Sep 6, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
The South Carolina Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Wal-Mart Stores East, L.P., and a security firm in a case arising out of the death of a woman who attempted to steal two pairs of jeans but then died in a crash when store security continued to pursue her after leaving the store parking lot.
In June of 2006, Alice Hancock drove to a Lancaster Wal-Mart with her sister in the passenger seat. The two women went into the store, put two pairs of jeans into their bags, and left the store “undetected,” as they so thought. Apparently, the store security manager, Mr. Jones, was told to do whatever was necessary to obtain the license plate number of the suspected thieves, even after they left the parking lot.
The issue was that the instructions given to Jones were in violation of Wal-Mart’s store personnel policy for addressing shoplifters. According to court records, employees are prohibited from pursuing fleeing shoplifters that are in a moving vehicle. This did not stop Jones, however, as he then pursued the two shoplifters by vehicle. The chase lasted about two miles when Hancock crashed her car and was subsequently pronounced dead on scene.
Concluding the case, and despite the policy violation, the court decided 2-1 in favor of Wal-Mart and the security firm.
Lancaster Accident Attorneys
If the unthinkable happens in your life, call the experienced wrongful death attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower LLP. Our seasoned litigators have over 75 years combined trial experience. Our team of personal injury attorneys include former insurance defense lawyers, a former Registered Nurse (RN), and former criminal prosecutor. We can investigate all aspects of a serious accident and hold all parties accountable for your loss. Call us today and speak directly with one of our lawyers at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll free. We have offices in Charlotte and throughout South Carolina. We would be honored to have an opportunity to help you and your family get through this most difficult time in your lives.
Sep 6, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
Dozens gathered at West Rowan High School today to honor the lives of two students who were killed in a car accident before their first day of school.
Rives, age 16 and Johnson, age 15, were fatally injured when the vehicle that Rives was driving lost control and hit the wall of the Second Creek bridge, right off od Sherrills Ford Road in Salisbury. After the impact into the bridge, the car crossed over the center lane and smashed into an SUV.
The two boys grew up together and often referred to one another as ” brothers,” although they looked nothing alike. The school provided an outlet for visitation of the boys, followed by a joint funeral for the two young lost lives.
Johnson was a member of the JROTC, which raised the school flag and then lowered it half staff in honor of the two young men.
North and South Carolina Attorneys: Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP
If the unthinkable happens in your life, call the experienced wrongful death attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower LLP. Our seasoned litigators have over 75 years combined trial experience. Our team of personal injury attorneys include former insurance defense lawyers, a former Registered Nurse (RN), and former criminal prosecutor. We can investigate all aspects of a serious accident and hold all parties accountable for your loss. Call us today and speak directly with one of our lawyers at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll free. We have offices in Charlotte and throughout South Carolina. We would be honored to have an opportunity to help you and your family get through this most difficult time in your lives.
Sep 5, 2012 | Nursing Home Abuse, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
The estate of a woman killed last year at a Rock Hill Assisted living home is suing the facility and several of its employees, alleging that the crime could have been prevented. Pauline Cook, 82, was found dead in her shower the day after she reported to staff members of the home and police that someone had been forging her checks.
Braquette Walton, a 30-year-old nurse’s assistant who eventually confessed to the crime, was arrested in connection with the killing. Walton was charged with murder, abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death, burglary and forgery.
Other employees being implicated in connection with the crime allegedly knew of Cook’s suspicions of the forgery and took no immediate actions to prevent the criminal conduct. At the time of the killing Walton was not scheduled to work, and therefore, had no authorization and was not permitted to be on the premises of the facility. Nevertheless, Walton managed to bypass several security measures, wrongfully enter the home, and sneak into the victim’s room unnoticed. There, a violent struggle ensued and Walton ultimately smothered the woman death. Cook’s lifeless body was then dragged to the shower in an attempt to make it appear as though she accidentally fell while bathing.
Cook’s estate is seeking compensation and punitive damages for wrongful death, negligence and wonton and reckless misconduct. Walton is being held at Moss Justice Center in York and faces 30 years to life in prison for the murder charge alone.
South Carolina Attorneys: Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP
If the unthinkable happens in your life, call the experienced wrongful death attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower LLP. Our seasoned litigators have over 75 years combined trial experience. Our team of personal injury attorneys include former insurance defense lawyers, a former Registered Nurse (RN), and former criminal prosecutor. We can investigate all aspects of a serious accident and hold all parties accountable for your loss. Call us today and speak directly with one of our lawyers at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll free. We have offices in Charlotte and throughout South Carolina. We would be honored to have an opportunity to help you and your family get through this most difficult time in your lives.
Sep 2, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
A settlement between the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Estate of a man killed in a collision with a Deputy in June 2011 was approved by a judge on Wednesday.
Phillip Hawkins, 67, was killed when Deputy George Mickens, traveling at approximately 79 miles per hour, lost control of his cruiser when he ran a red light and collided with Hawkin’s car. Both the investigations of the South Carolina Highway Patrol and the Richland Sheriff’s Department concluded that a medical condition, likely a seizure caused Mickens to lose the ability to drive. The State Solicitor further concluded that the evidence was insufficient to find that the accident was the result of any wrongdoing.
Hawkins’ family, however, disagreed with those conclusions and filed a wrongful death suit, citing Mickens’ driving record. Mickens’ prior record reveals six crashes in the last ten years, four of which were caused by Mickens. Since 1993 Mickens has been stopped 12 times for offenses ranging from running a stop sign to speeding.
The Estate of Phillip Hawkins will receive $193,933.79 after legal fees. Mickens is no longer employed with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. The settlement protects the Department from further suits.
Columbia Car Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one have been injured or killed in any type of car accident in the Columbia area, you need an experienced accident attorney like those at Reeves, Aiken & Hightower to help you get the justice you deserve. Call us at 877-374-5999, or
use this form, to speak with an attorney who can help you evaluate your claim and get you the best possible recovery.
Aug 30, 2012 | Motorcycle Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
A Lancaster man was involved in a motorcycle accident last Saturday has since been pronounced dead. Thomas Russell Harris, age 21 of Indian Land lost his life when his Honda motorcycle struck a culvert pipe of U.S. 521.
Apparently, Harris was riding his motorcycle when it ran off the right side of the roadway and struck the culvert pipe, which carries water from one side of the road to the other.
Confusingly, when the police report was released, Harris was claimed to be a resident of Mint Hill, North Carolina. The correction was not made until the Lancaster County Coroner was notified many days later of the mix up. The correction has since been made that Harris was in fact a resident of Lancaster County.
Lancaster Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
If you have been involved in a serious motorcycle accident in the Lancaster, Rock Hill, or Fort Mill area, carefully compare our attorneys’ credentials to any other firm. Then call us for a private consultation about your case. For more information about our firm, please visit www.rjrlaw.com or call us directly at 803-548-4444.
Aug 29, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
Sadly, a woman was killed in Charlotte on Tuesday morning around 11:10 a.m. when her car stalled out, only to be struck by a passing tractor-trailer that was headed northbound on Interstate 85.
According to the N.C. Highway Patrol, the tractor-trailor first collided with the median, spun out of control, and then struck the victim’s vehicle, killing the victim upon impact.
The tractor-trailer then caught fire until Charlotte firefighters, traveling from the southbound direction of I-85, could reach the scene of the crash.
The Charlotte, North Carolina Trucking Accident Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower
If you or a loved one have been involved in a tractor-trailer accident during bad weather or road conditions, contact the experienced commercial truck accident attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower LLP. With over 75 years combined legal experience, former insurance defense backgrounds, and a former Registered Nurse (RN), our team is standing by to help get you and your family through this difficult time. For more information, please visit our website at www.rjrlaw.com. Compare our attorneys’ credentials. Then, call us for a private consultation about your particular situation.
