The Charlotte Observer reported this week that the City will pay a settlement fee to the family of Kay Plyler because the root system of the tree that crashed into her SUV and killed her was known to be decayed. No warning had been issued to the public . Ms. Plyler was the assistant town clerk for Matthews, NC and the lawsuit defines the City as negligent. Read the complete article here. Recently in Greensboro, a young mother was killed when a tree toppled and crushed her as she was driving home in her SUV. It has been reported that heavy rain contributed to the tree falling. Read more about this tragic accident here. All this brings to mind that sometimes unimaginable circumstances can happen when you’re on the road and weather can be a contributing factor. Be careful out there. It’s also important as homeowners to keep up with maintenance on your property.
A vote in the US Senate this past week showed that a bi-partisan majority did not agree with John Ensign’s proposal to limit plaintiff’s attorney’s fees for handling medical malpractice claims. The bill to limit plaintiff’s attorney fees in medical malpractice cases failed because the overwhelming majority of lawmakers realize that victims of medical malpractice face some of the fiercest litigation battles from negligent doctors. And those battles result in ever-increasing costs to injury victims. This on top of numerous hurdles that burden medial malpractice injury victims (at least in North Carolina) from ever getting to see the inside of a courtroom. The message from Ensign’s proposal –doctors can vigorously defend the harm they cause, but we will continue to limit the victims ability to pursue cases. Interestingly, Ensign’s proposal did not limit attorney’s fees for defending negligent doctors. Instead it was another veiled attempt to stick it to trial lawyers, at the expense of people who suffer or die from medical mistakes. If real “tort reform” is ever to have a chance, it must be based on a genuine and sincere effort to level the playing field for all.
North Carolina’s Senators Kay Hagan (D) and Richard Burr (R) voted in favor of the failed Ensign amendment.
We’re excited to have just opened our first office on the North Carolina coast in the Landfall Business Center in Wilmington.
Countless numbers of clients and attorneys have made the drive back and forth between Raleigh and Wilmington, but those days are over. We’ll be meeting you in the Landfall Executive Suites at 1213 Culbreth Dr. That’s just off Military Cutoff Road on the right, two blocks north of I74/Eastwood Road.
We’re excited to move into the 18th floor of the NASCAR Plaza in Charlotte! NASCAR has the 19th and 20th floors, and the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be opening downstairs in just a few short months… so you never know who you’ll bump into in the elevators!!! If you’re not familiar with Uptown Charlotte don’t worry — this is just about the easiest building to find. Take the South Boulevard exit off of Interstate 277/John Belk Freeway and you can’t miss this beautiful 20-story office tower. Take a quick left on Stonewall and a right on S. Brevard to park in our garage. Be sure to bring the parking pass upstairs for us to validate for you.The view from up here is unbelievable — come check it out for yourself!While Lou Waple and Kristin Packard are anchoring this new office, several of the rest of us have offices there as well. So whether you have a personal injury claim needing Eric Richardson and Laurie Stegall or a Social Security Disability claim for Justin Wraight, we’re happy to meet with you here.
Many of you know that Oxner + Permar has been a long-time champion of Kid’s Chance of North Carolina. Kid’s Chance is our local chapter of a national organization dedicated to providing scholarships to the children of injured workers. This April we’re again the lead sponsor of a fundraising golf tournament to be held at the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro — home of the PGA’s Wyndham Championship.
Kid’s Chance is an incredible organization, and we’re proud to have donated thousands of dollars to it while helping them raise even more money from other law firms as well. If you have a student in your family, or know of a family of an injured worker who could benefit from a scholarship, please go to www.kidschancenc.org for more information.
