor, as the EMTs had their hands full checking each and every car and victim. Some were rushed immediately to the nearest hospital, while others were just “checked out” and then sent home.
Interstate 77 was subsequently closed for the rest of the day and well into Monday morning.
It stands to reason that since there is nothing that can be done to prevent fog from clouding up driver’s visibility, drivers should take extra precaution when travelling this particular stretch. Always turn your lights on when visibility is low, and slow down if there is inclement weather. Use your blinkers and be respectful of other drivers on the road. Lastly, take into account that there are more drivers on the roadways during the holidays and thus, a greater chance for an accident to occur. Be smart. Be safe.
Any type of serious injury can bring harm to the victim and his/her loved ones. One may have an action to recover damages for injuries sustained during an accident. Contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower,LLP to consult with one of our personal injury attorneys. Our personal injury attorneys understand the emotional and financial hardships facing persons injured in an accident and want to help you or someone you might know. We are licensed in both North and South Carolina, where you can contact us at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free.
Apr 4, 2013 | Assault and Battery, Burglary/Robbery/Larceny, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
Two men told police they were “set up” and “attacked” over the weekend at the Leslie-Mart in Rock Hill, according to a report from the York County Sheriff’s Office. 
One of the victims, a 47-year-old man from Rock Hill, was “bleeding profusely” when deputies arrived at the gas station around 9 p.m. Saturday, the report states.
He was attacked while sitting in his car, he told police. During a “scuffle,” the attacker “stepped on the gas and set the car in motion,” the report states.
Deputies subsequently found the car wrecked, 200 feet away from the gas station pumps, according to the report. The car had collided with a power pole. A 24-year-old witness to told deputies that he and the injured man were at the Leslie Mart to pick up a female friend who had a fight with her significant other. The friend, however, never showed up.
Police have charged a 24-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man with attempted armed robbery and criminal conspiracy in connection with the incident, the report states. The woman charged is the friend the witness was attempting to meet at the Lesslie Mart. The man and woman were arrested at the Leslie Inn, about 1,000 feet away from the gas station, the report states. They are each being held at the Moss Justice Detention Center on $19,000 bonds.
If you have been charged with a crime in South Carolina such as larceny, burglary, or robbery, call the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP. We have years of experience in defending those charged with criminal offenses, and would be happy to assist you. For a consultation, call our Baxter Village office in Fort Mill, South Carolina at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999
Apr 4, 2013 | Pedestrian Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
Police in Kannapolis say a wheelchair-bound woman was 
killed on Sunday night after being hit by a teen driving a sports car while she attempted to cross the street.
According to police, the accident happened at the intersection of North Cannon Boulevard and Solutions Works Drive around 6:30 p.m. Sunday night.
The woman was a 60-year-old resident of Britthaven of Kannapolis, an assisted living facility. Officers told WBTV that she died on the scene from her injuries.
No charges have been filed against the driver.
Officers say neither speed nor alcohol is suspected as contributors to this accident.
Losing a loved one is hard for any family. A wrongful death action can secure the compensation needed to family’s who have lost a loved one who intended to provide care for them. Contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP to consult with one of our personal injury attorneys. Our personal injury attorneys also handle many types of personal injury cases in North and South Carolina. We are licensed in both North Carolina and South Carolina, where you can contact us at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free.
Apr 4, 2013 | Personal Injury, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized
Early Tuesday morning was bleak for a certain individual when a tractor-trailer was found overturned on Interstate 85’s off ramp.
To make matters worse, this particular off-ramp was the one connecting Interstate 77 to Interstate 85, one of the most traveled interstates in the Carolinas.
Clean up crews worked around the clock to clear the debris from the roadway. The site was finally completely cleaned by 6:30 a.m., just a few hours after the accident occurred.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol has stated that the cause of the accident was not related to alcohol, but rather the driver of the tractor-trailer took the turn in the ramp too hastily, causing the truck to overturn. The driver was not familiar with this particular ramp.
The tractor-trailer was reported to of been carrying scrap metal. Some of the metal was flung from the truck and did in fact hit other drivers on the road. The driver was not harmed in the incident. The same can not be said for the driver of the tractor-trailer, who did suffer from minor injuires to his arm.
Troopers reportedly cited the truck driver for reckless driving.
In the United States, approximately 500,000 accidents involving large commercial vehicles happen every year. Although these large vehicles play a huge part in our nation’s economy, commercial vehicles present dangers for road users. If you or someone you know has been involved in a crash involving a tractor-trailer or otherwise, call the expirenced attorneys at Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free
Mar 31, 2013 | Brain Injury/Head Trauma, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
Sadly, a man who had dedicated his life to the health and well-being of children has lost his life in a tragic All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV or 4-wheeler) accident. He was an Indian Land Elementary physical education teacher, and he died early in October after suffering serious injuries in an ATV accident that occurred a few days prior to the man’s death.
The man was loved and honored by all of his students and colleagues, and was on his 17th year of teaching at the time of the incident. He was also the wrestling coach at the local high school, Indian Land High, where students remembered him as the first teacher in the building, and the last one to leave that afternoon.
The details of the accident are still a bit hazy; however, it was reported that the teacher had been riding his ATV through the back roads of Van Wyck where he lived, when he was thrown from the machine.
EMS workers reported that the teacher suffered a severe head injury at the time of the accident; something that is typical with ATV accidents, as there is no machinery around the body of the driver for extra protection.
By the time EMS arrived on scene after a neighbor phoned the local police department, the teacher had to be immediately taken by helicopter to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for surgery.
Surgery was performed, but the accident was too severe and the trauma to the brain had already done its damage.
The beloved teacher was pronounced dead that Tuesday afternoon.There are no more details available to give rise to the source or cause of the accident. It is unclear why the teacher was thrown from the ATV, and how he was injured when he was.
When people think of personal injuries and serious accidents, typically, the first thought that crosses their minds is ” someone must of been involved in a car or motorcycle accident.” However, with technology increasing everyday, and new fun “toys” being released into the market, personal injuries due to some sort of unconventional machine seem to be ever increasing.
Specifically, since the release of All Terrain Vehicles ( also called ATVs or commonly “4-wheelers), people are becoming involved in multiple accidents due to this dangerous vehicles. To drive a 4-wheeler, the laws state in both North and South Carolina that one must first obtain a driver’s license. However, because of the ATV departure from a regular vehicle, more and more people are driving this equipment without the proper experience or safety precautions surrounding them for protection.
If you, or someone you know has been involved in any sort of serious accident due to a 4-wheeler, contact the personal injury attorneys of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP. With attorneys licensed in both North and South Carolina, those accidents that occur over the border may still warrant representation. Call us today for a free consultation at 803-548-4444, or toll free at 877-374-5999.
A wall of dirt collapsed at a Lincoln County, North Carolina construction site this past weekend that resulted in the death of two children. The children were apparently playing in a hole on the property when a man noticed a wall of dirt collapse on them. Emergency Management Personnel were called, and the rescue began.
